Whatevermightbeitseffect，however，shemuststandthebruntofitagainthatveryday。
Thefirstregularrehearsalofthethreefirstactswascertainlytotakeplaceintheevening：Mrs。GrantandtheCrawfordswereengagedtoreturnforthatpurposeassoonastheycouldafterdinner；andeveryoneconcernedwaslookingforwardwitheagerness。Thereseemedageneraldiffusionofcheerfulnessontheoccasion。
Tomwasenjoyingsuchanadvancetowardstheend；
Edmundwasinspiritsfromthemorning’srehearsal，andlittlevexationsseemedeverywheresmoothedaway。
Allwerealertandimpatient；theladiesmovedsoon，thegentlemensoonfollowedthem，andwiththeexceptionofLadyBertram，Mrs。Norris，andJulia，everybodywasinthetheatreatanearlyhour；andhavinglighteditupaswellasitsunfinishedstateadmitted，werewaitingonlythearrivalofMrs。GrantandtheCrawfordstobegin。
TheydidnotwaitlongfortheCrawfords，buttherewasnoMrs。Grant。Shecouldnotcome。Dr。Grant，professinganindisposition，forwhichhehadlittlecreditwithhisfairsister-in-law，couldnotsparehiswife。
“Dr。Grantisill，“saidshe，withmocksolemnity。
“Hehasbeenilleversincehedidnoteatanyofthepheasanttoday。Hefanciedittough，sentawayhisplate，andhasbeensufferingeversince“。
Herewasdisappointment!Mrs。Grant’snon-attendancewassadindeed。Herpleasantmannersandcheerfulconformitymadeheralwaysvaluableamongstthem；
but_now_shewasabsolutelynecessary。Theycouldnotact，theycouldnotrehearsewithanysatisfactionwithouther。
Thecomfortofthewholeeveningwasdestroyed。
Whatwastobedone？Tom，asCottager，wasindespair。
Afterapauseofperplexity，someeyesbegantobeturnedtowardsFanny，andavoiceortwotosay，“IfMissPricewouldbesogoodasto_read_thepart。“
Shewasimmediatelysurroundedbysupplications；
everybodyaskedit；evenEdmundsaid，“Do，Fanny，ifitisnot_very_disagreeabletoyou。“
ButFannystillhungback。Shecouldnotenduretheideaofit。WhywasnotMissCrawfordtobeappliedtoaswell？
Orwhyhadnotsherathergonetoherownroom，asshehadfelttobesafest，insteadofattendingtherehearsalatall？Shehadknownitwouldirritateanddistressher；shehadknownitherdutytokeepaway。
Shewasproperlypunished。
“Youhaveonlyto_read_thepart，“saidHenryCrawford，withrenewedentreaty。
“AndIdobelieveshecansayeverywordofit，“
addedMaria，“forshecouldputMrs。Grantrighttheotherdayintwentyplaces。Fanny，Iamsureyouknowthepart。“
Fannycouldnotsayshedid_not_；andastheyallpersevered，asEdmundrepeatedhiswish，andwithalookofevenfonddependenceonhergood-nature，shemustyield。
Shewoulddoherbest。Everybodywassatisfied；andshewaslefttothetremorsofamostpalpitatingheart，whiletheotherspreparedtobegin。
They_did_begin；andbeingtoomuchengagedintheirownnoisetobestruckbyanunusualnoiseintheotherpartofthehouse，hadproceededsomewaywhenthedooroftheroomwasthrownopen，andJulia，appearingatit，withafaceallaghast，exclaimed，“Myfatheriscome!
Heisinthehallatthismoment。“
Howistheconsternationofthepartytobedescribed？
Tothegreaternumberitwasamomentofabsolutehorror。
SirThomasinthehouse!Allfelttheinstantaneousconviction。
Notahopeofimpositionormistakewasharbouredanywhere。
Julia’slookswereanevidenceofthefactthatmadeitindisputable；andafterthefirststartsandexclamations，notawordwasspokenforhalfaminute：eachwithanalteredcountenancewaslookingatsomeother，andalmosteachwasfeelingitastrokethemostunwelcome，mostill-timed，mostappalling!Mr。Yatesmightconsideritonlyasavexatiousinterruptionfortheevening，andMr。Rushworthmightimagineitablessing；buteveryotherheartwassinkingundersomedegreeofself-condemnationorundefinedalarm，everyotherheartwassuggesting，“Whatwillbecomeofus？whatistobedonenow？“
Itwasaterriblepause；andterribletoeveryearwerethecorroboratingsoundsofopeningdoorsandpassingfootsteps。
Juliawasthefirsttomoveandspeakagain。Jealousyandbitternesshadbeensuspended：selfishnesswaslostinthecommoncause；butatthemomentofherappearance，FrederickwaslisteningwithlooksofdevotiontoAgatha’snarrative，andpressingherhandtohisheart；
andassoonasshecouldnoticethis，andseethat，inspiteoftheshockofherwords，hestillkepthisstationandretainedhersister’shand，herwoundedheartswelledagainwithinjury，andlookingasredasshehadbeenwhitebefore，sheturnedoutoftheroom，saying，“_I_neednotbeafraidofappearingbeforehim。“
Hergoingrousedtherest；andatthesamemomentthetwobrotherssteppedforward，feelingthenecessityofdoingsomething。Averyfewwordsbetweenthemweresufficient。Thecaseadmittednodifferenceofopinion：theymustgotothedrawing-roomdirectly。
