Mr Yates took the subject from his friend as soon as possible,and immediately gave Sir Thomas an account of what they had done and were doing,told him of the gradual increase of their views,the happy conclusion of their first difficulties,and present promising state of affairs;relating everything with so blind an interest as made him not only totally unconscious of the uneasy movements of many of his friends as they sat,the change of countenance,the fidget,the hem!of unquietness,but prevented him even from seeing the expression of the face on which his own eyes were fixed-from seeing Sir Thomas's dark brow contract as he looked with inquiring earnestness at his daughters and Edmund,dwelling particularly on the latter,and speaking a language,a remonstrance,a reproof which he felt at his heart.Not less acutely was it felt by Fanny,who had edged back her chair behind her aunt's end of the sofa,and,screened from notice herself,saw all that was passing before her.Such a look of reproach at Edmund from his father she could never have expected to witness;and to feel that it was in any degree deserved,was an aggravation indeed.Sir Thomas's look implied,‘On your judgment,Edmund,I depended;what have you been about?’-She knelt in spirit to her uncle,and her bosom swelled to utter,‘Oh!not to him.Look so to all the others,but not to him!’
Mr Yates was still talking.‘To own the truth,Sir Thomas,we were in the middle of a rehearsal when you arrived this evening.We were going through the three first acts,and not unsuccessfully upon the whole.Our company is now so dispersed from the Crawfords being gone home,that nothing more can be done tonight;but if you will give us the honour of your company tomorrow evening,I should not be afraid of the result.We bespeak your indulgence,you understand,as young performers;we bespeak your indulgence.’
‘My indulgence shall be given,sir,’replied Sir Thomas gravely,‘but without any other rehearsal.’-And with a relenting smile he added,‘I come home to be happy and indulgent.’Then turning away towards any or all of the rest,he tranquilly said,‘Mr and Miss Crawford were mentioned in my last letters from Mansfield.Do you find them agreeable acquaintance?’
Tom was the only one at all ready with an answer,but he being entirely without particular regard for either,without jealousy either in love or acting,could speak very handsomely of both.‘Mr Crawford was a most pleasant gentleman-like man;-his sister a sweet,pretty,elegant,lively girl.’
Mr Rushworth could be silent no longer.‘I do not say he is not gentleman-like,considering;but you should tell your father he is not above five feet eight,or he will be expecting a well-looking man.’
Sir Thomas did not quite understand this,and looked with some surprise at the speaker.
‘If I must say what I think,’continued Mr Rushworth,‘in my opinion it is very disagreeable to be always rehearsing.It is having too much of a good thing.I am not so fond of acting as I was at first.I think we are a great deal better employed,sitting comfortably here among ourselves,and doing nothing.’
Sir Thomas looked again,and then replied with an approving smile,‘I am happy to find our sentiments on this subject so much the same.It gives me sincere satisfaction.That I should be cautious and quick-sighted,and feel many scruples which my children do not feel,is perfectly natural;and equally so that my value for domestic tranquillity,for a home which shuts out noisy pleasures,should much exceed theirs.But at your time of life to feel all this,is a most favourable circumstance for yourself and for everybody connected with you;and I am sensible of the importance of having an ally of such weight.’
Sir Thomas meant to be giving Mr Rushworth's opinion in better words than he could find himself.He was aware that he must not expect a genius in Mr Rushworth;but as a well-judging steady young man,with better notions than his elocution would do justice to,he intended to value him very highly.It was impossible for many of the others not to smile.Mr Rushworth hardly knew what to do with so much meaning;but by looking as he really felt,most exceedingly pleased with Sir Thomas's good opinion,and saying scarcely anything,he did his best towards preserving that good opinion a little longer.
Chapter 20
Edmund's first object the next morning was to see his father alone,and give him a fair statement of the whole acting scheme,defending his own share in it as far only as he could then,in a soberer moment,feel his motives to deserve,and acknowledging with perfect ingenuousness that his concession had been attended with such partial good as to make his judgment in it very doubtful.He was anxious,while vindicating himself,to say nothing unkind of the others;but there was only one amongst them whose conduct he could mention without some necessity of defence or palliation.‘We have all been more or less to blame,’said he,‘everyone of us,excepting Fanny.Fanny is the only one who has judged rightly throughout,who has been consistent.Her feelings have been steadily against it from first to last.She never ceased to think of what was due to you.You will find Fanny everything you could wish.’
Sir Thomas saw all the impropriety of such a scheme among such a party,and at such a time,as strongly as his son had ever supposed he must;he felt it too much indeed for many words;and having shaken hands with Edmund,meant to try to lose the disagreeable impression,and forget how much he had been forgotten himself as soon as he could,after the house had been cleared of every object enforcing the remembrance,and restored to its proper state.He did not enter into any remonstrance with his other children:he was more willing to believe they felt their error,than to run the risk of investigation.The reproof of an immediate conclusion of everything,the sweep of every preparation would be sufficient.