Edmundhadalreadygonethroughtheserviceoncesincehisordination；anduponthisbeingunderstood，hehadavarietyofquestionsfromCrawfordastohisfeelingsandsuccess；questions，whichbeingmade，thoughwiththevivacityoffriendlyinterestandquicktaste，withoutanytouchofthatspiritofbanterorairoflevitywhichEdmundknewtobemostoffensivetoFanny，hehadtruepleasureinsatisfying；andwhenCrawfordproceededtoaskhisopinionandgivehisownastotheproperestmannerinwhichparticularpassagesintheserviceshouldbedelivered，shewingittobeasubjectonwhichhehadthoughtbefore，andthoughtwithjudgment，Edmundwasstillmoreandmorepleased。ThiswouldbethewaytoFanny’sheart。
　　Shewasnottobewonbyallthatgallantryandwitandgood-naturetogethercoulddo；or，atleast，shewouldnotbewonbythemnearlysosoon，withouttheassistanceofsentimentandfeeling，andseriousnessonserioussubjects“Ourliturgy，“observedCrawford，“hasbeauties，whichnotevenacareless，slovenlystyleofreadingcandestroy；
　　butithasalsoredundanciesandrepetitionswhichrequiregoodreadingnottobefelt。Formyself，atleast，ImustconfessbeingnotalwayssoattentiveasIoughttobe“
　　herewasaglanceatFanny；“thatnineteentimesoutoftwentyIamthinkinghowsuchaprayeroughttoberead，andlongingtohaveittoreadmyself。Didyouspeak？“
　　steppingeagerlytoFanny，andaddressingherinasoftenedvoice；anduponhersaying“No，“headded，“Areyousureyoudidnotspeak？Isawyourlipsmove。
　　IfanciedyoumightbegoingtotellmeIoughttobemoreattentive，andnot_allow_mythoughtstowander。
　　Arenotyougoingtotellmeso？“
　　“No，indeed，youknowyourdutytoowellformeto——
　　evensupposing——“
　　Shestopt，feltherselfgettingintoapuzzle，andcouldnotbeprevailedontoaddanotherword，notbydintofseveralminutesofsupplicationandwaiting。Hethenreturnedtohisformerstation，andwentonasiftherehadbeennosuchtenderinterruption。
　　“Asermon，welldelivered，ismoreuncommoneventhanprayerswellread。Asermon，goodinitself，isnorarething。
　　Itismoredifficulttospeakwellthantocomposewell；
　　thatis，therulesandtrickofcompositionareofteneranobjectofstudy。Athoroughlygoodsermon，thoroughlywelldelivered，isacapitalgratification。
　　Icanneverhearsuchaonewithoutthegreatestadmirationandrespect，andmorethanhalfamindtotakeordersandpreachmyself。Thereissomethingintheeloquenceofthepulpit，whenitisreallyeloquence，whichisentitledtothehighestpraiseandhonour。Thepreacherwhocantouchandaffectsuchanheterogeneousmassofhearers，onsubjectslimited，andlongwornthreadbareinallcommonhands；whocansayanythingneworstriking，anythingthatrousestheattentionwithoutoffendingthetaste，orwearingoutthefeelingsofhishearers，isamanwhomonecouldnot，inhispubliccapacity，honourenough。
　　Ishouldliketobesuchaman。“
　　Edmundlaughed。
　　“Ishouldindeed。Ineverlistenedtoadistinguishedpreacherinmylifewithoutasortofenvy。Butthen，ImusthaveaLondonaudience。Icouldnotpreachbuttotheeducated；tothosewhowerecapableofestimatingmycomposition。AndIdonotknowthatIshouldbefondofpreachingoften；nowandthen，perhapsonceortwiceinthespring，afterbeinganxiouslyexpectedforhalfadozenSundaystogether；butnotforaconstancy；
　　itwouldnotdoforaconstancy。“
　　HereFanny，whocouldnotbutlisten，involuntarilyshookherhead，andCrawfordwasinstantlybyhersideagain，entreatingtoknowhermeaning；andasEdmundperceived，byhisdrawinginachair，andsittingdownclosebyher，thatitwastobeaverythoroughattack，thatlooksandundertonesweretobewelltried，hesankasquietlyaspossibleintoacorner，turnedhisback，andtookupanewspaper，verysincerelywishingthatdearlittleFannymightbepersuadedintoexplainingawaythatshakeoftheheadtothesatisfactionofherardentlover；
　　andasearnestlytryingtoburyeverysoundofthebusinessfromhimselfinmurmursofhisown，overthevariousadvertisementsof“AmostdesirableEstateinSouthWales“；“ToParentsandGuardians“；anda“Capitalseason’dHunter。“
