第75章

andthedoubtsandhesitationsofherambitionwereequallygotover——andequallywithoutapparentreason。

Itcouldonlybeimputedtoincreasingattachment。

Hisgoodandherbadfeelingsyieldedtolove，andsuchlovemustunitethem。HewastogototownassoonassomebusinessrelativetoThorntonLaceywerecompleted——

perhapswithinafortnight；hetalkedofgoing，helovedtotalkofit；andwhenoncewithheragain，Fannycouldnotdoubttherest。Heracceptancemustbeascertainashisoffer；andyettherewerebadfeelingsstillremainingwhichmadetheprospectofitmostsorrowfultoher，independently，shebelieved，independentlyofself。

Intheirverylastconversation，MissCrawford，inspiteofsomeamiablesensations，andmuchpersonalkindness，hadstillbeenMissCrawford；stillshewnamindledastrayandbewildered，andwithoutanysuspicionofbeingso；

darkened，yetfancyingitselflight。Shemightlove，butshedidnotdeserveEdmundbyanyothersentiment。

Fannybelievedtherewasscarcelyasecondfeelingincommonbetweenthem；andshemaybeforgivenbyoldersagesforlookingonthechanceofMissCrawford’sfutureimprovementasnearlydesperate，forthinkingthatifEdmund’sinfluenceinthisseasonoflovehadalreadydonesolittleinclearingherjudgment，andregulatinghernotions，hisworthwouldbefinallywastedonhereveninyearsofmatrimony。

Experiencemighthavehopedmoreforanyyoungpeoplesocircumstanced，andimpartialitywouldnothavedeniedtoMissCrawford’snaturethatparticipationofthegeneralnatureofwomenwhichwouldleadhertoadopttheopinionsofthemanshelovedandrespectedasherown。ButassuchwereFanny’spersuasions，shesufferedverymuchfromthem，andcouldneverspeakofMissCrawfordwithoutpain。

SirThomas，meanwhile，wentonwithhisownhopesandhisownobservations，stillfeelingaright，byallhisknowledgeofhumannature，toexpecttoseetheeffectofthelossofpowerandconsequenceonhisniece’sspirits，andthepastattentionsoftheloverproducingacravingfortheirreturn；andhewassoonafterwardsabletoaccountforhisnotyetcompletelyandindubitablyseeingallthis，bytheprospectofanothervisitor，whoseapproachhecouldallowtobequiteenoughtosupportthespiritshewaswatching。Williamhadobtainedatendays’

leaveofabsence，tobegiventoNorthamptonshire，andwascoming，thehappiestoflieutenants，becausethelatestmade，toshewhishappinessanddescribehisuniform。

Hecame；andhewouldhavebeendelightedtoshewhisuniformtheretoo，hadnotcruelcustomprohibiteditsappearanceexceptonduty。SotheuniformremainedatPortsmouth，andEdmundconjecturedthatbeforeFannyhadanychanceofseeingit，allitsownfreshnessandallthefreshnessofitswearer’sfeelingsmustbewornaway。Itwouldbesunkintoabadgeofdisgrace；forwhatcanbemoreunbecoming，ormoreworthless，thantheuniformofalieutenant，whohasbeenalieutenantayearortwo，andseesothersmadecommandersbeforehim？SoreasonedEdmund，tillhisfathermadehimtheconfidantofaschemewhichplacedFanny’schanceofseeingthesecondlieutenantofH。M。S。Thrushinallhisgloryinanotherlight。

Thisschemewasthatshes

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