“Itisamazing，“saidshe，“howmuchyoungpeoplecosttheirfriends，whatwithbringingthemupandputtingthemoutintheworld!Theylittlethinkhowmuchitcomesto，orwhattheirparents，ortheirunclesandaunts，payfortheminthecourseoftheyear。Now，herearemysisterPrice’schildren；takethemalltogether，IdaresaynobodywouldbelievewhatasumtheycostSirThomaseveryyear，tosaynothingofwhat_I_doforthem。“
　　“Verytrue，sister，asyousay。But，poorthings!
　　theycannothelpit；andyouknowitmakesverylittledifferencetoSirThomas。Fanny，WilliammustnotforgetmyshawlifhegoestotheEastIndies；andIshallgivehimacommissionforanythingelsethatisworthhaving。
　　IwishhemaygototheEastIndies，thatImayhavemyshawl。
　　IthinkIwillhavetwoshawls，Fanny。“
　　Fanny，meanwhile，speakingonlywhenshecouldnothelpit，wasveryearnestlytryingtounderstandwhatMr。andMissCrawfordwereat。Therewaseverythingintheworld_against_theirbeingseriousbuthiswordsandmanner。
　　Everythingnatural，probable，reasonable，wasagainstit；
　　alltheirhabitsandwaysofthinking，andallherowndemerits。Howcould_she_haveexcitedseriousattachmentinamanwhohadseensomany，andbeenadmiredbysomany，andflirtedwithsomany，infinitelyhersuperiors；whoseemedsolittleopentoseriousimpressions，evenwherepainshadbeentakentopleasehim；whothoughtsoslightly，socarelessly，sounfeelinglyonallsuchpoints；whowaseverythingtoeverybody，andseemedtofindnooneessentialtohim？
　　Andfarther，howcoulditbesupposedthathissister，withallherhighandworldlynotionsofmatrimony，wouldbeforwardinganythingofaseriousnatureinsuchaquarter？Nothingcouldbemoreunnaturalineither。
　　Fannywasashamedofherowndoubts。Everythingmightbepossibleratherthanseriousattachment，orseriousapprobationofittowardher。ShehadquiteconvincedherselfofthisbeforeSirThomasandMr。Crawfordjoinedthem。
　　ThedifficultywasinmaintainingtheconvictionquitesoabsolutelyafterMr。Crawfordwasintheroom；
　　foronceortwicealookseemedforcedonherwhichshedidnotknowhowtoclassamongthecommonmeaning；
　　inanyotherman，atleast，shewouldhavesaidthatitmeantsomethingveryearnest，verypointed。
　　Butshestilltriedtobelieveitnomorethanwhathemightoftenhaveexpressedtowardshercousinsandfiftyotherwomen。
　　Shethoughthewaswishingtospeaktoherunheardbytherest。Shefanciedhewastryingforitthewholeeveningatintervals，wheneverSirThomaswasoutoftheroom，oratallengagedwithMrs。Norris，andshecarefullyrefusedhimeveryopportunity。
　　Atlast——itseemedanatlasttoFanny’snervousness，thoughnotremarkablylate——hebegantotalkofgoingaway；
　　butthecomfortofthesoundwasimpairedbyhisturningtoherthenextmoment，andsaying，“HaveyounothingtosendtoMary？Noanswertohernote？Shewillbedisappointedifshereceivesnothingfromyou。Praywritetoher，ifitbeonlyaline。“
　　“Ohyes!certainly，“criedFanny，risinginhaste，thehasteofembarrassmentandofwantingtogetaway——
　　“Iwillwritedirectly。“
　　Shewentaccordinglytothetable，whereshewasinthehabitofwritingforheraunt，andpreparedhermaterialswithoutknowingwhatintheworldtosay。ShehadreadMissCrawford’snoteonlyonce，andhowtoreplytoanythingsoimperfectlyunderstoodwasmostdistressing。
　　Quiteunpractisedinsuchsortofnote-writing，hadtherebeentimeforscruplesandfearsastostyleshewouldhavefelttheminabundance：butsomethingmustbeinstantlywritten；andwithonlyonedecidedfeeling，thatofwishingnottoappeartothinkanythingreallyintended，shewrotethus，ingreattremblingbothofspiritsandhand——
　　“Iamverymuchobligedtoyou，mydearMissCrawford，foryourkindcongratulations，asfarastheyrelatetomydearestWilliam。TherestofyournoteIknowmeansnothing；
　　butIamsounequaltoanythingofthesort，thatIhopeyouwillexcusemybeggingyoutotakenofarthernotice。
