Iunderstoodthatyouhadtheuseofthisroombywayofmakingyouperfectlycomfortable。InyourbedchamberIknowyou_cannot_haveafire。Hereissomegreatmisapprehensionwhichmustberectified。Itishighlyunfitforyoutosit，beitonlyhalfanhouraday，withoutafire。Youarenotstrong。Youarechilly。
　　Yourauntcannotbeawareofthis。“
　　Fannywouldratherhavebeensilent；butbeingobligedtospeak，shecouldnotforbear，injusticetotheauntshelovedbest，fromsayingsomethinginwhichthewords“myauntNorris“weredistinguishable。
　　“Iunderstand，“criedheruncle，recollectinghimself，andnotwantingtohearmore：“Iunderstand。YourauntNorrishasalwaysbeenanadvocate，andveryjudiciously，foryoungpeople’sbeingbroughtupwithoutunnecessaryindulgences；butthereshouldbemoderationineverything。
　　Sheisalsoveryhardyherself，whichofcoursewillinfluenceherinheropinionofthewantsofothers。
　　Andonanotheraccount，too，Icanperfectlycomprehend。
　　Iknowwhathersentimentshavealwaysbeen。
　　Theprinciplewasgoodinitself，butitmayhavebeen，andIbelieve_has__been_，carriedtoofarinyourcase。
　　Iamawarethattherehasbeensometimes，insomepoints，amisplaceddistinction；butIthinktoowellofyou，Fanny，tosupposeyouwilleverharbourresentmentonthataccount。
　　Youhaveanunderstandingwhichwillpreventyoufromreceivingthingsonlyinpart，andjudgingpartiallybytheevent。Youwilltakeinthewholeofthepast，youwillconsidertimes，persons，andprobabilities，andyouwillfeelthat_they_werenotleastyourfriendswhowereeducatingandpreparingyouforthatmediocrityofconditionwhich_seemed_tobeyourlot。
　　Thoughtheircautionmayproveeventuallyunnecessary，itwaskindlymeant；andofthisyoumaybeassured，thateveryadvantageofaffluencewillbedoubledbythelittleprivationsandrestrictionsthatmayhavebeenimposed。
　　Iamsureyouwillnotdisappointmyopinionofyou，byfailingatanytimetotreatyourauntNorriswiththerespectandattentionthatareduetoher。
　　Butenoughofthis。Sitdown，mydear。Imustspeaktoyouforafewminutes，butIwillnotdetainyoulong。“
　　Fannyobeyed，witheyescastdownandcolourrising。
　　Afteramoment’spause，SirThomas，tryingtosuppressasmile，wenton。
　　“Youarenotaware，perhaps，thatIhavehadavisitorthismorning。Ihadnotbeenlonginmyownroom，afterbreakfast，whenMr。Crawfordwasshewnin。
　　Hiserrandyoumayprobablyconjecture。“
　　Fanny’scolourgrewdeeperanddeeper；andheruncle，perceivingthatshewasembarrassedtoadegreethatmadeeitherspeakingorlookingupquiteimpossible，turnedawayhisowneyes，andwithoutanyfartherpauseproceededinhisaccountofMr。Crawford’svisit。
　　Mr。Crawford’sbusinesshadbeentodeclarehimselftheloverofFanny，makedecidedproposalsforher，andentreatthesanctionoftheuncle，whoseemedtostandintheplaceofherparents；andhehaddoneitallsowell，soopenly，soliberally，soproperly，thatSirThomas，feeling，moreover，hisownreplies，andhisownremarkstohavebeenverymuchtothepurpose，wasexceedinglyhappytogivetheparticularsoftheirconversation；
　　andlittleawareofwhatwaspassinginhisniece’smind，conceivedthatbysuchdetailshemustbegratifyingherfarmorethanhimself。Hetalked，therefore，forseveralminuteswithoutFanny’sdaringtointerrupthim。
　　Shehadhardlyevenattainedthewishtodoit。Hermindwasintoomuchconfusion。Shehadchangedherposition；
　　and，withhereyesfixedintentlyononeofthewindows，waslisteningtoheruncleintheutmostperturbationanddismay。Foramomentheceased，butshehadbarelybecomeconsciousofit，when，risingfromhischair，hesaid，“Andnow，Fanny，havingperformedonepartofmycommission，andshewnyoueverythingplacedonabasisthemostassuredandsatisfactory，Imayexecutetheremainderbyprevailingonyoutoaccompanymedownstairs，where，thoughIcannotbutpresumeonhavingbeennounacceptablecompanionmyself，Imustsubmittoyourfindingonestillbetterworthlisteningto。Mr。Crawford，asyouhaveperhapsforeseen，isyetinthehouse。Heisinmyroom，andhopingtoseeyouthere。“
