Crawford was the nearest to administering comfort of anything
within the current of her thoughtsNot considering in how
different a circle she had been just seeing him, nor how much might
be owing to contrast, she was quite persuaded of his being astonishingly
more gentle and regardful of others than formerlyAnd, if in
little things, must it not be so in great? So anxious for her health
and comfort, so very feeling as he now expressed himself, and really
seemed, might not it be fairly supposed that he would not much
longer persevere in a suit so distressing to her?
363
Jane Austen
CHAPTER XLIII
IT WAS PRESUMED that MrCrawford was travelling back, to London,
on the morrow, for nothing more was seen of him at MrPrice?s;
and two days afterwards, it was a fact ascertained to Fanny by the
following letter from his sister, opened and read by her, on another
account, with the most anxious curiosity:?
?I have to inform you, my dearest Fanny, that Henry has been
down to Portsmouth to see you; that he had a delightful walk with
you to the dockyard last Saturday, and one still more to be dwelt on
the next day, on the ramparts; when the balmy air, the sparkling sea,
and your sweet looks and conversation were altogether in the most
delicious harmony, and afforded sensations which are to raise ecstasy
even in retrospectThis, as well as I understand, is to be the
substance of my http://www.irluxury.com/category_4_Dolce-Gabbana_1.html" target="_blank informationHe makes me write, but I do not
know what else is to be communicated, except this said visit to Portsmouth,
and these two said walks, and his introduction to your family,
especially to a fair sister of yours, a fine girl of fifteen, who was of
the party on the ramparts, taking her first lesson, I presume, in love
I have not time for writing much, but it would be out of place if I
had, for this is to be a mere letter of business, penned for the purpose
of conveying necessary information, which could not be delayed
without risk of evilMy dear, dear Fanny, if I had you here,
how I would talk to you! You should listen to me till you were tired,
and advise me till you were still tired more; but it is impossible to
put a hundredth part of my great mind on paper, so I will abstain
altogether, and leave you to guess what you likeI have no news for
youYou have politics, of course; and it would be too bad to plague
you with the names of people and parties that fill up my timeI
ought to have sent you an account of your cousin?s first party, but I
was lazy, and now it is too long ago; suffice it, that everything was
364
Mansfield Park
just as it ought to be, in a style that any of her connexions must
have been gratified to witness, and that her own dress and manners
did her the greatest creditFraser, is mad for such a
house, and it would not make me miserableI go to http://www.irluxury.com/scategory_11_Prada.html" target="_blank Lady Stornaway
after Easter; she seems in high spirits, and very happyis very good-humoured and pleasant in his own family, and I do
not think him so very ill-looking as I did?at least, one sees many
worseHe will not do by the side of your cousin EdmundOf the
last-mentioned hero, what shall I say? If I avoided his name entirely, it
would look suspiciousI will say, then, that we have seen him two or
three times, and that my friends here are very much struck with his
gentlemanlike appearanceFraser (no bad judge) declares she
knows but three men in town who have so good a person, height, and
air; and I must confess, when he dined here the other day, there were
none to compare with him, and we were a party of sixteenLuckily
there is no distinction of dress nowadays to tell tales, but?but?but
Yours affectionately
I had almost forgot (it was Edmund?s fault: he gets into my head
more than does me good) one very material thing I had to say from
Henry and myself?I mean about our taking you back into
NorthamptonshireMy dear little creature, do not stay at Portsmouth
to lose your pretty looksThose vile sea-breezes are the ruin
of beauty and healthMy poor aunt always felt affected if within
ten miles of the sea, which the Admiral of course never believed,
but I know it was soI am at your service and Henry?s, at an hour?s
noticeI should like the scheme, and we would make a little http://www.irluxury.com/categorys_103_Chanel-Necklaces_1.html" target="_blank circuit,
and shew you Everingham in our way, and perhaps you would not
mind passing through London, and seeing the inside of StGeorge?s,
Hanover SquareOnly keep your cousin Edmund from me at such
a time: I should not like to be temptedWhat a long letter! one
word moreHenry, I find, has some idea of going into Norfolk again
upon some business that you approve; but this cannot possibly be
permitted before the middle of next week; that is, he cannot anyhow
be spared till after the 14th, for we have a party that eveningThe
value of a man like Henry, on such an occasion, is what you can have
no conception of; so you must take it upon my word to be inestimable
He will see the Rushworths, which own I am not sorry for?
365
Jane Austen
having a little curiosity, and so I think has he?though he will not
acknowledge it
This was a letter to be run through eagerly, to be read deliberately,
to supply matter for much reflection, and to leave everything in
greater suspense than everThe only certainty to be drawn from it
was, that nothing decisive had yet taken placeEdmund had not yet
spokenHow Miss Crawford really felt, how she meant to act, or
might act without or against her meaning; whether his importance
to her were quite what it had been before the last separation; whether,
if lessened, it were likely to lessen more, or to recover itself, were
subjects for endless conjecture, http://www.irluxury.com/categorys_94_Chanel-Purse_1.html" target="_blank and to be thought of on that day
and many days to come, without producing any conclusionThe
idea that returned the oftenest was that Miss Crawford, after proving
herself cooled and staggered by a return to London habits, would
yet prove herself in the end too much attached to him to give him
upShe would try to be more ambitious than her heart would allow
She would hesitate, she would tease, she would condition, she would
require a great deal, but she would finally accept
This was Fanny?s most frequent expectationA house in town?
that, she thought, must be impossibleYet there was no saying what
Miss Crawford might not askThe prospect for her cousin grew
worse and worseThe woman who could speak of him, and speak
only of his appearance! What an unworthy attachment! To be deriving
support from the commendations of MrsFraser! She who had
known him intimately half a year! Fanny was ashamed of herThose
parts of the letter which related only to MrCrawford and herself,
touched her, in comparison, slightlyCrawford went
into Norfolk before or after the 14th was certainly no concern of
hers, though, everything considered, she thought he would go without
delayThat Miss Crawford should endeavour to secure a meeting
between him and MrsRushworth, was all in her worst line of
conduct, and grossly unkind and ill-judged; but she hoped he would
not be actuated by any such degrading http://www.irluxury.com/categorys_91_Coco-Chanel-Tote_1.html" target="_blank curiosity