第68章

Withsuchpowersashis，however，andsuchadispositionashers，Edmundtrustedthateverythingwouldworkoutahappyconclusion。Meanwhile，hesawenoughofFanny’sembarrassmenttomakehimscrupulouslyguardagainstexcitingitasecondtime，byanyword，orlook，ormovement。

Crawfordcalledthenextday，andonthescoreofEdmund’sreturn，SirThomasfelthimselfmorethanlicensedtoaskhimtostaydinner；itwasreallyanecessarycompliment。

Hestaidofcourse，andEdmundhadthenampleopportunityforobservinghowhespedwithFanny，andwhatdegreeofimmediateencouragementforhimmightbeextractedfromhermanners；anditwassolittle，sovery，verylittle——

everychance，everypossibilityofit，restinguponherembarrassmentonly；iftherewasnothopeinherconfusion，therewashopeinnothingelse——thathewasalmostreadytowonderathisfriend’sperseverance。Fannywasworthitall；heheldhertobewortheveryeffortofpatience，everyexertionofmind，buthedidnotthinkhecouldhavegoneonhimselfwithanywomanbreathing，withoutsomethingmoretowarmhiscouragethanhiseyescoulddiscerninhers。

HewasverywillingtohopethatCrawfordsawclearer，andthiswasthemostcomfortableconclusionforhisfriendthathecouldcometofromallthatheobservedtopassbefore，andat，andafterdinner。

Intheeveningafewcircumstancesoccurredwhichhethoughtmorepromising。WhenheandCrawfordwalkedintothedrawing-room，hismotherandFannyweresittingasintentlyandsilentlyatworkasiftherewerenothingelsetocarefor。

Edmundcouldnothelpnoticingtheirapparentlydeeptranquillity。

“Wehavenotbeensosilentallthetime，“repliedhismother。

“Fannyhasbeenreadingtome，andonlyputthebookdownuponhearingyoucoming。“Andsureenoughtherewasabookonthetablewhichhadtheairofbeingveryrecentlyclosed：avolumeofShakespeare。

“Sheoftenreadstomeoutofthosebooks；andshewasinthemiddleofaveryfinespeechofthatman’s——

what’shisname，Fanny？——whenweheardyourfootsteps。“

Crawfordtookthevolume。“Letmehavethepleasureoffinishingthatspeechtoyourladyship，“saidhe。

“Ishallfinditimmediately。“Andbycarefullygivingwaytotheinclinationoftheleaves，hedidfindit，orwithinapageortwo，quitenearenoughtosatisfyLadyBertram，whoassuredhim，assoonashementionedthenameofCardinalWolsey，thathehadgottheveryspeech。

NotalookoranofferofhelphadFannygiven；notasyllablefororagainst。Allherattentionwasforherwork。

Sheseemeddeterminedtobeinterestedbynothingelse。

Buttastewastoostronginher。Shecouldnotabstracthermindfiveminutes：shewasforcedtolisten；hisreadingwascapital，andherpleasureingoodreadingextreme。

To_good_reading，however，shehadbeenlongused：

herunclereadwell，hercousinsall，Edmundverywell，but

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