“AndMrs。Grant，didshesay——didshespeak；wasshethereallthetime？“
　　“Yes，shewasagreeingexactlywithhersister。Thesurpriseofyourrefusal，Fanny，seemstohavebeenunbounded。
　　ThatyoucouldrefusesuchamanasHenryCrawfordseemsmorethantheycanunderstand。IsaidwhatIcouldforyou；
　　butingoodtruth，astheystatedthecase——youmustproveyourselftobeinyoursensesassoonasyoucanbyadifferentconduct；nothingelsewillsatisfythem。
　　Butthisisteasingyou。Ihavedone。Donotturnawayfromme。“
　　“I_should_havethought，“saidFanny，afterapauseofrecollectionandexertion，“thateverywomanmusthavefeltthepossibilityofaman’snotbeingapproved，notbeinglovedbysomeoneofhersexatleast，lethimbeeversogenerallyagreeable。Lethimhavealltheperfectionsintheworld，Ithinkitoughtnottobesetdownascertainthatamanmustbeacceptabletoeverywomanhemayhappentolikehimself。But，evensupposingitisso，allowingMr。Crawfordtohavealltheclaimswhichhissistersthinkhehas，howwasItobepreparedtomeethimwithanyfeelinganswerabletohisown？
　　Hetookmewhollybysurprise。Ihadnotanideathathisbehaviourtomebeforehadanymeaning；andsurelyI
　　wasnottobeteachingmyselftolikehimonlybecausehewastakingwhatseemedveryidlenoticeofme。
　　Inmysituation，itwouldhavebeentheextremeofvanitytobeformingexpectationsonMr。Crawford。Iamsurehissisters，ratinghimastheydo，musthavethoughtitso，supposinghehadmeantnothing。How，then，wasItobe——
　　tobeinlovewithhimthemomenthesaidhewaswithme？
　　HowwasItohaveanattachmentathisservice，assoonasitwasaskedfor？Hissistersshouldconsidermeaswellashim。Thehigherhisdeserts，themoreimproperformeevertohavethoughtofhim。And，and——wethinkverydifferentlyofthenatureofwomen，iftheycanimagineawomansoverysooncapableofreturninganaffectionasthisseemstoimply。“
　　“Mydear，dearFanny，nowIhavethetruth。Iknowthistobethetruth；andmostworthyofyouaresuchfeelings。
　　Ihadattributedthemtoyoubefore。IthoughtIcouldunderstandyou。YouhavenowgivenexactlytheexplanationwhichIventuredtomakeforyoutoyourfriendandMrs。Grant，andtheywerebothbettersatisfied，thoughyourwarm-heartedfriendwasstillrunawaywithalittlebytheenthusiasmofherfondnessforHenry。Itoldthemthatyouwereofallhumancreaturestheoneoverwhomhabithadmostpowerandnoveltyleast；andthattheverycircumstanceofthenoveltyofCrawford’saddresseswasagainsthim。
　　Theirbeingsonewandsorecentwasallintheirdisfavour；
　　thatyoucouldtoleratenothingthatyouwerenotusedto；
　　andagreatdealmoretothesamepurpose，togivethemaknowledgeofyourcharacter。MissCrawfordmadeuslaughbyherplansofencouragementforherbrother。
　　Shemeanttourgehimtopersevereinthehopeofbeinglovedintime，andofhavinghisaddressesmostkindlyreceivedattheendofabouttenyears’happymarriage。“
　　Fannycouldwithdifficultygivethesmilethatwashereaskedfor。Herfeelingswereallinrevolt。
　　Shefearedshehadbeendoingwrong：sayingtoomuch，overactingthecautionwhichshehadbeenfancyingnecessary；
　　inguardingagainstoneevil，layingherselfopentoanother；andtohaveMissCrawford’slivelinessrepeatedtoheratsuchamoment，andonsuchasubject，wasabitteraggravation。
　　Edmundsawwearinessanddistressinherface，andimmediatelyresolvedtoforbearallfartherdiscussion；
　　andnoteventomentionthenameofCrawfordagain，exceptasitmightbeconnectedwithwhat_must_beagreeabletoher。Onthisprinciple，hesoonafterwardsobserved——
　　“TheygoonMonday。Youaresure，therefore，ofseeingyourfriendeitherto-morroworSunday。TheyreallygoonMonday；andIwaswithinatrifleofbeingpersuadedtostayatLessingbytillthatveryday!Ihadalmostpromisedit。Whatadifferenceitmighthavemade!
