CHAPTER XLIV

ertramthatshewasoutofluckinhavingsuchacapitalpieceofMansfieldnewsasthecertaintyoftheGrantsgoingtoBath,occuratatimewhenshecouldmakenoadvantageofit,andwilladmitthatitmusthavebeenverymortifyingtohertoseeitfalltotheshareofherthanklessson,andtreatedasconciselyaspossibleattheendofalongletter,insteadofhavingittospreadoverthelargestpartofapageofherown.ForthoughLadyBertramrathershoneintheepistolaryline,havingearlyinhermarriage,fromthewantofotheremployment,andthecircumstanceofSirThomas’sbeinginParliament,gotintothewayofmakingandkeepingcorrespondents,andformedforherselfaverycreditable,common-place,amplifyingstyle,sothataverylittlematterwasenoughforher:shecouldnotdoentirelywithoutanyshemusthavesomethingtowriteabout,eventohernieceandbeingsosoontoloseallthebenefitofDr.Grant’sgoutysymptomsandMrs.Grant’smorningcalls,itwasveryharduponhertobedeprivedofoneofthelastepistolaryusesshecouldputthemto. Therewasarichamends,however,preparingforher.LadyBertram’shourofgoodluckcame.WithinafewdaysfromthereceiptofEdmund’sletter,Fannyhadonefromheraunt,beginningthus— “MyDearFanny,—Itakeupmypentocommunicatesomeveryalarmingintelligence,whichImakenodoubtwillgiveyoumuchconcern”. ThiswasagreatdealbetterthantohavetotakeupthepentoacquaintherwithalltheparticularsoftheGrants’intendedjourney,forthepresentintelligencewasofanaturetopromiseoccupationforthepenformanydaystocome,beingnolessthanthedangerousillnessofhereldestson,ofwhichtheyhadreceivednoticebyexpressafewhoursbefore. TomhadgonefromLondonwithapartyofyoungmentoNewmarket,whereaneglectedfallandagooddealofdrinkinghadbroughtonafeverandwhenthepartybrokeup,beingunabletomove,hadbeenleftbyhimselfatthehouseofoneoftheseyoungmentothecomfortsofsicknessandsolitude,andtheattendanceonlyofservants.Insteadofbeingsoonwellenoughtofollowhisfriends,ashehadthenhoped,hisdisorderincreasedconsiderably,anditwasnotlongbeforehethoughtsoillofhimselfastobeasreadyashisphysiciantohavealetterdespatchedtoMansfield. “Thisdistressingintelligence,asyoumaysuppose,”observedherladyship,aftergivingthesubstanceofit,“hasagitatedusexceedingly,andwecannotpreventourselvesfrombeinggreatlyalarmedandapprehensiveforthepoorinvalid,whosestateSirThomasfearsmaybeverycriticalandEdmundkindlyproposesattendinghisbrotherimmediately,butIamhappytoaddthatSirThomaswillnotleavemeonthisdistressingoccasion,asitwouldbetootryingforme.WeshallgreatlymissEdmundinoursmallcircle,butItrustandhopehewillfindthepoorinvalidinalessalarmingstatethanmightbeapprehended,andthathewillbeabletobringhimtoMansfieldshortly,whichSirThomasproposesshouldbedone,andthinksbestoneveryaccount,andIflattermyselfthepoorsuffererwillsoonbeabletobeartheremovalwithoutmaterialinconvenienceorinjury.AsIhavelittledoubtofyourfeelingforus,mydearFanny,underthesedistressingcircumstances,Iwillwriteagainverysoon.” Fanny’sfeelingsontheoccasionwereindeedconsiderablymorewarmandgenuinethanheraunt’sstyleofwriting.Shefeltt