Mariajoinedthemwiththesameintent，justthenthestoutestofthethree；fortheverycircumstancewhichhaddrivenJuliaawaywastoherthesweetestsupport。
HenryCrawford’sretainingherhandatsuchamoment，amomentofsuchpeculiarproofandimportance，wasworthagesofdoubtandanxiety。Shehaileditasanearnestofthemostseriousdetermination，andwasequaleventoencounterherfather。Theywalkedoff，utterlyheedlessofMr。Rushworth’srepeatedquestionof，“ShallIgotoo？HadnotIbettergotoo？Willnotitberightformetogotoo？“buttheywerenosoonerthroughthedoorthanHenryCrawfordundertooktoanswertheanxiousinquiry，and，encouraginghimbyallmeanstopayhisrespectstoSirThomaswithoutdelay，senthimaftertheotherswithdelightedhaste。
FannywasleftwithonlytheCrawfordsandMr。Yates。
Shehadbeenquiteoverlookedbyhercousins；andasherownopinionofherclaimsonSirThomas’saffectionwasmuchtoohumbletogiveheranyideaofclassingherselfwithhischildren，shewasgladtoremainbehindandgainalittlebreathing-time。Heragitationandalarmexceededallthatwasenduredbytherest，bytherightofadispositionwhichnoteveninnocencecouldkeepfromsuffering。Shewasnearlyfainting：
allherformerhabitualdreadofherunclewasreturning，andwithitcompassionforhimandforalmosteveryoneofthepartyonthedevelopmentbeforehim，withsolicitudeonEdmund’saccountindescribable。Shehadfoundaseat，whereinexcessivetremblingshewasenduringallthesefearfulthoughts，whiletheotherthree，nolongerunderanyrestraint，weregivingventtotheirfeelingsofvexation，lamentingoversuchanunlooked-forprematurearrivalasamostuntowardevent，andwithoutmercywishingpoorSirThomashadbeentwiceaslongonhispassage，orwerestillinAntigua。
TheCrawfordsweremorewarmonthesubjectthanMr。Yates，frombetterunderstandingthefamily，andjudgingmoreclearlyofthemischiefthatmustensue。Theruinoftheplaywastothemacertainty：theyfeltthetotaldestructionoftheschemetobeinevitablyathand；
whileMr。Yatesconsidereditonlyasatemporaryinterruption，adisasterfortheevening，andcouldevensuggestthepossibilityoftherehearsalbeingrenewedaftertea，whenthebustleofreceivingSirThomaswereover，andhemightbeatleisuretobeamusedbyit。
TheCrawfordslaughedattheidea；andhavingsoonagreedontheproprietyoftheirwalkingquietlyhomeandleavingthefamilytothemselves，proposedMr。Yates’saccompanyingthemandspendingtheeveningattheParsonage。
ButMr。Yates，havingneverbeenwiththosewhothoughtmuchofparentalclaims，orfamilyconfidence，couldnotperceivethatanythingofthekindwasnecessary；andtherefore，thankingthem，said，“hepreferredremainingwherehewas，thathemightpayhisrespectstotheoldgentlemanhandsomelysincehe_was_come；andbesides，hedidnotthinkitwouldbefairbytheotherstohaveeverybodyrunaway。“
Fannywasjustbeginningtocollectherself，andtofeelthatifshestaidlongerbehinditmightseemdisrespectful，whenthispointwassettled，andbeingcommissionedwiththebrotherandsister’sapology，sawthempreparingtogoasshequittedtheroomherselftoperformthedreadfuldutyofappearingbeforeheruncle。
Toosoondidshefindherselfatthedrawing-roomdoor；
andafterpausingamomentforwhatsheknewwouldnotcome，foracouragewhichtheoutsideofnodoorhadeversuppliedtoher，sheturnedthelockindesperation，andthelightsofthedrawing-room，andallthecollectedfamily，werebeforeher。Assheentered，herownnamecaughtherear。SirThomaswasatthatmomentlookingroundhim，andsaying，“ButwhereisFanny？WhydonotIseemylittleFanny？“——andonperceivingher，cameforwardwithakindnesswhichastonishedandpenetratedher，callingherhisdearFanny，kissingheraffectionately，andobservingwithdecidedpleasurehowmuchshewasgrown!
Fannyknewnothowtofeel，norwheretolook。Shewasquiteoppressed。Hehadneverbeensokind，so_very_
kindtoherinhislife。Hismannerseemedchanged，hisvoicewasquickfromtheagitationofjoy；andallthathadbeenawfulinhisdignityseemedlostintenderness。
Heledhernearerthelightandlookedatheragain——
inquiredparticularlyafterherhealth，andthen，correctinghimself，observedthatheneednotinquire，forherappearancespokesufficientlyonthatpoint。Afineblushhavingsucceededthepreviouspalenessofherface，hewasjustifiedinhisbeliefofherequalimprovementinhealthandbeauty。Heinquirednextafterherfamily，especiallyWilliam：andhiskindnessaltogetherwassuchasmadeherreproachherselfforlovinghimsolittle，andthinkinghisreturnamisfortune；andwhen，onhavingcouragetolifthereyestohisface，shesawthathewasgrownthinner，andhadtheburnt，fagged，wornlookoffatigueandahotclimate，everytenderfeelingwasincreased，andshewasmiserableinconsideringhowmuchunsuspectedvexationwasprobablyreadytoburstonhim。