Whatevermightbeitseffect，however，shemuststandthebruntofitagainthatveryday。
　　Thefirstregularrehearsalofthethreefirstactswascertainlytotakeplaceintheevening：Mrs。GrantandtheCrawfordswereengagedtoreturnforthatpurposeassoonastheycouldafterdinner；andeveryoneconcernedwaslookingforwardwitheagerness。Thereseemedageneraldiffusionofcheerfulnessontheoccasion。
　　Tomwasenjoyingsuchanadvancetowardstheend；
　　Edmundwasinspiritsfromthemorning’srehearsal，andlittlevexationsseemedeverywheresmoothedaway。
　　Allwerealertandimpatient；theladiesmovedsoon，thegentlemensoonfollowedthem，andwiththeexceptionofLadyBertram，Mrs。Norris，andJulia，everybodywasinthetheatreatanearlyhour；andhavinglighteditupaswellasitsunfinishedstateadmitted，werewaitingonlythearrivalofMrs。GrantandtheCrawfordstobegin。
　　TheydidnotwaitlongfortheCrawfords，buttherewasnoMrs。Grant。Shecouldnotcome。Dr。Grant，professinganindisposition，forwhichhehadlittlecreditwithhisfairsister-in-law，couldnotsparehiswife。
　　“Dr。Grantisill，“saidshe，withmocksolemnity。
　　“Hehasbeenilleversincehedidnoteatanyofthepheasanttoday。Hefanciedittough，sentawayhisplate，andhasbeensufferingeversince“。
　　Herewasdisappointment!Mrs。Grant’snon-attendancewassadindeed。Herpleasantmannersandcheerfulconformitymadeheralwaysvaluableamongstthem；
　　but_now_shewasabsolutelynecessary。Theycouldnotact，theycouldnotrehearsewithanysatisfactionwithouther。
　　Thecomfortofthewholeeveningwasdestroyed。
　　Whatwastobedone？Tom，asCottager，wasindespair。
　　Afterapauseofperplexity，someeyesbegantobeturnedtowardsFanny，andavoiceortwotosay，“IfMissPricewouldbesogoodasto_read_thepart。“
　　Shewasimmediatelysurroundedbysupplications；
　　everybodyaskedit；evenEdmundsaid，“Do，Fanny，ifitisnot_very_disagreeabletoyou。“
　　ButFannystillhungback。Shecouldnotenduretheideaofit。WhywasnotMissCrawfordtobeappliedtoaswell？
　　Orwhyhadnotsherathergonetoherownroom，asshehadfelttobesafest，insteadofattendingtherehearsalatall？Shehadknownitwouldirritateanddistressher；shehadknownitherdutytokeepaway。
　　Shewasproperlypunished。
　　“Youhaveonlyto_read_thepart，“saidHenryCrawford，withrenewedentreaty。
　　“AndIdobelieveshecansayeverywordofit，“
　　addedMaria，“forshecouldputMrs。Grantrighttheotherdayintwentyplaces。Fanny，Iamsureyouknowthepart。“
　　Fannycouldnotsayshedid_not_；andastheyallpersevered，asEdmundrepeatedhiswish，andwithalookofevenfonddependenceonhergood-nature，shemustyield。
　　Shewoulddoherbest。Everybodywassatisfied；andshewaslefttothetremorsofamostpalpitatingheart，whiletheotherspreparedtobegin。
　　They_did_begin；andbeingtoomuchengagedintheirownnoisetobestruckbyanunusualnoiseintheotherpartofthehouse，hadproceededsomewaywhenthedooroftheroomwasthrownopen，andJulia，appearingatit，withafaceallaghast，exclaimed，“Myfatheriscome!
　　Heisinthehallatthismoment。“
　　Howistheconsternationofthepartytobedescribed？
　　Tothegreaternumberitwasamomentofabsolutehorror。
　　SirThomasinthehouse!Allfelttheinstantaneousconviction。
　　Notahopeofimpositionormistakewasharbouredanywhere。
　　Julia’slookswereanevidenceofthefactthatmadeitindisputable；andafterthefirststartsandexclamations，notawordwasspokenforhalfaminute：eachwithanalteredcountenancewaslookingatsomeother，andalmosteachwasfeelingitastrokethemostunwelcome，mostill-timed，mostappalling!Mr。Yatesmightconsideritonlyasavexatiousinterruptionfortheevening，andMr。Rushworthmightimagineitablessing；buteveryotherheartwassinkingundersomedegreeofself-condemnationorundefinedalarm，everyotherheartwassuggesting，“Whatwillbecomeofus？whatistobedonenow？“
　　Itwasaterriblepause；andterribletoeveryearwerethecorroboratingsoundsofopeningdoorsandpassingfootsteps。
　　Juliawasthefirsttomoveandspeakagain。Jealousyandbitternesshadbeensuspended：selfishnesswaslostinthecommoncause；butatthemomentofherappearance，FrederickwaslisteningwithlooksofdevotiontoAgatha’snarrative，andpressingherhandtohisheart；
　　andassoonasshecouldnoticethis，andseethat，inspiteoftheshockofherwords，hestillkepthisstationandretainedhersister’shand，herwoundedheartswelledagainwithinjury，andlookingasredasshehadbeenwhitebefore，sheturnedoutoftheroom，saying，“_I_neednotbeafraidofappearingbeforehim。“
　　Hergoingrousedtherest；andatthesamemomentthetwobrotherssteppedforward，feelingthenecessityofdoingsomething。Averyfewwordsbetweenthemweresufficient。Thecaseadmittednodifferenceofopinion：theymustgotothedrawing-roomdirectly。
