第87章

flattermyselfthepoorsuffererwillsoonbeabletobeartheremovalwithoutmaterialinconvenienceorinjury。

AsIhavelittledoubtofyourfeelingforus，mydearFanny，underthesedistressingcircumstances，Iwillwriteagainverysoon。“

Fanny’sfeelingsontheoccasionwereindeedconsiderablymorewarmandgenuinethanheraunt’sstyleofwriting。

Shefelttrulyforthemall。Tomdangerouslyill，Edmundgonetoattendhim，andthesadlysmallpartyremainingatMansfield，werecarestoshutouteveryothercare，oralmosteveryother。ShecouldjustfindselfishnessenoughtowonderwhetherEdmund_had_writtentoMissCrawfordbeforethissummonscame，butnosentimentdweltlongwithherthatwasnotpurelyaffectionateanddisinterestedlyanxious。Herauntdidnotneglecther：

shewroteagainandagain；theywerereceivingfrequentaccountsfromEdmund，andtheseaccountswereasregularlytransmittedtoFanny，inthesamediffusestyle，andthesamemedleyoftrusts，hopes，andfears，allfollowingandproducingeachotherathaphazard。

Itwasasortofplayingatbeingfrightened。

ThesufferingswhichLadyBertramdidnotseehadlittlepoweroverherfancy；andshewroteverycomfortablyaboutagitation，andanxiety，andpoorinvalids，tillTomwasactuallyconveyedtoMansfield，andherowneyeshadbeheldhisalteredappearance。ThenaletterwhichshehadbeenpreviouslypreparingforFannywasfinishedinadifferentstyle，inthelanguageofrealfeelingandalarm；thenshewroteasshemighthavespoken。

“Heisjustcome，mydearFanny，andistakenupstairs；

andIamsoshockedtoseehim，thatIdonotknowwhattodo。Iamsurehehasbeenveryill。PoorTom!

Iamquitegrievedforhim，andverymuchfrightened，andsoisSirThomas；andhowgladIshouldbeifyouwereheretocomfortme。ButSirThomashopeshewillbebetterto-morrow，andsayswemustconsiderhisjourney。“

Therealsolicitudenowawakenedinthematernalbosomwasnotsoonover。Tom’sextremeimpatiencetoberemovedtoMansfield，andexperiencethosecomfortsofhomeandfamilywhichhadbeenlittlethoughtofinuninterruptedhealth，hadprobablyinducedhisbeingconveyedthithertooearly，asareturnoffevercameon，andforaweekhewasinamorealarmingstatethanever。

Theywereallveryseriouslyfrightened。LadyBertramwroteherdailyterrorstoherniece，whomightnowbesaidtoliveuponletters，andpassallhertimebetweensufferingfromthatofto-dayandlookingforwardtoto-morrow’s。

Withoutanyparticularaffectionforhereldestcousin，hertendernessofheartmadeherfeelthatshecouldnotsparehim，andthepurityofherprinciplesaddedyetakeenersolicitude，whensheconsideredhowlittleuseful，howlittleself-denyinghislifehad(apparently)been。

Susanwasheronlycompanionandlisteneronthis，asonmorecommonoccasions。Susanwasalwaysreadytohearandtosympathise。Nobodyelsecouldbeinterestedinsoremoteanevilasillnessinafamilyabo

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