　　ThosefiveorsixdaysmoreatLessingbymighthavebeenfeltallmylife。“
　　“Youwerenearstayingthere？“
　　“Very。Iwasmostkindlypressed，andhadnearlyconsented。
　　HadIreceivedanyletterfromMansfield，totellmehowyouwereallgoingon，IbelieveIshouldcertainlyhavestaid；
　　butIknewnothingthathadhappenedhereforafortnight，andfeltthatIhadbeenawaylongenough。“
　　“Youspentyourtimepleasantlythere？“
　　“Yes；thatis，itwasthefaultofmyownmindifIdidnot。
　　Theywereallverypleasant。Idoubttheirfindingmeso。
　　Itookuneasinesswithme，andtherewasnogettingridofittillIwasinMansfieldagain。“
　　“TheMissOwens——youlikedthem，didnotyou？“
　　“Yes，verywell。Pleasant，good-humoured，unaffectedgirls。
　　ButIamspoilt，Fanny，forcommonfemalesociety。
　　Good-humoured，unaffectedgirlswillnotdoforamanwhohasbeenusedtosensiblewomen。Theyaretwodistinctordersofbeing。YouandMissCrawfordhavemademetoonice。“
　　Still，however，Fannywasoppressedandwearied；
　　hesawitinherlooks，itcouldnotbetalkedaway；
　　andattemptingitnomore，heledherdirectly，withthekindauthorityofaprivilegedguardian，intothehouse。
　　EdmundnowbelievedhimselfperfectlyacquaintedwithallthatFannycouldtell，orcouldleavetobeconjecturedofhersentiments，andhewassatisfied。Ithadbeen，ashebeforepresumed，toohastyameasureonCrawford’sside，andtimemustbegiventomaketheideafirstfamiliar，andthenagreeabletoher。Shemustbeusedtotheconsiderationofhisbeinginlovewithher，andthenareturnofaffectionmightnotbeverydistant。
　　Hegavethisopinionastheresultoftheconversationtohisfather；andrecommendedtherebeingnothingmoresaidtoher：nofartherattemptstoinfluenceorpersuade；
　　butthateverythingshouldbelefttoCrawford’sassiduities，andthenaturalworkingsofherownmind。
　　SirThomaspromisedthatitshouldbeso。Edmund’saccountofFanny’sdispositionhecouldbelievetobejust；
　　hesupposedshehadallthosefeelings，buthemustconsideritasveryunfortunatethatshe_had_；for，lesswillingthanhissontotrusttothefuture，hecouldnothelpfearingthatifsuchverylongallowancesoftimeandhabitwerenecessaryforher，shemightnothavepersuadedherselfintoreceivinghisaddressesproperlybeforetheyoungman’sinclinationforpayingthemwereover。
　　Therewasnothingtobedone，however，buttosubmitquietlyandhopethebest。
　　Thepromisedvisitfrom“herfriend，“asEdmundcalledMissCrawford，wasaformidablethreattoFanny，andshelivedincontinualterrorofit。Asasister，sopartialandsoangry，andsolittlescrupulousofwhatshesaid，andinanotherlightsotriumphantandsecure，shewasineverywayanobjectofpainfulalarm。
　　Herdispleasure，herpenetration，andherhappinesswereallfearfultoencounter；andthedependenceofhavingotherspresentwhentheymetwasFanny’sonlysupportinlookingforwardtoit。SheabsentedherselfaslittleaspossiblefromLadyBertram，keptawayfromtheEastroom，andtooknosolitarywalkintheshrubbery，inhercautiontoavoidanysuddenattack。
　　Shesucceeded。Shewassafeinthebreakfast-room，withheraunt，whenMissCrawforddidcome；andthefirstmiseryover，andMissCrawfordlookingandspeakingwithmuchlessparticularityofexpressionthanshehadanticipated，Fannybegantohopetherewouldbenothingworsetobeenduredthanahalf-hourofmoderateagitation。
　　Buthereshehopedtoomuch；MissCrawfordwasnottheslaveofopportunity。ShewasdeterminedtoseeFannyalone，andthereforesaidtohertolerablysoon，inalowvoice，“Imustspeaktoyouforafewminutessomewhere“；
　　wordsthatFannyfeltalloverher，inallherpulsesandallhernerves。Denialwasimpossible。Herhabitsofreadysubmission，onthecontrary，madeheralmostinstantlyriseandleadthewayoutoftheroom。
　　Shediditwithwretchedfeelings，butitwasinevitable。
　　TheywerenosoonerinthehallthanallrestraintofcountenancewasoveronMissCrawford’sside。
　　SheimmediatelyshookherheadatFannywitharch，yetaffectionatereproach，andtakingherhand，seemedhardlyabletohelpbeginningdirectly。
　　Shesaidnothing，however，but，“Sad，sadgirl!
　　IdonotknowwhenIshallhavedonescoldingyou，“