　　IhaveseentoomuchofMr。Crawfordnottounderstandhismanners；ifheunderstoodmeaswell，hewould，Idaresay，behavedifferently。IdonotknowwhatIwrite，butitwouldbeagreatfavourofyounevertomentionthesubjectagain。Withthanksforthehonourofyournote，Iremain，dearMissCrawford，etc。，etc。“
　　Theconclusionwasscarcelyintelligiblefromincreasingfright，forshefoundthatMr。Crawford，underpretenceofreceivingthenote，wascomingtowardsher。
　　“YoucannotthinkImeantohurryyou，“saidhe，inanundervoice，perceivingtheamazingtrepidationwithwhichshemadeupthenote，“youcannotthinkIhaveanysuchobject。Donothurryyourself，Ientreat。“
　　“Oh!Ithankyou；Ihavequitedone，justdone；itwillbereadyinamoment；Iamverymuchobligedtoyou；
　　ifyouwillbesogoodastogive_that_toMissCrawford。“
　　Thenotewasheldout，andmustbetaken；andassheinstantlyandwithavertedeyeswalkedtowardsthefireplace，wheresattheothers，hehadnothingtodobuttogoingoodearnest。
　　Fannythoughtshehadneverknownadayofgreateragitation，bothofpainandpleasure；buthappilythepleasurewasnotofasorttodiewiththeday；foreverydaywouldrestoretheknowledgeofWilliam’sadvancement，whereasthepain，shehoped，wouldreturnnomore。
　　Shehadnodoubtthathernotemustappearexcessivelyill-written，thatthelanguagewoulddisgraceachild，forherdistresshadallowednoarrangement；butatleastitwouldassurethembothofherbeingneitherimposedonnorgratifiedbyMr。Crawford’sattentions。
　　FannyhadbynomeansforgottenMr。Crawfordwhensheawokethenextmorning；butsherememberedthepurportofhernote，andwasnotlesssanguineastoitseffectthanshehadbeenthenightbefore。IfMr。Crawfordwouldbutgoaway!Thatwaswhatshemostearnestlydesired：
　　goandtakehissisterwithhim，ashewastodo，andashereturnedtoMansfieldonpurposetodo。
　　Andwhyitwasnotdonealreadyshecouldnotdevise，forMissCrawfordcertainlywantednodelay。Fannyhadhoped，inthecourseofhisyesterday’svisit，tohearthedaynamed；
　　buthehadonlyspokenoftheirjourneyaswhatwouldtakeplaceerelong。
　　Havingsosatisfactorilysettledtheconvictionhernotewouldconvey，shecouldnotbutbeastonishedtoseeMr。Crawford，assheaccidentallydid，cominguptothehouseagain，andatanhourasearlyasthedaybefore。
　　Hiscomingmighthavenothingtodowithher，butshemustavoidseeinghimifpossible；andbeingthenonherwayupstairs，sheresolvedtheretoremain，duringthewholeofhisvisit，unlessactuallysentfor；
　　andasMrs。Norriswasstillinthehouse，thereseemedlittledangerofherbeingwanted。
　　Shesatsometimeinagooddealofagitation，listening，trembling，andfearingtobesentforeverymoment；
　　butasnofootstepsapproachedtheEastroom，shegrewgraduallycomposed，couldsitdown，andbeabletoemployherself，andabletohopethatMr。Crawfordhadcomeandwouldgowithoutherbeingobligedtoknowanythingofthematter。
　　Nearlyhalfanhourhadpassed，andshewasgrowingverycomfortable，whensuddenlythesoundofastepinregularapproachwasheard；aheavystep，anunusualstepinthatpartofthehouse：itwasheruncle’s；
　　sheknewitaswellashisvoice；shehadtrembledatitasoften，andbegantotrembleagain，attheideaofhiscominguptospeaktoher，whatevermightbethesubject。
　　ItwasindeedSirThomaswhoopenedthedoorandaskedifshewerethere，andifhemightcomein。Theterrorofhisformeroccasionalvisitstothatroomseemedallrenewed，andshefeltasifheweregoingtoexamineheragaininFrenchandEnglish。
　　Shewasallattention，however，inplacingachairforhim，andtryingtoappearhonoured；and，inheragitation，hadquiteoverlookedthedeficienciesofherapartment，tillhe，stoppingshortasheentered，said，withmuchsurprise，“Whyhaveyounofireto-day？“
　　Therewassnowontheground，andshewassittinginashawl。
　　Shehesitated。
　　“Iamnotcold，sir：Ineversitherelongatthistimeofyear。“
　　“Butyouhaveafireingeneral？“
　　“No，sir。“
　　“Howcomesthisabout？Heremustbesomemistake。