‘My dear Fanny,’replied Edmund,scarcely hearing her to the end,‘let us not,any of us,be judged by what we appeared at that period of general folly.The time of the play,is a time which I hate to recollect.Maria was wrong,Crawford was wrong,we were all wrong together;but none so wrong as myself.Compared with me,all the rest were blameless.I was playing the fool with my eyes open.’
‘As a bystander,’said Fanny,‘perhaps I saw more than you did;and I do think that Mr Rushworth was sometimes very jealous.’
‘Very possibly.No wonder.Nothing could be more improper than the whole business.I am shocked whenever I think that Maria could be capable of it;but if she could undertake the part,we must not be surprised at the rest.’
‘Before the play,I am much mistaken,if Julia did not think he was paying her attentions.’
‘Julia!-I have heard before from someone of his being in love with Julia,but I could never see anything of it.And Fanny,though I hope I do justice to my sisters'good qualities,I think it very possible that they might,one or both,be more desirous of being admired by Crawford,and might show that desire rather more unguardedly than was perfectly prudent.I can remember that they were evidently fond of his society;and with such encouragement,a man like Crawford,lively,and it may be a little unthinking,might be led on to-there could be nothing very striking,because it is clear that he had no pretensions;his heart was reserved for you,And I must say,that its being for you,has raised him inconceivably in my opinion.It does him the highest honour;it shows his proper estimation of the blessing of domestic happiness,and pure attachment.It proves him unspoilt by his uncle.It proves him,in short,everything that I had been used to wish to believe him,and feared he was not.’
‘I am persuaded that he does not think as he ought,on serious subjects.’
‘Say rather,that he has not thought at all upon serious subjects,which I believe to be a good deal the case.How could it be otherwise,with such an education and adviser?Under the disadvantages,indeed,which both have had,is it not wonderful that they should be what they are?Crawford's feelings,I am ready to acknowledge,have hitherto been too much his guides.Happily,those feelings have generally been good.You will supply the rest;and a most fortunate man he is to attach himself to such a creature-to a woman,who firm as a rock in her own principles,has a gentleness of character so well adapted to recommend them.He has chosen his partner,indeed,with rare felicity.He will make you happy,Fanny,I know he will make you happy;but you will make him everything.’
‘I would not engage in such a charge,’cried Fanny in a shrinking accent-‘in such an office of high responsibility!’
‘As usual,believing yourself unequal to anything-fancying every thing too much for you!Well,though I may not be able to persuade you into different feelings,you will be persuaded into them I trust.I confess myself sincerely anxious that you may.I have no common interest in Crawford's well doing.Next to your happiness,Fanny,his has the first claim on me.You are aware of my having no common interest in Crawford.’
Fanny was too well aware of it，to have anything to say;and they walked on together some fifty yards in mutual silence and abstraction.Edmund first began again,‘I was very much pleased by her manner of speaking of it yesterday,particularly pleased,because I had not depended upon her seeing every thing in so just a light.I knew she was very fond of you,but yet I was afraid of her not estimating your worth to her brother,quite as it deserved,and of her regretting that he had not rather fixed on some woman of distinction,or fortune.I was afraid of the bias of those worldly maxims,which she has been too much used to hear.But it was very different.She spoke of you,Fanny,just as she ought.She desires the connection as warmly as your uncle or myself.We had a long talk about it.I should not have mentioned the subject,though very anxious to know her sentiments-but I had not been in the room five minutes,before she began,introducing it with all that openness of heart,and sweet peculiarity of manner,that spirit and ingenuousness,which are so much a part of herself.Mrs Grant laughed at her for her rapidity.’
‘Was Mrs Grant in the room,then?’
‘Yes,when I reached the house I found the two sisters together by themselves;and when once we had begun,we had not done with you,Fanny,till Crawford and Dr Grant came in.’
‘It is above a week since I saw Miss Crawford.’
‘Yes,she laments it;yet owns it may have been best.You will see her,however,before she goes.She is very angry with you,Fanny;you must be prepared for that.She calls herself very angry,but you can imagine her anger.It is the regret and disappointment of a sister,who thinks her brother has a right to everything he may wish for,at the first moment.She is hurt,as you would be for William;but she loves and esteems you with all her heart.’
‘I knew she would be very angry with me.’
‘My dearest Fanny,’cried Edmund,pressing her arm closer to him,‘do not let the idea of her anger distress you.It is anger to be talked of,rather than felt.Her heart is made for love and kindness,not for resentment.I wish you could have overheard her tribute of praise;I wish you could have seen her countenance,when she said that you should be Henry's wife.And I observed,that she always spoke of you as “Fanny,”which she was never used to do;and it had a sound of most sisterly cordiality.’
‘And Mrs Grant,did she say-did she speak-was she there all the time?’