　　Mariajoinedthemwiththesameintent，justthenthestoutestofthethree；fortheverycircumstancewhichhaddrivenJuliaawaywastoherthesweetestsupport。
　　HenryCrawford’sretainingherhandatsuchamoment，amomentofsuchpeculiarproofandimportance，wasworthagesofdoubtandanxiety。Shehaileditasanearnestofthemostseriousdetermination，andwasequaleventoencounterherfather。Theywalkedoff，utterlyheedlessofMr。Rushworth’srepeatedquestionof，“ShallIgotoo？HadnotIbettergotoo？Willnotitberightformetogotoo？“buttheywerenosoonerthroughthedoorthanHenryCrawfordundertooktoanswertheanxiousinquiry，and，encouraginghimbyallmeanstopayhisrespectstoSirThomaswithoutdelay，senthimaftertheotherswithdelightedhaste。
　　FannywasleftwithonlytheCrawfordsandMr。Yates。
　　Shehadbeenquiteoverlookedbyhercousins；andasherownopinionofherclaimsonSirThomas’saffectionwasmuchtoohumbletogiveheranyideaofclassingherselfwithhischildren，shewasgladtoremainbehindandgainalittlebreathing-time。Heragitationandalarmexceededallthatwasenduredbytherest，bytherightofadispositionwhichnoteveninnocencecouldkeepfromsuffering。Shewasnearlyfainting：
　　allherformerhabitualdreadofherunclewasreturning，andwithitcompassionforhimandforalmosteveryoneofthepartyonthedevelopmentbeforehim，withsolicitudeonEdmund’saccountindescribable。Shehadfoundaseat，whereinexcessivetremblingshewasenduringallthesefearfulthoughts，whiletheotherthree，nolongerunderanyrestraint，weregivingventtotheirfeelingsofvexation，lamentingoversuchanunlooked-forprematurearrivalasamostuntowardevent，andwithoutmercywishingpoorSirThomashadbeentwiceaslongonhispassage，orwerestillinAntigua。
　　TheCrawfordsweremorewarmonthesubjectthanMr。Yates，frombetterunderstandingthefamily，andjudgingmoreclearlyofthemischiefthatmustensue。Theruinoftheplaywastothemacertainty：theyfeltthetotaldestructionoftheschemetobeinevitablyathand；
　　whileMr。Yatesconsidereditonlyasatemporaryinterruption，adisasterfortheevening，andcouldevensuggestthepossibilityoftherehearsalbeingrenewedaftertea，whenthebustleofreceivingSirThomaswereover，andhemightbeatleisuretobeamusedbyit。
　　TheCrawfordslaughedattheidea；andhavingsoonagreedontheproprietyoftheirwalkingquietlyhomeandleavingthefamilytothemselves，proposedMr。Yates’saccompanyingthemandspendingtheeveningattheParsonage。
　　ButMr。Yates，havingneverbeenwiththosewhothoughtmuchofparentalclaims，orfamilyconfidence，couldnotperceivethatanythingofthekindwasnecessary；andtherefore，thankingthem，said，“hepreferredremainingwherehewas，thathemightpayhisrespectstotheoldgentlemanhandsomelysincehe_was_come；andbesides，hedidnotthinkitwouldbefairbytheotherstohaveeverybodyrunaway。“
　　Fannywasjustbeginningtocollectherself，andtofeelthatifshestaidlongerbehinditmightseemdisrespectful，whenthispointwassettled，andbeingcommissionedwiththebrotherandsister’sapology，sawthempreparingtogoasshequittedtheroomherselftoperformthedreadfuldutyofappearingbeforeheruncle。
　　Toosoondidshefindherselfatthedrawing-roomdoor；
　　andafterpausingamomentforwhatsheknewwouldnotcome，foracouragewhichtheoutsideofnodoorhadeversuppliedtoher，sheturnedthelockindesperation，andthelightsofthedrawing-room，andallthecollectedfamily，werebeforeher。Assheentered，herownnamecaughtherear。SirThomaswasatthatmomentlookingroundhim，andsaying，“ButwhereisFanny？WhydonotIseemylittleFanny？“——andonperceivingher，cameforwardwithakindnesswhichastonishedandpenetratedher，callingherhisdearFanny，kissingheraffectionately，andobservingwithdecidedpleasurehowmuchshewasgrown!
　　Fannyknewnothowtofeel，norwheretolook。Shewasquiteoppressed。Hehadneverbeensokind，so_very_
　　kindtoherinhislife。Hismannerseemedchanged，hisvoicewasquickfromtheagitationofjoy；andallthathadbeenawfulinhisdignityseemedlostintenderness。
　　Heledhernearerthelightandlookedatheragain——
　　inquiredparticularlyafterherhealth，andthen，correctinghimself，observedthatheneednotinquire，forherappearancespokesufficientlyonthatpoint。Afineblushhavingsucceededthepreviouspalenessofherface，hewasjustifiedinhisbeliefofherequalimprovementinhealthandbeauty。Heinquirednextafterherfamily，especiallyWilliam：andhiskindnessaltogetherwassuchasmadeherreproachherselfforlovinghimsolittle，andthinkinghisreturnamisfortune；andwhen，onhavingcouragetolifthereyestohisface，shesawthathewasgrownthinner，andhadtheburnt，fagged，wornlookoffatigueandahotclimate，everytenderfeelingwasincreased，andshewasmiserableinconsideringhowmuchunsuspectedvexationwasprobablyreadytoburstonhim。