CHAPTER XLVII

Ithadbeenamiserableparty,eachofthethreebelievingthemselvesmostmiserable.Mrs.Norris,however,asmostattachedtoMaria,wasreallythegreatestsufferer.Mariawasherfirstfavourite,thedearestofallthematchhadbeenherowncontriving,asshehadbeenwontwithsuchprideofhearttofeelandsay,andthisconclusionofitalmostoverpoweredher. Shewasanalteredcreature,quieted,stupefied,indifferenttoeverythingthatpassed.Thebeingleftwithhersisterandnephew,andallthehouseunderhercare,hadbeenanadvantageentirelythrownawayshehadbeenunabletodirectordictate,orevenfancyherselfuseful.Whenreallytouchedbyaffliction,heractivepowershadbeenallbenumbedandneitherLadyBertramnorTomhadreceivedfromherthesmallestsupportorattemptatsupport.Shehaddonenomoreforthemthantheyhaddoneforeachother.Theyhadbeenallsolitary,helpless,andforlornalikeandnowthearrivaloftheothersonlyestablishedhersuperiorityinwretchedness.Hercompanionswererelieved,buttherewasnogoodforher.EdmundwasalmostaswelcometohisbrotherasFannytoherauntbutMrs.Norris,insteadofhavingcomfortfromeither,wasbutthemoreirritatedbythesightofthepersonwhom,intheblindnessofheranger,shecouldhavechargedasthedaemonofthepiece.HadFannyacceptedMr.Crawfordthiscouldnothavehappened. Susantoowasagrievance.Shehadnotspiritstonoticeherinmorethanafewrepulsivelooks,butshefeltherasaspy,andanintruder,andanindigentniece,andeverythingmostodious.Byherotheraunt,Susanwasreceivedwithquietkindness.LadyBertramcouldnotgivehermuchtime,ormanywords,butshefelther,asFanny’ssister,tohaveaclaimatMansfield,andwasreadytokissandlikeherandSusanwasmorethansatisfied,forshecameperfectlyawarethatnothingbutill-humourwastobeexpectedfromauntNorrisandwassoprovidedwithhappiness,sostronginthatbestofblessings,anescapefrommanycertainevils,thatshecouldhavestoodagainstagreatdealmoreindifferencethanshemetwithfromtheothers. Shewasnowleftagooddealtoherself,togetacquaintedwiththehouseandgroundsasshecould,andspentherdaysveryhappilyinsodoing,whilethosewhomightotherwisehaveattendedtoherwereshutup,orwhollyoccupiedeachwiththepersonquitedependentonthem,atthistime,foreverythinglikecomfortEdmundtryingtoburyhisownfeelingsinexertionsforthereliefofhisbrother’s,andFannydevotedtoherauntBertram,returningtoeveryformerofficewithmorethanformerzeal,andthinkingshecouldneverdoenoughforonewhoseemedsomuchtowanther. TotalkoverthedreadfulbusinesswithFanny,talkandlament,wasallLadyBertram’sconsolation.Tobelistenedtoandbornewith,andhearthevoiceofkindnessandsympathyinreturn,waseverythingthatcouldbedoneforher.Tobeotherwisecomfortedwasoutofthequestion.Thecaseadmittedofnocomfort.LadyBertramdidnotthinkdeeply,but,guidedbySirThomas,shethoughtjustlyonallimportantpointsandshesaw,therefore,inallitsenormity,whathadhappened,andneitherendeavouredherself,norrequiredFannytoadviseher,tothinklittleofguiltandinfamy. Heraffectionswerenotacute,norwashermindtenacious.Afteratime,Fannyfounditnotimpossibletodirectherthoughtstoothersubjects,andrevivesomeinterestintheusualoccupationsbutwheneverLadyBertramwasfixedontheevent,shecouldseeitonlyinonelight,ascomprehendingthelossofadaughter,andadisgracenevertobewipedoff. Fannylearntfromheralltheparticularswhichhadyettranspired.Herauntwasnoverymethodicalnarrator,butwiththehelpofsomeletterstoandfromSirThomas,andwhatshealreadyknewherself,andcouldreasonablycombine,shewassoonabletounderstandquiteasmuchasshewishedofthecircumstancesattendingthestory. Mrs.Rushworthhadgone,fortheEasterholidays,toTwickenham,withafamilywhomshehadjustgrownintimatewith:afamilyoflively,agreeablemanners,andprobablyofmoralsanddiscretiontosuit,fortotheirhouseMr.Crawfordhadconstantaccessatalltimes.HishavingbeeninthesameneighbourhoodFannyalreadyknew.Mr.RushworthhadbeengoneatthistimetoBath,topassafewdayswithhismother,andbringherbacktotown,andMariawaswiththesefriendswithoutanyrestraint,withoutevenJuliaforJuliahadremovedfromWimpoleStreettwoorthreeweeksbefore,onavisittosomerelationsofSirThomasaremovalwhichherfatherandmotherwerenowdisposedtoattributetosomeviewofconvenienceonMr.Yates’saccount.VerysoonaftertheRushworths’returntoWimpoleStreet,SirThomashadreceivedaletterfromanoldandmostparticularfriendinLondon,whohearingandwitnessin