第15章

“Shehasgotit，“saidLadyBertram；“shehashaditeversinceshecamebackfromyourhousethesecondtime。“

“What!“criedEdmund；“hasshebeenwalkingaswellascuttingroses；walkingacrossthehotparktoyourhouse，anddoingittwice，ma’am？Nowonderherheadaches。“

Mrs。NorriswastalkingtoJulia，anddidnothear。

“Iwasafraiditwouldbetoomuchforher，“saidLadyBertram；

“butwhentherosesweregathered，yourauntwishedtohavethem，andthenyouknowtheymustbetakenhome。“

“Butwerethererosesenoughtoobligehertogotwice？“

“No；buttheyweretobeputintothespareroomtodry；

and，unluckily，Fannyforgottolockthedooroftheroomandbringawaythekey，soshewasobligedtogoagain。“

Edmundgotupandwalkedabouttheroom，saying，“AndcouldnobodybeemployedonsuchanerrandbutFanny？Uponmyword，ma’am，ithasbeenaveryill-managedbusiness。“

“IamsureIdonotknowhowitwastohavebeendonebetter，“

criedMrs。Norris，unabletobelongerdeaf；“unlessIhadgonemyself，indeed；butIcannotbeintwoplacesatonce；

andIwastalkingtoMr。Greenatthatverytimeaboutyourmother’sdairymaid，by_her_desire，andhadpromisedJohnGroomtowritetoMrs。Jefferiesabouthisson，andthepoorfellowwaswaitingformehalfanhour。

Ithinknobodycanjustlyaccusemeofsparingmyselfuponanyoccasion，butreallyIcannotdoeverythingatonce。

AndasforFanny’sjuststeppingdowntomyhouseforme——

itisnotmuchaboveaquarterofamile——IcannotthinkI

wasunreasonabletoaskit。HowoftendoIpaceitthreetimesaday，earlyandlate，ay，andinallweatherstoo，andsaynothingaboutit？“

“IwishFannyhadhalfyourstrength，ma’am。“

“IfFannywouldbemoreregularinherexercise，shewouldnotbeknockedupsosoon。Shehasnotbeenoutonhorsebacknowthislongwhile，andIampersuadedthat，whenshedoesnotride，sheoughttowalk。Ifshehadbeenridingbefore，Ishouldnothaveaskeditofher。

ButIthoughtitwouldratherdohergoodafterbeingstoopingamongtheroses；forthereisnothingsorefreshingasawalkafterafatigueofthatkind；

andthoughthesunwasstrong，itwasnotsoveryhot。

Betweenourselves，Edmund，“noddingsignificantlyathismother，“itwascuttingtheroses，anddawdlingaboutintheflower-garden，thatdidthemischief。“

“Iamafraiditwas，indeed，“saidthemorecandidLadyBertram，whohadoverheardher；“Iamverymuchafraidshecaughttheheadachethere，fortheheatwasenoughtokillanybody。ItwasasmuchasIcouldbearmyself。

SittingandcallingtoPug，andtryingtokeephimfromtheflower-beds，wasalmosttoomuchforme。“

Edmundsaidnomoretoeitherlady；butgoingquietlytoanothertable，onwhichthesupper-trayyetremained，broughtaglassofMadeiratoFanny，andobligedhertodrinkthegreaterpart。Shewishedtobeabletodeclineit；

butthetears，whichavarietyoffeelingscreated，madeiteasiertoswallowthantospeak。

VexedasEdmundwaswithhismotherandaunt，hewasstillmoreangrywithhimself。Hisownforgetfulnessofherwasworsethananythingwhichtheyhaddone。Nothingofthiswouldhavehappenedhadshebeenproperlyconsidered；

butshehadbeenleftfourdaystogetherwithoutanychoiceofcompanionsorexercise，andwithoutanyexcuseforavoidingwhateverherunreasonableauntsmightrequire。

Hewasashamedtothinkthatforfourdaystogethershehadnothadthepowerofriding，andveryseriouslyresolved，howeverunwillinghemustbetocheckapleasureofMissCrawford’s，thatitshouldneverhappenagain。

FannywenttobedwithherheartasfullasonthefirsteveningofherarrivalatthePark。Thestateofherspiritshadprobablyhaditsshareinherindisposition；

forshehadbeenfeelingneglected，andbeenstrugglingagainstdiscontentandenvyforsomedayspast。

Assheleantonthesofa，towhichshehadretreatedthatshemightnotbeseen，thepainofhermindhadbeenmuchbeyondthatinherhead；andthesuddenchangewhichEdmund’skindnesshadthenoccasioned，madeherhardlyknowhowtosupportherself。

Fanny’sridesrecommencedtheverynextday；andasitwasapleasantfresh-feelingmorning，lesshotthantheweatherhadlatelybeen，Edmundtrustedthatherlosses，bothofhealthandpleasure，wouldbesoonmadegood。

