第67章

ThepromiseddeparturewasallthatFannycouldthinkofwithmuchsatisfaction。Heruncle’skindexpressions，however，andforbearingmanner，weresensiblyfelt；

andwhensheconsideredhowmuchofthetruthwasunknowntohim，shebelievedshehadnorighttowonderatthelineofconducthepursued。He，whohadmarriedadaughtertoMr。Rushworth：romanticdelicacywascertainlynottobeexpectedfromhim。Shemustdoherduty，andtrustthattimemightmakeherdutyeasierthanitnowwas。

Shecouldnot，thoughonlyeighteen，supposeMr。Crawford’sattachmentwouldholdoutforever；shecouldnotbutimaginethatsteady，unceasingdiscouragementfromherselfwouldputanendtoitintime。Howmuchtimeshemight，inherownfancy，allotforitsdominion，isanotherconcern。Itwouldnotbefairtoinquireintoayounglady’sexactestimateofherownperfections。

Inspiteofhisintendedsilence，SirThomasfoundhimselfoncemoreobligedtomentionthesubjecttohisniece，toprepareherbrieflyforitsbeingimpartedtoheraunts；

ameasurewhichhewouldstillhaveavoided，ifpossible，butwhichbecamenecessaryfromthetotallyoppositefeelingsofMr。Crawfordastoanysecrecyofproceeding。

Hehadnoideaofconcealment。ItwasallknownattheParsonage，wherehelovedtotalkoverthefuturewithbothhissisters，anditwouldberathergratifyingtohimtohaveenlightenedwitnessesoftheprogressofhissuccess。WhenSirThomasunderstoodthis，hefeltthenecessityofmakinghisownwifeandsister-in-lawacquaintedwiththebusinesswithoutdelay；though，onFanny’saccount，healmostdreadedtheeffectofthecommunicationtoMrs。NorrisasmuchasFannyherself。

Hedeprecatedhermistakenbutwell-meaningzeal。

SirThomas，indeed，was，bythistime，notveryfarfromclassingMrs。Norrisasoneofthosewell-meaningpeoplewhoarealwaysdoingmistakenandverydisagreeablethings。

Mrs。Norris，however，relievedhim。Hepressedforthestrictestforbearanceandsilencetowardstheirniece；shenotonlypromised，butdidobserveit。

Sheonlylookedherincreasedill-will。Angryshewas：

bitterlyangry；butshewasmoreangrywithFannyforhavingreceivedsuchanofferthanforrefusingit。

ItwasaninjuryandaffronttoJulia，whooughttohavebeenMr。Crawford’schoice；and，independentlyofthat，shedislikedFanny，becauseshehadneglectedher；

andshewouldhavegrudgedsuchanelevationtoonewhomshehadbeenalwaystryingtodepress。

SirThomasgavehermorecreditfordiscretionontheoccasionthanshedeserved；andFannycouldhaveblessedherforallowingheronlytoseeherdispleasure，andnottohearit。

LadyBertramtookitdifferently。Shehadbeenabeauty，andaprosperousbeauty，allherlife；andbeautyandwealthwereallthatexcitedherrespect。ToknowFannytobesou

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节