第53章

No，Icansafelysay，Ihavenopleasuresocomplete，sounalloyed。Itiswithoutadrawback。“

UponsuchexpressionsofaffectionFannycouldhavelivedanhourwithoutsayinganotherword；butEdmund，afterwaitingamoment，obligedhertobringdownhermindfromitsheavenlyflightbysaying，“Butwhatisitthatyouwanttoconsultmeabout？“

Itwasaboutthenecklace，whichshewasnowmostearnestlylongingtoreturn，andhopedtoobtainhisapprobationofherdoing。Shegavethehistoryofherrecentvisit，andnowherrapturesmightwellbeover；forEdmundwassostruckwiththecircumstance，sodelightedwithwhatMissCrawfordhaddone，sogratifiedbysuchacoincidenceofconductbetweenthem，thatFannycouldnotbutadmitthesuperiorpowerofonepleasureoverhisownmind，thoughitmighthaveitsdrawback。Itwassometimebeforeshecouldgethisattentiontoherplan，oranyanswertoherdemandofhisopinion：hewasinareverieoffondreflection，utteringonlynowandthenafewhalf-sentencesofpraise；butwhenhedidawakeandunderstand，hewasverydecidedinopposingwhatshewished。

“Returnthenecklace!No，mydearFanny，uponnoaccount。

Itwouldbemortifyingherseverely。Therecanhardlybeamoreunpleasantsensationthanthehavinganythingreturnedonourhandswhichwehavegivenwithareasonablehopeofitscontributingtothecomfortofafriend。

Whyshouldsheloseapleasurewhichshehasshewnherselfsodeservingof？“

“Ifithadbeengiventomeinthefirstinstance，“

saidFanny，“Ishouldnothavethoughtofreturningit；

butbeingherbrother’spresent，isnotitfairtosupposethatshewouldrathernotpartwithit，whenitisnotwanted？“

“Shemustnotsupposeitnotwanted，notacceptable，atleast：anditshavingbeenoriginallyherbrother’sgiftmakesnodifference；forasshewasnotpreventedfromoffering，noryoufromtakingitonthataccount，itoughtnottopreventyoufromkeepingit。Nodoubtitishandsomerthanmine，andfitterforaballroom。“

“No，itisnothandsomer，notatallhandsomerinitsway，and，formypurpose，nothalfsofit。

ThechainwillagreewithWilliam’scrossbeyondallcomparisonbetterthanthenecklace。“

“Foronenight，Fanny，foronlyonenight，ifit_be_

asacrifice；Iamsureyouwill，uponconsideration，makethatsacrificeratherthangivepaintoonewhohasbeensostudiousofyourcomfort。MissCrawford’sattentionstoyouhavebeen——notmorethanyouwerejustlyentitledto——

Iamthelastpersontothinkthat_could__be_，buttheyhavebeeninvariable；andtobereturningthemwithwhatmusthavesomethingthe_air_ofingratitude，thoughIknowitcouldneverhavethe_meaning_，isnotinyournature，Iamsure。Wearthenecklace，asyouareengagedtodo，to-morrowevening，andletthechain，whichwasnotorderedwithanyreferencetotheball，bekeptforcommoneroccasions。Thisismyadvice。

IwouldnothavetheshadowofacoolnessbetweenthetwowhoseintimacyIhavebeenobservingwiththegreatestpleasure，andinwhosecharactersthereissomuchgeneralresemblanceintruegenerosityandnaturaldelicacyastomakethefewslightdifferences，resultingprincipallyfromsituation，noreasonablehindrancetoaperfectfriendship。Iwouldnoth

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