CHAPTER XLV

endingafewdaysatRichmond.Hedoesiteveryspring.Beassuredhecaresfornobodybutyou.Atthisverymomentheiswildtoseeyou,andoccupiedonlyincontrivingthemeansfordoingso,andformakinghispleasureconducetoyours.Inproof,herepeats,andmoreeagerly,whathesaidatPortsmouthaboutourconveyingyouhome,andIjoinhiminitwithallmysoul.DearFanny,writedirectly,andtellustocome.Itwilldousallgood.HeandIcangototheParsonage,youknow,andbenotroubletoourfriendsatMansfieldPark.Itwouldreallybegratifyingtoseethemallagain,andalittleadditionofsocietymightbeofinfiniteusetothemandastoyourself,youmustfeelyourselftobesowantedthere,thatyoucannotinconscience—conscientiousasyouare—keepaway,whenyouhavethemeansofreturning.IhavenottimeorpatiencetogivehalfHenry’smessagesbesatisfiedthatthespiritofeachandeveryoneisunalterableaffection.” Fanny’sdisgustatthegreaterpartofthisletter,withherextremereluctancetobringthewriterofitandhercousinEdmundtogether,wouldhavemadeher(asshefelt)incapableofjudgingimpartiallywhethertheconcludingoffermightbeacceptedornot.Toherself,individually,itwasmosttempting.Tobefindingherself,perhapswithinthreedays,transportedtoMansfield,wasanimageofthegreatestfelicity,butitwouldhavebeenamaterialdrawbacktobeowingsuchfelicitytopersonsinwhosefeelingsandconduct,atthepresentmoment,shesawsomuchtocondemn:thesister’sfeelings,thebrother’sconduct,hercold-heartedambition,histhoughtlessvanity.Tohavehimstilltheacquaintance,theflirtperhaps,ofMrs.Rushworth!Shewasmortified.Shehadthoughtbetterofhim.Happily,however,shewasnotlefttoweighanddecidebetweenoppositeinclinationsanddoubtfulnotionsofrighttherewasnooccasiontodeterminewhethersheoughttokeepEdmundandMaryasunderornot.Shehadaruletoapplyto,whichsettledeverything.Heraweofheruncle,andherdreadoftakingalibertywithhim,madeitinstantlyplaintoherwhatshehadtodo.Shemustabsolutelydeclinetheproposal.Ifhewanted,hewouldsendforherandeventoofferanearlyreturnwasapresumptionwhichhardlyanythingwouldhaveseemedtojustify.ShethankedMissCrawford,butgaveadecidednegative.“Heruncle,sheunderstood,meanttofetchherandashercousin’sillnesshadcontinuedsomanyweekswithoutherbeingthoughtatallnecessary,shemustsupposeherreturnwouldbeunwelcomeatpresent,andthatsheshouldbefeltanencumbrance.” Herrepresentationofhercousin’sstateatthistimewasexactlyaccordingtoherownbeliefofit,andsuchasshesupposedwouldconveytothesanguinemindofhercorrespondentthehopeofeverythingshewaswishingfor.Edmundwouldbeforgivenforbeingaclergyman,itseemed,undercertainconditionsofwealthandthis,shesuspected,wasalltheconquestofprejudicewhichhewassoreadytocongratulatehimselfupon.Shehadonlylearnttothinknothingofconsequencebutmoney.