Heraweofheruncle，andherdreadoftakingalibertywithhim，madeitinstantlyplaintoherwhatshehadtodo。Shemustabsolutelydeclinetheproposal。
　　Ifhewanted，hewouldsendforher；andeventoofferanearlyreturnwasapresumptionwhichhardlyanythingwouldhaveseemedtojustify。ShethankedMissCrawford，butgaveadecidednegative。“Heruncle，sheunderstood，meanttofetchher；andashercousin’sillnesshadcontinuedsomanyweekswithoutherbeingthoughtatallnecessary，shemustsupposeherreturnwouldbeunwelcomeatpresent，andthatsheshouldbefeltanencumbrance。“
　　Herrepresentationofhercousin’sstateatthistimewasexactlyaccordingtoherownbeliefofit，andsuchasshesupposedwouldconveytothesanguinemindofhercorrespondentthehopeofeverythingshewaswishingfor。
　　Edmundwouldbeforgivenforbeingaclergyman，itseemed，undercertainconditionsofwealth；andthis，shesuspected，wasalltheconquestofprejudicewhichhewassoreadytocongratulatehimselfupon。Shehadonlylearnttothinknothingofconsequencebutmoney。
　　AsFannycouldnotdoubtthatheranswerwasconveyingarealdisappointment，shewasratherinexpectation，fromherknowledgeofMissCrawford’stemper，ofbeingurgedagain；andthoughnosecondletterarrivedforthespaceofaweek，shehadstillthesamefeelingwhenitdidcome。
　　Onreceivingit，shecouldinstantlydecideonitscontaininglittlewriting，andwaspersuadedofitshavingtheairofaletterofhasteandbusiness。
　　Itsobjectwasunquestionable；andtwomomentswereenoughtostarttheprobabilityofitsbeingmerelytogivehernoticethattheyshouldbeinPortsmouththatveryday，andtothrowherintoalltheagitationofdoubtingwhatsheoughttodoinsuchacase。
　　Iftwomoments，however，cansurroundwithdifficulties，athirdcandispersethem；andbeforeshehadopenedtheletter，thepossibilityofMr。andMissCrawford’shavingappliedtoheruncleandobtainedhispermissionwasgivingherease。Thiswastheletter——
　　“Amostscandalous，ill-naturedrumourhasjustreachedme，andIwrite，dearFanny，towarnyouagainstgivingtheleastcredittoit，shoulditspreadintothecountry。
　　Dependuponit，thereissomemistake，andthatadayortwowillclearitup；atanyrate，thatHenryisblameless，andinspiteofamoment’s_etourderie_，thinksofnobodybutyou。Saynotawordofit；hearnothing，surmisenothing，whispernothingtillIwriteagain。
　　Iamsureitwillbeallhushedup，andnothingprovedbutRushworth’sfolly。Iftheyaregone，IwouldlaymylifetheyareonlygonetoMansfieldPark，andJuliawiththem。Butwhywouldnotyouletuscomeforyou？
　　Iwishyoumaynotrepentit——Yours，etc。“
　　Fannystoodaghast。Asnoscandalous，ill-naturedrumourhadreachedher，itwasimpossibleforhertounderstandmuchofthisstrangeletter。ShecouldonlyperceivethatitmustrelatetoWimpoleStreetandMr。Crawford，andonlyconjecturethatsomethingveryimprudenthadjustoccurredinthatquartertodrawthenoticeoftheworld，andtoexciteherjealousy，inMissCrawford’sapprehension，ifsheheardit。MissCrawfordneednotbealarmedforher。ShewasonlysorryforthepartiesconcernedandforMansfield，ifthereportshouldspreadsofar；
　　butshehopeditmightnot。IftheRushworthsweregonethemselvestoMansfield，aswastobeinferredfromwhatMissCrawfordsaid，itwasnotlikelythatanythingunpleasantshouldhaveprecededthem，oratleastshouldmakeanyimpression。
　　AstoMr。Crawford，shehopeditmightgivehimaknowledgeofhisowndisposition，convincehimthathewasnotcapableofbeingsteadilyattachedtoanyonewomanintheworld，andshamehimfrompersistinganylongerinaddressingherself。
　　Itwasverystrange!Shehadbeguntothinkhereallylovedher，andtofancyhisaffectionforhersomethingmorethancommon；andhissisterstillsaidthathecaredfornobodyelse。Yettheremusthavebeensomemarkeddisplayofattentionstohercousin，theremusthavebeensomestrongindiscretion，sincehercorrespondentwasnotofasorttoregardaslightone。
　　Veryuncomfortableshewas，andmustcontinue，tillsheheardfromMissCrawfordagain。Itwasimpossibletobanishtheletterfromherthoughts，andshecouldnotrelieveherselfbyspeakingofittoanyhumanbeing。
　　MissCrawfordneednothaveurgedsecrecywithsomuchwarmth；
　　shemighthavetrustedtohersenseofwhatwasduetohercousin。
　　Thenextdaycameandbroughtnosecondletter。
