‘And for the world you would not get out without the key and without Mr Rushworth's authority and protection,or I think you might with little difficulty pass round the edge of the gate,here,with my assistance;I think it might be done,if you really wished to be more at large,and could allow yourself to think it not prohibited.’
‘Prohibited!nonsense!I certainly can get out that way,and I will.Mr Rushworth will be here in a moment you know-we shall not be out of sight.’
‘Or if we are,Miss Price will be so good as to tell him,that he will find us near that knoll,the grove of oak on the knoll.’
Fanny,feeling all this to be wrong,could not help making an effort to prevent it.‘You will hurt yourself,Miss Bertram,’she cried,‘you will certainly hurt yourself against those spikes-you will tear your gown-you will be in danger of slipping into the ha-ha.You had better not go.’
Her cousin was safe on the other side,while these words were spoken,and smiling with all the good humour of success,she said,‘Thank you,my dear Fanny,but I and my gown are alive and well,and so goodbye.’
Fanny was again left to her solitude,and with no increase of pleasant feelings,for she was sorry for almost all that she had seen and heard,astonished at Miss Bertram,and angry with Mr Crawford.By taking a circuitous,and as it appeared to her,very unreasonable direction to the knoll,they were soon beyond her eye;and for some minutes longer she remained without sight or sound of any companion.She seemed to have the little wood all to herself.She could almost have thought,that Edmund and Miss Crawford had left it,but that it was impossible for Edmund to forget her so entirely.
She was again roused from disagreeable musings by sudden footsteps,somebody was coming at a quick pace down the principal walk.She expected Mr Rushworth,but it was Julia,who hot and out of breath,and with a look of disappointment,cried out on seeing her,‘Heyday!Where are the others?I thought Maria and Mr Crawford were with you.’
Fanny explained.
‘A pretty trick,upon my word!I cannot see them anywhere,’looking eagerly into the park.‘But they cannot be very far off,and I think I am equal to as much as Maria,even without help.’
‘But,Julia,Mr Rushworth will be here in a moment with the key.Do wait for Mr Rushworth.’
‘Not I,indeed.I have had enough of the family for one morning.Why,child,I have but this moment escaped from his horrible mother.Such a penance as I have been enduring,while you were sitting here so composed and so happy!It might have been as well,perhaps,if you had been in my place,but you always contrive to keep out of these scrapes.’
This was a most unjust reflection,but Fanny could allow for it,and let it pass;Julia was vexed,and her temper was hasty,but she felt that it would not last,and therefore taking no notice,only asked her if she had not seen Mr Rushworth.
‘Yes,yes,we saw him.He was posting away as if upon life and death,and could but just spare time to tell us his errand,and where you all were.’
‘It is a pity that he should have so much trouble for nothing.’
‘That is Miss Maria's concern.I am not obliged to punish myself for her sins.The mother I could not avoid,as long as my tiresome aunt was dancing about with the housekeeper,but the son I can get away from.’
And she immediately scrambled across the fence,and walked away,not attending to Fanny's last question of whether she had seen anything of Miss Crawford and Edmund.The sort of dread in which Fanny now sat of seeing Mr Rushworth prevented her thinking so much of their continued absence,however,as she might have done.She felt that he had been very ill-used,and was quite unhappy in having to communicate what had passed.He joined her within five minutes after Julia's exit;and though she made the best of the story,he was evidently mortified and displeased in no common degree.At first he scarcely said anything;his looks only expressed his extreme surprise and vexation,and he walked to the gate and stood there,without seeming to know what to do.
‘They desired me to stay-my cousin Maria charged me to say that you would find them at that knoll,or thereabouts.’
‘I do not believe I shall go any further,’said he sullenly;‘I see nothing of them.By the time I get to the knoll,they may be gone some where else.I have had walking enough.’
And he sat down with a most gloomy countenance by Fanny.
‘I am very sorry,’said she;‘it is very unlucky.’And she longed to be able to say something more to the purpose.
After an interval of silence,‘I think they might as well have stayed for me,’said he.
‘Miss Bertram thought you would follow her.’
‘I should not have had to follow her if she had stayed.’
This could not be denied,and Fanny was silenced.After another pause,he went on.‘Pray,Miss Price,are you such a great admirer of this Mr Crawford as some people are?For my part,I can see nothing in him.’
‘I do not think him at all handsome.’
‘Handsome!Nobody can call such an undersized man handsome.He is not five foot nine.I should not wonder if he was not more than five foot eight.I think he is an ill-looking fellow.In my opinion,these Crawfords are no addition at all.We did very well without them.’
A small sigh escaped Fanny here,and she did not know how to contradict him.
‘If I had made any difficulty about fetching the key,there might have been some excuse,but I went the very moment she said she wanted it.’
‘Nothing could be more obliging than your manner,I am sure,and I dare say you walked as fast as you could;but still it is some distance,you know,from this spot to the house,quite into the house;and when people are waiting,they are bad judges of time,and every half minute seems like five.’