第12章

heheardsomuchofmymiseryaboutit。Andyoumaysay，ifyouplease，thatIshallpreparemymostplaintiveairsagainsthisreturn，incompassiontohisfeelings，asIknowhishorsewilllose。“

“IfIwrite，Iwillsaywhateveryouwishme；butIdonot，atpresent，foreseeanyoccasionforwriting。“

“No，Idaresay，norifheweretobegoneatwelvemonth，wouldyoueverwritetohim，norhetoyou，ifitcouldbehelped。Theoccasionwouldneverbeforeseen。

Whatstrangecreaturesbrothersare!Youwouldnotwritetoeachotherbutuponthemosturgentnecessityintheworld；

andwhenobligedtotakeupthepentosaythatsuchahorseisill，orsucharelationdead，itisdoneinthefewestpossiblewords。Youhavebutonestyleamongyou。

Iknowitperfectly。Henry，whoisineveryotherrespectexactlywhatabrothershouldbe，wholovesme，consultsme，confidesinme，andwilltalktomebythehourtogether，hasneveryetturnedthepageinaletter；andveryoftenitisnothingmorethan——’DearMary，Iamjustarrived。

Bathseemsfull，andeverythingasusual。Yourssincerely。’

Thatisthetruemanlystyle；thatisacompletebrother’sletter。“

“Whentheyareatadistancefromalltheirfamily，“

saidFanny，colouringforWilliam’ssake，“theycanwritelongletters。“

“MissPricehasabrotheratsea，“saidEdmund，“whoseexcellenceasacorrespondentmakesherthinkyoutoosevereuponus。“

“Atsea，hasshe？Intheking’sservice，ofcourse？“

FannywouldratherhavehadEdmundtellthestory，buthisdeterminedsilenceobligedhertorelateherbrother’ssituation：hervoicewasanimatedinspeakingofhisprofession，andtheforeignstationshehadbeenon；

butshecouldnotmentionthenumberofyearsthathehadbeenabsentwithouttearsinhereyes。MissCrawfordcivillywishedhimanearlypromotion。

“Doyouknowanythingofmycousin’scaptain？“saidEdmund；

“CaptainMarshall？Youhavealargeacquaintanceinthenavy，Iconclude？“

“Amongadmirals，largeenough；but，“withanairofgrandeur，“weknowverylittleoftheinferiorranks。Post-captainsmaybeverygoodsortofmen，buttheydonotbelongto_us_。

OfvariousadmiralsIcouldtellyouagreatdeal：

ofthemandtheirflags，andthegradationoftheirpay，andtheirbickeringsandjealousies。But，ingeneral，Icanassureyouthattheyareallpassedover，andallveryillused。Certainly，myhomeatmyuncle’sbroughtmeacquaintedwithacircleofadmirals。Of_Rears_and_Vices_Isawenough。Nowdonotbesuspectingmeofapun，Ientreat。“

Edmundagainfeltgrave，andonlyreplied，“Itisanobleprofession。“

“Yes，theprofessioniswellenoughundertwocircumstances：

ifitmakethefortune，andtherebediscretioninspendingit；

but，inshort，itisnotafavouriteprofessionofmine。

Ithasneverwornanamiableformto_me_。“

Edmundrevertedtotheharp，andwasagainveryhappyintheprospectofhearingherplay。

Thesubjectofimprovinggrounds，meanwhile，wasstillunderconsiderationamongtheothers；andMrs。Grantcouldnothelpaddressingherbrother，thoughitwascallinghisattentionfromMissJuliaBertram。

“MydearHenry，have_you_nothingtosay？Youhavebeenanimproveryourself，andfromwhatIhearofEveringham，itmayviewithanyplaceinEngland。Itsnaturalbeauties，Iamsure，aregreat。Everingham，asit_used_tobe，wasperfectinmyestimation：suchahappyfallofground，andsuchtimber!WhatwouldInotgivetoseeitagain？“

“Nothingcouldbesogratifyingtomeastohearyouropinionofit，“washisanswer；“butIfeartherewouldbesomedisappointment：youwouldnotfinditequaltoyourpresentideas。Inextent，itisamerenothing；

youwouldbesurprisedatitsinsignificance；and，asforimprovement，therewasverylittleformetodo——

toolittle：Ishouldliketohavebeenbusymuchlonger。“

“Youarefondofthesortofthing？“saidJulia。

“Excessively；butwhatwiththenaturaladvantagesoftheground，whichpointedout，eventoaveryyoungeye，whatlittleremainedtobedone，andmyownconsequentresolutions，IhadnotbeenofagethreemonthsbeforeEveringhamwasallthatitisnow。MyplanwaslaidatWestminster，alittlealtered，perhaps，atCambridge，andatone-and-twentyexecuted。IaminclinedtoenvyMr。Rushworthforhavingsomuchhappinessyetbeforehim。