　　Fannywasdisappointed。Shecouldstillthinkoflittleelseallthemorning；but，whenherfathercamebackintheafternoonwiththedailynewspaperasusual，shewassofarfromexpectinganyelucidationthroughsuchachannelthatthesubjectwasforamomentoutofherhead。
　　Shewasdeepinothermusing。Theremembranceofherfirsteveninginthatroom，ofherfatherandhisnewspaper，cameacrossher。Nocandlewasnowwanted。
　　Thesunwasyetanhourandhalfabovethehorizon。
　　Shefeltthatshehad，indeed，beenthreemonthsthere；
　　andthesun’sraysfallingstronglyintotheparlour，insteadofcheering，madeherstillmoremelancholy，forsunshineappearedtoheratotallydifferentthinginatownandinthecountry。Here，itspowerwasonlyaglare：astifling，sicklyglare，servingbuttobringforwardstainsanddirtthatmightotherwisehaveslept。
　　Therewasneitherhealthnorgaietyinsunshineinatown。
　　Shesatinablazeofoppressiveheat，inacloudofmovingdust，andhereyescouldonlywanderfromthewalls，markedbyherfather’shead，tothetablecutandnotchedbyherbrothers，wherestoodthetea-boardneverthoroughlycleaned，thecupsandsaucerswipedinstreaks，themilkamixtureofmotesfloatinginthinblue，andthebreadandbuttergrowingeveryminutemoregreasythanevenRebecca’shandshadfirstproducedit。
　　Herfatherreadhisnewspaper，andhermotherlamentedovertheraggedcarpetasusual，whiletheteawasinpreparation，andwishedRebeccawouldmendit；
　　andFannywasfirstrousedbyhiscallingouttoher，afterhumphingandconsideringoveraparticularparagraph：
　　“What’sthenameofyourgreatcousinsintown，Fan？“
　　Amoment’srecollectionenabledhertosay，“Rushworth，sir。“
　　“Anddon’ttheyliveinWimpoleStreet？“
　　“Yes，sir。“
　　“Then，there’sthedeviltopayamongthem，that’sall!
　　There“holdingoutthepapertoher；“muchgoodmaysuchfinerelationsdoyou。Idon’tknowwhatSirThomasmaythinkofsuchmatters；hemaybetoomuchofthecourtierandfinegentlemantolikehisdaughtertheless。But，byG——
　　!ifshebelongedto_me_，I’dgivehertherope’sendaslongasIcouldstandoverher。Alittlefloggingformanandwomantoowouldbethebestwayofpreventingsuchthings。“
　　Fannyreadtoherselfthat“itwaswithinfiniteconcernthenewspaperhadtoannouncetotheworldamatrimonial_fracas_inthefamilyofMr。R。ofWimpoleStreet；
　　thebeautifulMrs。R。，whosenamehadnotlongbeenenrolledinthelistsofHymen，andwhohadpromisedtobecomesobrilliantaleaderinthefashionableworld，havingquittedherhusband’sroofincompanywiththewell-knownandcaptivatingMr。C。，theintimatefriendandassociateofMr。R。，anditwasnotknowneventotheeditorofthenewspaperwhithertheyweregone。“
　　“Itisamistake，sir，“saidFannyinstantly；“itmustbeamistake，itcannotbetrue；itmustmeansomeotherpeople。“
　　Shespokefromtheinstinctivewishofdelayingshame；
　　shespokewitharesolutionwhichsprungfromdespair，forshespokewhatshedidnot，couldnotbelieveherself。
　　Ithadbeentheshockofconvictionassheread。Thetruthrushedonher；andhowshecouldhavespokenatall，howshecouldevenhavebreathed，wasafterwardsmatterofwondertoherself。
　　Mr。Pricecaredtoolittleaboutthereporttomakehermuchanswer。“Itmightbeallalie，“heacknowledged；
　　“butsomanyfineladiesweregoingtothedevilnowadaysthatway，thattherewasnoansweringforanybody。“
　　“Indeed，Ihopeitisnottrue，“saidMrs。Priceplaintively；
　　“itwouldbesoveryshocking!IfIhavespokenoncetoRebeccaaboutthatcarpet，IamsureIhavespokeatleastadozentimes；havenotI，Betsey？Anditwouldnotbetenminutes’work。“
　　ThehorrorofamindlikeFanny’s，asitreceivedtheconvictionofsuchguilt，andbegantotakeinsomepartofthemiserythatmustensue，canhardlybedescribed。
　　Atfirst，itwasasortofstupefaction；buteverymomentwasquickeningherperceptionofthehorribleevil。
　　Shecouldnotdoubt，shedarednotindulgeahope，oftheparagraphbeingfalse。MissCrawford’sletter，whichshehadreadsooftenastomakeeverylineherown，wasinfrightfulconformitywithit。Hereagerdefenceofherbrother，herhopeofitsbeing_hushed__up_，herevidentagitation，wereallofapiecewithsomethingverybad；andiftherewasawomanofcharacterinexistence，whocouldtreatasatriflethissinofthefirstmagnitude，whowouldtrytoglossitover，anddesiretohaveitunpunished，shecouldbelieveMissCrawfordtobethewoman!
　　Nowshecouldseeherownmistakeasto_who_weregone，or_said_tobegone。ItwasnotMr。andMrs。Rushworth；
　　itwasMrs。RushworthandMr。Crawford。