　　Fanny，meanwhile，vexedwithherselffornothavingbeenasmotionlessasshewasspeechless，andgrievedtothehearttoseeEdmund’sarrangements，wastryingbyeverythinginthepowerofhermodest，gentlenature，torepulseMr。Crawford，andavoidbothhislooksandinquiries；
　　andhe，unrepulsable，waspersistinginboth。
　　“Whatdidthatshakeoftheheadmean？“saidhe。“Whatwasitmeanttoexpress？Disapprobation，Ifear。Butofwhat？
　　WhathadIbeensayingtodispleaseyou？Didyouthinkmespeakingimproperly，lightly，irreverentlyonthesubject？
　　OnlytellmeifIwas。OnlytellmeifIwaswrong。
　　Iwanttobesetright。Nay，nay，Ientreatyou；
　　foronemomentputdownyourwork。Whatdidthatshakeoftheheadmean？“
　　Invainwasher“Pray，sir，don’t；pray，Mr。Crawford，“
　　repeatedtwiceover；andinvaindidshetrytomoveaway。
　　Inthesamelow，eagervoice，andthesamecloseneighbourhood，hewenton，reurgingthesamequestionsasbefore。
　　Shegrewmoreagitatedanddispleased。
　　“Howcanyou，sir？Youquiteastonishme；Iwonderhowyoucan——“
　　“DoIastonishyou？“saidhe。“Doyouwonder？Isthereanythinginmypresententreatythatyoudonotunderstand？
　　Iwillexplaintoyouinstantlyallthatmakesmeurgeyouinthismanner，allthatgivesmeaninterestinwhatyoulookanddo，andexcitesmypresentcuriosity。
　　Iwillnotleaveyoutowonderlong。“
　　Inspiteofherself，shecouldnothelphalfasmile，butshesaidnothing。
　　“YoushookyourheadatmyacknowledgingthatIshouldnotliketoengageinthedutiesofaclergymanalwaysforaconstancy。Yes，thatwastheword。Constancy：
　　Iamnotafraidoftheword。Iwouldspellit，readit，writeitwithanybody。Iseenothingalarmingintheword。
　　DidyouthinkIought？“
　　“Perhaps，sir，“saidFanny，weariedatlastintospeaking——
　　“perhaps，sir，Ithoughtitwasapityyoudidnotalwaysknowyourselfaswellasyouseemedtodoatthatmoment。“
　　Crawford，delightedtogethertospeakatanyrate，wasdeterminedtokeepitup；andpoorFanny，whohadhopedtosilencehimbysuchanextremityofreproof，foundherselfsadlymistaken，andthatitwasonlyachangefromoneobjectofcuriosityandonesetofwordstoanother。
　　Hehadalwayssomethingtoentreattheexplanationof。
　　Theopportunitywastoofair。Nonesuchhadoccurredsincehisseeingherinheruncle’sroom，nonesuchmightoccuragainbeforehisleavingMansfield。LadyBertram’sbeingjustontheothersideofthetablewasatrifle，forshemightalwaysbeconsideredasonlyhalf-awake，andEdmund’sadvertisementswerestillofthefirstutility。
　　“Well，“saidCrawford，afteracourseofrapidquestionsandreluctantanswers；“IamhappierthanIwas，becauseI
　　nowunderstandmoreclearlyyouropinionofme。Youthinkmeunsteady：easilyswayedbythewhimofthemoment，easilytempted，easilyputaside。Withsuchanopinion，nowonderthat。Butweshallsee。ItisnotbyprotestationsthatIshallendeavourtoconvinceyouIamwronged；
　　itisnotbytellingyouthatmyaffectionsaresteady。
　　Myconductshallspeakforme；absence，distance，timeshallspeakforme。_They_shallprovethat，asfarasyoucanbedeservedbyanybody，Idodeserveyou。Youareinfinitelymysuperiorinmerit；all_that_Iknow。
　　YouhavequalitieswhichIhadnotbeforesupposedtoexistinsuchadegreeinanyhumancreature。
　　Youhavesometouchesoftheangelinyoubeyondwhat——
　　notmerelybeyondwhatonesees，becauseoneneverseesanythinglikeit——butbeyondwhatonefanciesmightbe。
　　ButstillIamnotfrightened。Itisnotbyequalityofmeritthatyoucanbewon。Thatisoutofthequestion。
　　Itishewhoseesandworshipsyourmeritthestrongest，wholovesyoumostdevotedly，thathasthebestrighttoareturn。ThereIbuildmyconfidence。
　　BythatrightIdoandwilldeserveyou；andwhenonceconvincedthatmyattachmentiswhatIdeclareit，Iknowyoutoowellnottoentertainthewarmesthopes。
　　Yes，dearest，sweetestFanny。Nay“seeingherdrawbackdispleased，“forgiveme。PerhapsIhaveasyetnoright；