第92章

Thisdreadfulcommunicationcouldnotbekeptfromtherestofthefamily。SirThomassetoff，Edmundwouldgowithhim，andtheothershadbeenleftinastateofwretchedness，inferioronlytowhatfollowedthereceiptofthenextlettersfromLondon。Everythingwasbythattimepublicbeyondahope。TheservantofMrs。Rushworth，themother，hadexposureinherpower，andsupportedbyhermistress，wasnottobesilenced。Thetwoladies，evenintheshorttimetheyhadbeentogether，haddisagreed；andthebitternessoftheelderagainstherdaughter-in-lawmightperhapsarisealmostasmuchfromthepersonaldisrespectwithwhichshehadherselfbeentreatedasfromsensibilityforherson。

Howeverthatmightbe，shewasunmanageable。Buthadshebeenlessobstinate，oroflessweightwithherson，whowasalwaysguidedbythelastspeaker，bythepersonwhocouldgetholdofandshuthimup，thecasewouldstillhavebeenhopeless，forMrs。Rushworthdidnotappearagain，andtherewaseveryreasontoconcludehertobeconcealedsomewherewithMr。Crawford，whohadquittedhisuncle’shouse，asforajourney，ontheverydayofherabsentingherself。

SirThomas，however，remainedyetalittlelongerintown，inthehopeofdiscoveringandsnatchingherfromfarthervice，thoughallwaslostonthesideofcharacter。

_His_presentstateFannycouldhardlybeartothinkof。

Therewasbutoneofhischildrenwhowasnotatthistimeasourceofmiserytohim。Tom’scomplaintshadbeengreatlyheightenedbytheshockofhissister’sconduct，andhisrecoverysomuchthrownbackbyit，thatevenLadyBertramhadbeenstruckbythedifference，andallheralarmswereregularlysentofftoherhusband；

andJulia’selopement，theadditionalblowwhichhadmethimonhisarrivalinLondon，thoughitsforcehadbeendeadenedatthemoment，must，sheknew，besorelyfelt。

Shesawthatitwas。Hislettersexpressedhowmuchhedeploredit。Underanycircumstancesitwouldhavebeenanunwelcomealliance；buttohaveitsoclandestinelyformed，andsuchaperiodchosenforitscompletion，placedJulia’sfeelingsinamostunfavourablelight，andseverelyaggravatedthefollyofherchoice。

Hecalleditabadthing，doneintheworstmanner，andattheworsttime；andthoughJuliawasyetasmorepardonablethanMariaasfollythanvice，hecouldnotbutregardthestepshehadtakenasopeningtheworstprobabilitiesofaconclusionhereafterlikehersister’s。

Suchwashisopinionofthesetintowhichshehadthrownherself。

Fannyfeltforhimmostacutely。HecouldhavenocomfortbutinEdmund。Everyotherchildmustberackinghisheart。

Hisdispleasureagainstherselfshetrusted，reasoningdifferentlyfromMrs。Norris，wouldnowbedoneaway。

_She_shouldbejustified。Mr。Crawfordwouldhavefullyacquittedherconductinrefusinghim；butthis，thoughmostmaterialtoherself，wouldbepoorconsolationtoSirThomas。Heruncle’sdispleasurewasterribletoher；

butwhatcouldherjustificationorhergratitudeandattachmentdoforhim？HisstaymustbeonEdmundalone。

Shewasmistaken，however，insupposingthatEdmundgavehisfathernopresentpain。Itwasofamuchlesspoignantnaturethanwhattheothersexcited；butSirThomaswasconsideringhishappinessasverydeeplyinvolvedinthe

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