第30章

soyoumaybeascreep-mouseasyoulike，butwemusthaveyoutolookat。“

“Ifyouareafraidofhalfadozenspeeches，“criedMr。Rushworth，“whatwouldyoudowithsuchapartasmine？Ihaveforty-twotolearn。“

“ItisnotthatIamafraidoflearningbyheart，“

saidFanny，shockedtofindherselfatthatmomenttheonlyspeakerintheroom，andtofeelthatalmosteveryeyewasuponher；“butIreallycannotact。“

“Yes，yes，youcanactwellenoughfor_us_。

Learnyourpart，andwewillteachyoualltherest。

Youhaveonlytwoscenes，andasIshallbeCottager，I’llputyouinandpushyouabout，andyouwilldoitverywell，I’llanswerforit。“

“No，indeed，Mr。Bertram，youmustexcuseme。Youcannothaveanidea。Itwouldbeabsolutelyimpossibleforme。

IfIweretoundertakeit，Ishouldonlydisappointyou。“

“Phoo!Phoo!Donotbesoshamefaced。You’lldoitverywell。Everyallowancewillbemadeforyou。

Wedonotexpectperfection。Youmustgetabrowngown，andawhiteapron，andamobcap，andwemustmakeyouafewwrinkles，andalittleofthecrowsfootatthecornerofyoureyes，andyouwillbeaveryproper，littleoldwoman。“

“Youmustexcuseme，indeedyoumustexcuseme，“criedFanny，growingmoreandmoreredfromexcessiveagitation，andlookingdistressfullyatEdmund，whowaskindlyobservingher；butunwillingtoexasperatehisbrotherbyinterference，gaveheronlyanencouragingsmile。

HerentreatyhadnoeffectonTom：heonlysaidagainwhathehadsaidbefore；anditwasnotmerelyTom，fortherequisitionwasnowbackedbyMaria，andMr。Crawford，andMr。Yates，withanurgencywhichdifferedfromhisbutinbeingmoregentleormoreceremonious，andwhichaltogetherwasquiteoverpoweringtoFanny；

andbeforeshecouldbreatheafterit，Mrs。Norriscompletedthewholebythusaddressingherinawhisperatonceangryandaudible——“Whatapieceofworkhereisaboutnothing：

Iamquiteashamedofyou，Fanny，tomakesuchadifficultyofobligingyourcousinsinatrifleofthissort——sokindastheyaretoyou!Takethepartwithagoodgrace，andletushearnomoreofthematter，Ientreat。“

“Donoturgeher，madam，“saidEdmund。“Itisnotfairtourgeherinthismanner。Youseeshedoesnotliketoact。

Letherchuseforherself，aswellastherestofus。

Herjudgmentmaybequiteassafelytrusted。Donoturgeheranymore。“

“Iamnotgoingtourgeher，“repliedMrs。Norrissharply；

“butIshallthinkheraveryobstinate，ungratefulgirl，ifshedoesnotdowhatherauntandcousinswishher——

veryungrateful，indeed，consideringwhoandwhatsheis。“

Edmundwastooangrytospeak；butMissCrawford，lookingforamomentwithastonishedeyesatMrs。Norris，andthenatFanny，whosetearswerebeginningtoshewthemselves，immediatelysaid，withsomekeenness，“Idonotlikemysituation：this_place_istoohotforme，“

andmovedawayherchairtotheoppositesideofthetable，closetoFanny，sayingtoher，inakind，lowwhisper，assheplacedherself，“Nevermind，mydearMissPrice，thisisacrossevening：everybodyiscrossandteasing，butdonotletusmindthem“；andwithpointedattentioncontinuedtotalktoherandendeavourtoraiseherspirits，inspiteofbeingoutofspiritsherself。Byalookatherbrothershepreventedanyfarth

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