Ihavebeenadevourerofmyown。“

“Thosewhoseequickly，willresolvequickly，andactquickly，“

saidJulia。“_You_canneverwantemployment。

InsteadofenvyingMr。Rushworth，youshouldassisthimwithyouropinion。“

Mrs。Grant，hearingthelatterpartofthisspeech，enforceditwarmly，persuadedthatnojudgmentcouldbeequaltoherbrother’s；andasMissBertramcaughtattheidealikewise，andgaveitherfullsupport，declaringthat，inheropinion，itwasinfinitelybettertoconsultwithfriendsanddisinterestedadvisers，thanimmediatelytothrowthebusinessintothehandsofaprofessionalman，Mr。RushworthwasveryreadytorequestthefavourofMr。Crawford’sassistance；andMr。Crawford，afterproperlydepreciatinghisownabilities，wasquiteathisserviceinanywaythatcouldbeuseful。Mr。RushworththenbegantoproposeMr。Crawford’sdoinghimthehonourofcomingovertoSotherton，andtakingabedthere；

whenMrs。Norris，asifreadinginhertwonieces’

mindstheirlittleapprobationofaplanwhichwastotakeMr。Crawfordaway，interposedwithanamendment。

“TherecanbenodoubtofMr。Crawford’swillingness；

butwhyshouldnotmoreofusgo？Whyshouldnotwemakealittleparty？Herearemanythatwouldbeinterestedinyourimprovements，mydearMr。Rushworth，andthatwouldliketohearMr。Crawford’sopiniononthespot，andthatmightbeofsomesmallusetoyouwith_their_opinions；and，formyownpart，Ihavebeenlongwishingtowaituponyourgoodmotheragain；nothingbuthavingnohorsesofmyowncouldhavemademesoremiss；

butnowIcouldgoandsitafewhourswithMrs。Rushworth，whiletherestofyouwalkedaboutandsettledthings，andthenwecouldallreturntoalatedinnerhere，ordineatSotherton，justasmightbemostagreeabletoyourmother，andhaveapleasantdrivehomebymoonlight。

IdaresayMr。Crawfordwouldtakemytwoniecesandmeinhisbarouche，andEdmundcangoonhorseback，youknow，sister，andFannywillstayathomewithyou。“

LadyBertrammadenoobjection；andeveryoneconcernedinthegoingwasforwardinexpressingtheirreadyconcurrence，exceptingEdmund，whohearditallandsaidnothing。

“Well，Fanny，andhowdoyoulikeMissCrawford_now_？“

saidEdmundthenextday，afterthinkingsometimeonthesubjecthimself。“Howdidyoulikeheryesterday？“

“Verywell——verymuch。Iliketohearhertalk。

Sheentertainsme；andsheissoextremelypretty，thatI

havegreatpleasureinlookingather。“

“Itishercountenancethatissoattractive。Shehasawonderfulplayoffeature!Butwastherenothinginherconversationthatstruckyou，Fanny，asnotquiteright？“

“Ohyes!sheoughtnottohavespokenofheruncleasshedid。

Iwasquiteastonished。Anunclewithwhomshehasbeenlivingsomanyyears，andwho，whateverhisfaultsmaybe，issoveryfondofherbrother，treatinghim，theysay，quitelikeason。Icouldnothavebelievedit!“

“Ithoughtyouwouldbestruck。Itwasverywrong；

veryindecorous。“

“Andveryungrateful，Ithink。“

“Ungratefulisastrongword。Idonotknowthatherunclehasanyclaimtoher_gratitude_；hiswifecertainlyhad；

anditisthewarmthofherrespectforheraunt’smemorywhichmisleadsherhere。Sheisawkwardlycircumstanced。

WithsuchwarmfeelingsandlivelyspiritsitmustbedifficulttodojusticetoheraffectionforMrs。Crawford，withoutthrowingashadeontheAdmiral。Idonotpretendtoknowwhichwasmosttoblameintheirdisagreements，thoughtheAdmiral’spresentconductmightinclineonetothesideofhiswife；butitisnaturalandamiablethatMissCrawfordshouldacquitherauntentirely。

Idonotcensureher_opinions_；buttherecertainly_is_