Oh，Mr。Crawford，weareinfinitelyobligedtoyou!
　　Dearest，dearestWilliam!“Shejumpedupandmovedinhastetowardsthedoor，cryingout，“Iwillgotomyuncle。
　　Myuncleoughttoknowitassoonaspossible。“Butthiscouldnotbesuffered。Theopportunitywastoofair，andhisfeelingstooimpatient。Hewasafterherimmediately。
　　“Shemustnotgo，shemustallowhimfiveminuteslonger，“
　　andhetookherhandandledherbacktoherseat，andwasinthemiddleofhisfartherexplanation，beforeshehadsuspectedforwhatshewasdetained。
　　Whenshedidunderstandit，however，andfoundherselfexpectedtobelievethatshehadcreatedsensationswhichhishearthadneverknownbefore，andthateverythinghehaddoneforWilliamwastobeplacedtotheaccountofhisexcessiveandunequalledattachmenttoher，shewasexceedinglydistressed，andforsomemomentsunabletospeak。Sheconsidereditallasnonsense，asmeretriflingandgallantry，whichmeantonlytodeceiveforthehour；shecouldnotbutfeelthatitwastreatingherimproperlyandunworthily，andinsuchawayasshehadnotdeserved；butitwaslikehimself，andentirelyofapiecewithwhatshehadseenbefore；andshewouldnotallowherselftoshewhalfthedispleasureshefelt，becausehehadbeenconferringanobligation，whichnowantofdelicacyonhispartcouldmakeatrifletoher。
　　WhileherheartwasstillboundingwithjoyandgratitudeonWilliam’sbehalf，shecouldnotbeseverelyresentfulofanythingthatinjuredonlyherself；andafterhavingtwicedrawnbackherhand，andtwiceattemptedinvaintoturnawayfromhim，shegotup，andsaidonly，withmuchagitation，“Don’t，Mr。Crawford，praydon’t!I
　　begyouwouldnot。Thisisasortoftalkingwhichisveryunpleasanttome。Imustgoaway。Icannotbearit。“
　　Buthewasstilltalkingon，describinghisaffection，solicitingareturn，and，finally，inwordssoplainastobearbutonemeaningeventoher，offeringhimself，hand，fortune，everything，toheracceptance。Itwasso；
　　hehadsaidit。Herastonishmentandconfusionincreased；
　　andthoughstillnotknowinghowtosupposehimserious，shecouldhardlystand。Hepressedforananswer。
　　“No，no，no!“shecried，hidingherface。“Thisisallnonsense。
　　Donotdistressme。Icanhearnomoreofthis。
　　YourkindnesstoWilliammakesmemoreobligedtoyouthanwordscanexpress；butIdonotwant，Icannotbear，Imustnotlistentosuch——No，no，don’tthinkofme。
　　Butyouare_not_thinkingofme。Iknowitisallnothing。“
　　Shehadburstawayfromhim，andatthatmomentSirThomaswasheardspeakingtoaservantinhiswaytowardstheroomtheywerein。Itwasnotimeforfartherassurancesorentreaty，thoughtopartwithheratamomentwhenhermodestyaloneseemed，tohissanguineandpreassuredmind，tostandinthewayofthehappinesshesought，wasacruelnecessity。Sherushedoutatanoppositedoorfromtheoneherunclewasapproaching，andwaswalkingupanddowntheEastroomilltheutmostconfusionofcontraryfeeling，beforeSirThomas’spolitenessorapologieswereover，orhehadreachedthebeginningofthejoyfulintelligencewhichhisvisitorcametocommunicate。
　　Shewasfeeling，thinking，tremblingabouteverything；
　　agitated，happy，miserable，infinitelyobliged，absolutelyangry。Itwasallbeyondbelief!
　　Hewasinexcusable，incomprehensible!Butsuchwerehishabitsthathecoulddonothingwithoutamixtureofevil。Hehadpreviouslymadeherthehappiestofhumanbeings，andnowhehadinsulted——sheknewnotwhattosay，howtoclass，orhowtoregardit。
　　Shewouldnothavehimbeserious，andyetwhatcouldexcusetheuseofsuchwordsandoffers，iftheymeantbuttotrifle？
　　ButWilliamwasalieutenant。_That_wasafactbeyondadoubt，andwithoutanalloy。Shewouldthinkofitforeverandforgetalltherest。Mr。Crawfordwouldcertainlyneveraddresshersoagain：hemusthaveseenhowunwelcomeitwastoher；andinthatcase，howgratefullyshecouldesteemhimforhisfriendshiptoWilliam!