WhileshewasgoneMr。Rushwortharrived，escortinghismother，whocametobecivilandtoshewhercivilityespecially，inurgingtheexecutionoftheplanforvisitingSotherton，whichhadbeenstartedafortnightbefore，andwhich，inconsequenceofhersubsequentabsencefromhome，hadsincelaindormant。Mrs。Norrisandhernieceswereallwellpleasedwithitsrevival，andanearlydaywasnamedandagreedto，providedMr。Crawfordshouldbedisengaged：

theyoungladiesdidnotforgetthatstipulation，andthoughMrs。Norriswouldwillinglyhaveansweredforhisbeingso，theywouldneitherauthorisethelibertynorruntherisk；

andatlast，onahintfromMissBertram，Mr。RushworthdiscoveredthattheproperestthingtobedonewasforhimtowalkdowntotheParsonagedirectly，andcallonMr。Crawford，andinquirewhetherWednesdaywouldsuithimornot。

BeforehisreturnMrs。GrantandMissCrawfordcamein。

Havingbeenoutsometime，andtakenadifferentroutetothehouse，theyhadnotmethim。Comfortablehopes，however，weregiventhathewouldfindMr。Crawfordathome。TheSothertonschemewasmentionedofcourse。

Itwashardlypossible，indeed，thatanythingelseshouldbetalkedof，forMrs。Norriswasinhighspiritsaboutit；

andMrs。Rushworth，awell-meaning，civil，prosing，pompouswoman，whothoughtnothingofconsequence，butasitrelatedtoherownandherson’sconcerns，hadnotyetgivenoverpressingLadyBertramtobeoftheparty。

LadyBertramconstantlydeclinedit；butherplacidmannerofrefusalmadeMrs。Rushworthstillthinkshewishedtocome，tillMrs。Norris’smorenumerouswordsandloudertoneconvincedherofthetruth。

“Thefatiguewouldbetoomuchformysister，agreatdealtoomuch，Iassureyou，mydearMrs。Rushworth。

Tenmilesthere，andtenback，youknow。Youmustexcusemysisteronthisoccasion，andacceptofourtwodeargirlsandmyselfwithouther。Sothertonistheonlyplacethatcouldgivehera_wish_togosofar，butitcannotbe，indeed。ShewillhaveacompanioninFannyPrice，youknow，soitwillalldoverywell；

andasforEdmund，asheisnotheretospeakforhimself，Iwillanswerforhisbeingmosthappytojointheparty。

Hecangoonhorseback，youknow。“

Mrs。RushworthbeingobligedtoyieldtoLadyBertram’sstayingathome，couldonlybesorry。“Thelossofherladyship’scompanywouldbeagreatdrawback，andsheshouldhavebeenextremelyhappytohaveseentheyoungladytoo，MissPrice，whohadneverbeenatSothertonyet，anditwasapitysheshouldnotseetheplace。“

“Youareverykind，youareallkindness，mydearmadam，“

criedMrs。Norris；“butastoFanny，shewillhaveopportunitiesinplentyofseeingSotherton。Shehastimeenoughbeforeher；andhergoingnowisquiteoutofthequestion。LadyBertramcouldnotpossiblyspareher。“

“Ohno!IcannotdowithoutFanny。“

Mrs。Rushworthproceedednext，undertheconvictionthateverybodymustbewantingtoseeSotherton，toincludeMissCrawfordintheinvitation；andthoughMrs。Grant，whohadnotbeenatthetroubleofvisitingMrs。Rushworth，onhercomingintotheneighbourhood，civillydeclineditonherownaccount，shewasgladtosecureanypleasureforhersister；andMary，properlypressedandpersuaded，wasnotlonginacceptinghershareofthecivility。

Mr。RushworthcamebackfromtheParsonagesuccessful；

andEdmundmadehisappearancejustintimetolearnwhathadbeensettledforWednesday，toattendMrs。Rushworthtohercarriage，andwalkhalf-waydowntheparkwiththetwootherladies。

Onhisreturntothebreakfast-room，hefoundMrs。NorristryingtomakeuphermindastowhetherMissCrawford’sbeingofthepartyweredesirableornot，orwhetherherbrother’sbarouchewouldnotbefullwithouther。

TheMissBertramslaughedattheidea，assuringherthatthebarouchewouldholdfourperfectlywell，independentofthebox，onwhich_one_mightgowithhim。

“Butwhyisitnecessary，“saidEdmund，“thatCrawford’scarriage，orhis_only_，shouldbeemployed？Whyisnousetobemadeofmymother’schaise？Icouldnot，whentheschemewasfirstmentionedtheotherday，understandwhyavisitfromthefamilywerenottobemadeinthecarriageofthefamily。“

“What!“criedJulia：“goboxedupthreeinapostchaiseinthisweather，whenwemayhaveseatsinabarouche!

No，mydearEdmund，thatwillnotquitedo。“

“Besides，“saidMaria，“IknowthatMr。Crawforddependsupontakingus。Afterwhatpassedatfirst，hewouldclaimitasapromise。“

“And，mydearEdmund，“addedMrs。Norris，“takingout_two_

carriageswhen_one_willdo，wouldbetroublefornothing；

and，betweenourselves，coachmanisnotveryfondoftheroadsbetweenthisandSotherton：healwayscomplainsbitterlyofthenarrowlanesscratchinghiscarriage，andyouknowoneshouldnotliketohavedearSirThomas，whenhecomeshome，findallthevarnishscratchedoff。“

“ThatwouldnotbeaveryhandsomereasonforusingMr。Crawford’s，“saidMaria；“butthetruthis，thatWilcoxisastupidoldfellow，anddoesnotknowhowtodrive。

IwillanswerforitthatweshallfindnoinconveniencefromnarrowroadsonWednesday。“