　　Therewasalook，astart，anexclamationonhearingthis，whichastonishedSirThomas；butwhatwashisincreaseofastonishmentonhearingherexclaim——“Oh!no，sir，Icannot，indeedIcannotgodowntohim。Mr。Crawfordoughttoknow——
　　hemustknowthat：Itoldhimenoughyesterdaytoconvincehim；
　　hespoketomeonthissubjectyesterday，andItoldhimwithoutdisguisethatitwasverydisagreeabletome，andquiteoutofmypowertoreturnhisgoodopinion。“
　　“Idonotcatchyourmeaning，“saidSirThomas，sittingdownagain。“Outofyourpowertoreturnhisgoodopinion？
　　Whatisallthis？Iknowhespoketoyouyesterday，andasfarasIunderstandreceivedasmuchencouragementtoproceedasawell-judgingyoungwomancouldpermitherselftogive。IwasverymuchpleasedwithwhatI
　　collectedtohavebeenyourbehaviourontheoccasion；
　　itshewedadiscretionhighlytobecommended。Butnow，whenhehasmadehisoverturessoproperly，andhonourably——
　　whatareyourscruples_now_？“
　　“Youaremistaken，sir，“criedFanny，forcedbytheanxietyofthemomenteventotellherunclethathewaswrong；
　　“youarequitemistaken。HowcouldMr。Crawfordsaysuchathing？Igavehimnoencouragementyesterday。
　　Onthecontrary，Itoldhim，Icannotrecollectmyexactwords，butIamsureItoldhimthatIwouldnotlistentohim，thatitwasveryunpleasanttomeineveryrespect，andthatIbeggedhimnevertotalktomeinthatmanneragain。
　　IamsureIsaidasmuchasthatandmore；andIshouldhavesaidstillmore，ifIhadbeenquitecertainofhismeaninganythingseriously；butIdidnotliketobe，Icouldnotbeartobe，imputingmorethanmightbeintended。
　　Ithoughtitmightallpassfornothingwith_him_。“
　　Shecouldsaynomore；herbreathwasalmostgone。
　　“AmItounderstand，“saidSirThomas，afterafewmoments’
　　silence，“thatyoumeanto_refuse_Mr。Crawford？“
　　“Yes，sir。“
　　“Refusehim？“
　　“Yes，sir。“
　　“RefuseMr。Crawford!Uponwhatplea？Forwhatreason？“
　　“I——Icannotlikehim，sir，wellenoughtomarryhim。“
　　“Thisisverystrange!“saidSirThomas，inavoiceofcalmdispleasure。“Thereissomethinginthiswhichmycomprehensiondoesnotreach。Hereisayoungmanwishingtopayhisaddressestoyou，witheverythingtorecommendhim：
　　notmerelysituationinlife，fortune，andcharacter，butwithmorethancommonagreeableness，withaddressandconversationpleasingtoeverybody。Andheisnotanacquaintanceofto-day；youhavenowknownhimsometime。
　　Hissister，moreover，isyourintimatefriend，andhehasbeendoing_that_foryourbrother，whichIshouldsupposewouldhavebeenalmostsufficientrecommendationtoyou，hadtherebeennoother。ItisveryuncertainwhenmyinterestmighthavegotWilliamon。Hehasdoneitalready。“
　　“Yes，“saidFanny，inafaintvoice，andlookingdownwithfreshshame；andshedidfeelalmostashamedofherself，aftersuchapictureasherunclehaddrawn，fornotlikingMr。Crawford。
　　“Youmusthavebeenaware，“continuedSirThomaspresently，“youmusthavebeensometimeawareofaparticularityinMr。Crawford’smannerstoyou。Thiscannothavetakenyoubysurprise。Youmusthaveobservedhisattentions；
　　andthoughyoualwaysreceivedthemveryproperlyIhavenoaccusationtomakeonthathead，Ineverperceivedthemtobeunpleasanttoyou。Iamhalfinclinedtothink，Fanny，thatyoudonotquiteknowyourownfeelings。“
　　“Ohyes，sir!indeedIdo。Hisattentionswerealways——
　　whatIdidnotlike。“
　　SirThomaslookedatherwithdeepersurprise。
　　“Thisisbeyondme，“saidhe。“Thisrequiresexplanation。
　　Youngasyouare，andhavingseenscarcelyanyone，itishardlypossiblethatyouraffections——“
　　Hepausedandeyedherfixedly。Hesawherlipsformedintoa_no_，thoughthesoundwasinarticulate，butherfacewaslikescarlet。That，however，insomodestagirl，mightbeverycompatiblewithinnocence；
　　andchusingatleasttoappearsatisfied，hequicklyadded，“No，no，Iknow_that_isquiteoutofthequestion；
　　quiteimpossible。Well，thereisnothingmoretobesaid。“
　　Andforafewminuteshedidsaynothing。Hewasdeepinthought。Hisniecewasdeepinthoughtlikewise，tryingtohardenandprepareherselfagainstfartherquestioning。