　　ShewouldnotstirfartherfromtheEastroomthantheheadofthegreatstaircase，tillshehadsatisfiedherselfofMr。Crawford’shavingleftthehouse；
　　butwhenconvincedofhisbeinggone，shewaseagertogodownandbewithheruncle，andhaveallthehappinessofhisjoyaswellasherown，andallthebenefitofhisinformationorhisconjecturesastowhatwouldnowbeWilliam’sdestination。SirThomaswasasjoyfulasshecoulddesire，andverykindandcommunicative；
　　andshehadsocomfortableatalkwithhimaboutWilliamastomakeherfeelasifnothinghadoccurredtovexher，tillshefound，towardstheclose，thatMr。Crawfordwasengagedtoreturnanddinetherethatveryday。
　　Thiswasamostunwelcomehearing，forthoughhemightthinknothingofwhathadpassed，itwouldbequitedistressingtohertoseehimagainsosoon。
　　Shetriedtogetthebetterofit；triedveryhard，asthedinnerhourapproached，tofeelandappearasusual；
　　butitwasquiteimpossibleforhernottolookmostshyanduncomfortablewhentheirvisitorenteredtheroom。
　　ShecouldnothavesupposeditinthepowerofanyconcurrenceofcircumstancestogivehersomanypainfulsensationsonthefirstdayofhearingofWilliam’spromotion。
　　Mr。Crawfordwasnotonlyintheroom——hewassoonclosetoher。Hehadanotetodeliverfromhissister。
　　Fannycouldnotlookathim，buttherewasnoconsciousnessofpastfollyinhisvoice。Sheopenedhernoteimmediately，gladtohaveanythingtodo，andhappy，asshereadit，tofeelthatthefidgetingsofherauntNorris，whowasalsotodinethere，screenedheralittlefromview。
　　“MydearFanny，——forsoImaynowalwayscallyou，totheinfinitereliefofatonguethathasbeenstumblingat_Miss__Price_foratleastthelastsixweeks——
　　Icannotletmybrothergowithoutsendingyouafewlinesofgeneralcongratulation，andgivingmymostjoyfulconsentandapproval。Goon，mydearFanny，andwithoutfear；
　　therecanbenodifficultiesworthnaming。Ichusetosupposethattheassuranceofmyconsentwillbesomething；
　　soyoumaysmileuponhimwithyoursweetestsmilesthisafternoon，andsendhimbacktomeevenhappierthanhegoes——Yoursaffectionately，M。C。“
　　ThesewerenotexpressionstodoFannyanygood；
　　forthoughshereadintoomuchhasteandconfusiontoformtheclearestjudgmentofMissCrawford’smeaning，itwasevidentthatshemeanttocomplimentheronherbrother’sattachment，andevento_appear_tobelieveitserious。Shedidnotknowwhattodo，orwhattothink。
　　Therewaswretchednessintheideaofitsbeingserious；
　　therewasperplexityandagitationeveryway。
　　ShewasdistressedwheneverMr。Crawfordspoketoher，andhespoketohermuchtoooften；andshewasafraidtherewasasomethinginhisvoiceandmannerinaddressingherverydifferentfromwhattheywerewhenhetalkedtotheothers。Hercomfortinthatday’sdinnerwasquitedestroyed：shecouldhardlyeatanything；
　　andwhenSirThomasgood-humouredlyobservedthatjoyhadtakenawayherappetite，shewasreadytosinkwithshame，fromthedreadofMr。Crawford’sinterpretation；
　　forthoughnothingcouldhavetemptedhertoturnhereyestotherighthand，wherehesat，shefeltthat_his_
　　wereimmediatelydirectedtowardsher。
　　Shewasmoresilentthanever。ShewouldhardlyjoinevenwhenWilliamwasthesubject，forhiscommissioncameallfromtherighthandtoo，andtherewaspainintheconnexion。
　　ShethoughtLadyBertramsatlongerthanever，andbegantobeindespairofevergettingaway；butatlasttheywereinthedrawing-room，andshewasabletothinkasshewould，whileherauntsfinishedthesubjectofWilliam’sappointmentintheirownstyle。
　　Mrs。NorrisseemedasmuchdelightedwiththesavingitwouldbetoSirThomasaswithanypartofit。
　　“_Now_Williamwouldbeabletokeephimself，whichwouldmakeavastdifferencetohisuncle，foritwasunknownhowmuchhehadcosthisuncle；and，indeed，itwouldmakesomedifferencein_her_presentstoo。ShewasverygladthatshehadgivenWilliamwhatshedidatparting，veryglad，indeed，thatithadbeeninherpower，withoutmaterialinconvenience，justatthattimetogivehimsomethingratherconsiderable；thatis，for_her_，with_her_limitedmeans，fornowitwouldallbeusefulinhelpingtofituphiscabin。Sheknewhemustbeatsomeexpense，thathewouldhavemanythingstobuy，thoughtobesurehisfatherandmotherwouldbeabletoputhiminthewayofgettingeverythingverycheap；
　　butshewasverygladshehadcontributedhermitetowardsit。“
　　“Iamgladyougavehimsomethingconsiderable，“
　　saidLadyBertram，withmostunsuspiciouscalmness，“for_I_gavehimonly10。“
　　“Indeed!“criedMrs。Norris，reddening。“Uponmyword，hemusthavegoneoffwithhispockets1welllined，andatnoexpenseforhisjourneytoLondoneither!“
　　“SirThomastoldme10wouldbeenough。“
　　Mrs。Norris，beingnotatallinclinedtoquestionitssufficiency，begantotakethematterinanotherpoint。