第79章

Therehadbeensomethingremarkablyamiableabouther。

FannyinthoseearlydayshadpreferredhertoSusan；

andwhenthenewsofherdeathhadatlastreachedMansfield，hadforashorttimebeenquiteafflicted。ThesightofBetseybroughttheimageoflittleMarybackagain，butshewouldnothavepainedhermotherbyalludingtoherfortheworld。Whileconsideringherwiththeseideas，Betsey，atasmalldistance，washoldingoutsomethingtocatchhereyes，meaningtoscreenitatthesametimefromSusan’s。

“Whathaveyougotthere，mylove？“saidFanny；

“comeandshewittome。“

Itwasasilverknife。UpjumpedSusan，claimingitasherown，andtryingtogetitaway；butthechildrantohermother’sprotection，andSusancouldonlyreproach，whichshedidverywarmly，andevidentlyhopingtointerestFannyonherside。“Itwasveryhardthatshewasnottohaveher_own_knife；itwasherownknife；

littlesisterMaryhadleftittoheruponherdeathbed，andsheoughttohavehadittokeepherselflongago。

Butmamakeptitfromher，andwasalwayslettingBetseygetholdofit；andtheendofitwouldbethatBetseywouldspoilit，andgetitforherown，thoughmamahad_promised_herthatBetseyshouldnothaveitinherownhands。“

Fannywasquiteshocked。Everyfeelingofduty，honour，andtendernesswaswoundedbyhersister’sspeechandhermother’sreply。

“Now，Susan，“criedMrs。Price，inacomplainingvoice，“now，howcanyoubesocross？Youarealwaysquarrellingaboutthatknife。Iwishyouwouldnotbesoquarrelsome。

PoorlittleBetsey；howcrossSusanistoyou!Butyoushouldnothavetakenitout，mydear，whenIsentyoutothedrawer。YouknowItoldyounottotouchit，becauseSusanissocrossaboutit。Imusthideitanothertime，Betsey。PoorMarylittlethoughtitwouldbesuchaboneofcontentionwhenshegaveitmetokeep，onlytwohoursbeforeshedied。Poorlittlesoul!shecouldbutjustspeaktobeheard，andshesaidsoprettily，“LetsisterSusanhavemyknife，mama，whenIamdeadandburied。“

Poorlittledear!shewassofondofit，Fanny，thatshewouldhaveitlaybyherinbed，allthroughherillness。

Itwasthegiftofhergoodgodmother，oldMrs。AdmiralMaxwell，onlysixweeksbeforeshewastakenfordeath。

Poorlittlesweetcreature!Well，shewastakenawayfromeviltocome。MyownBetsey“(fondlingher)，“_you_havenottheluckofsuchagoodgodmother。

AuntNorrislivestoofarofftothinkofsuchlittlepeopleasyou。“

FannyhadindeednothingtoconveyfromauntNorris，butamessagetosayshehopedthathergod-daughterwasagoodgirl，andlearntherbook。Therehadbeenatonemomentaslightmurmurinthedrawing-roomatMansfieldParkaboutsendingheraprayer-book；

butnosecondsoundhadbeenheardofsuchapurpose。

Mrs。Norris，however，hadgonehomeandtakendowntwooldprayer-booksofherhusbandwiththatidea；but，uponexamination，theardourofgenerositywentoff。

Onewasfoundtohavetoosmallaprintforachild’seyes，andtheothertobetoocumbersomeforhertocarryabout。

Fanny，fatiguedandfatiguedagain，wasthankfultoacceptthefirstinvitationofgo

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