andinthecourseofalongmorning，spentprincipallywithhertwoaunts，shewasoftenundertheinfluenceofmuchlesssanguineviews。William，determinedtomakethislastdayadayofthoroughenjoyment，wasoutsnipe-shooting；Edmund，shehadtoomuchreasontosuppose，wasattheParsonage；andleftalonetobeartheworryingofMrs。Norris，whowascrossbecausethehousekeeperwouldhaveherownwaywiththesupper，andwhom_she_couldnotavoidthoughthehousekeepermight，Fannywasworndownatlasttothinkeverythinganevilbelongingtotheball，andwhensentoffwithapartingworrytodress，movedaslanguidlytowardsherownroom，andfeltasincapableofhappinessasifshehadbeenallowednoshareinit。
Asshewalkedslowlyupstairsshethoughtofyesterday；
ithadbeenaboutthesamehourthatshehadreturnedfromtheParsonage，andfoundEdmundintheEastroom。
“SupposeIweretofindhimthereagainto-day!“saidshetoherself，inafondindulgenceoffancy。
“Fanny，“saidavoiceatthatmomentnearher。
Startingandlookingup，shesaw，acrossthelobbyshehadjustreached，Edmundhimself，standingattheheadofadifferentstaircase。Hecametowardsher。“Youlooktiredandfagged，Fanny。Youhavebeenwalkingtoofar。“
“No，Ihavenotbeenoutatall。“
“Thenyouhavehadfatigueswithindoors，whichareworse。
Youhadbetterhavegoneout。“
Fanny，notlikingtocomplain，founditeasiesttomakenoanswer；andthoughhelookedatherwithhisusualkindness，shebelievedhehadsoonceasedtothinkofhercountenance。
Hedidnotappearinspirits：somethingunconnectedwithherwasprobablyamiss。Theyproceededupstairstogether，theirroomsbeingonthesamefloorabove。
“IcomefromDr。Grant’s，“saidEdmundpresently。
“Youmayguessmyerrandthere，Fanny。“Andhelookedsoconscious，thatFannycouldthinkbutofoneerrand，whichturnedhertoosickforspeech。“IwishedtoengageMissCrawfordforthetwofirstdances，“wastheexplanationthatfollowed，andbroughtFannytolifeagain，enablingher，asshefoundshewasexpectedtospeak，touttersomethinglikeaninquiryastotheresult。
“Yes，“heanswered，“sheisengagedtome；but“withasmilethatdidnotsiteasy“shesaysitistobethelasttimethatsheeverwilldancewithme。Sheisnotserious。
Ithink，Ihope，Iamsuresheisnotserious；butIwouldrathernothearit。Sheneverhasdancedwithaclergyman，shesays，andshenever_will_。Formyownsake，Icouldwishtherehadbeennoballjustat——Imeannotthisveryweek，thisveryday；to-morrowIleavehome。“
Fannystruggledforspeech，andsaid，“Iamverysorrythatanythinghasoccurredtodistressyou。Thisoughttobeadayofpleasure。Myunclemeantitso。“
“Ohyes，yes!anditwillbeadayofpleasure。
Itwillallendright。Iamonlyvexedforamoment。
Infact，itisnotthatIconsidertheballasill-timed；
whatdoesitsignify？But，Fanny，“stoppingher，bytakingherhand，andspeakinglowandseriously，“youknowwhatallthismeans。Youseehowitis；
andcouldtellme，perhapsbetterthanIcouldtellyou，howandwhyIamvexed。Letmetalktoyoualittle。
Youareakind，kindlistener。Ihavebeenpainedbyhermannerthismorning，andcannotgetthebetterofit。Iknowherdispositiontobeassweetandfaultlessasyourown，buttheinfluenceofherformercompanionsmakesherseem——givestoherconversation，toherprofessedopinions，sometimesatingeofwrong。
Shedoesnot_think_evil，butshespeaksit，speaksitinplayfulness；andthoughIknowittobeplayfulness，itgrievesmetothesoul。“
“Theeffectofeducation，“saidFannygently。
Edmundcouldnotbutagreetoit。“Yes，thatuncleandaunt!
Theyhaveinjuredthefinestmind；forsometimes，Fanny，Iowntoyou，itdoesappearmorethanmanner：
itappearsasiftheminditselfwastainted。“
Fannyimaginedthistobeanappealtoherjudgment，andtherefore，afteramoment’sconsideration，said，“Ifyouonlywantmeasalistener，cousin，IwillbeasusefulasIcan；butIamnotqualifiedforanadviser。
Donotaskadviceof_me_。Iamnotcompetent。“
“Youareright，Fanny，toprotestagainstsuchanoffice，butyouneednotbeafraid。ItisasubjectonwhichI
shouldneveraskadvice；itisthesortofsubjectonwhichithadbetterneverbeasked；andfew，Iimagine，doaskit，butwhentheywanttobeinfluencedagainsttheirconscience。Ionlywanttotalktoyou。“
“Onethingmore。Excusetheliberty；buttakecare_how_youtalktome。Donottellmeanythingnow，whichhereafteryoumaybesorryfor。Thetimemaycome——“
Thecolourrushedintohercheeksasshespoke。
“DearestFanny!“criedEdmund，pressingherhandtohislipswithalmostasmuchwarmthasifithadbeenMissCrawford’s，“youareallconsideratethought!
Butitisunnecessaryhere。Thetimewillnevercome。
Nosuchtimeasyoualludetowillevercome。Ibegintothinkitmostimprobable：thechancesgrowlessandless；
andevenifitshould，therewillbenothingtoberememberedbyeitheryouormethatweneedbeafraidof，forIcanneverbeashamedofmyownscruples；andiftheyareremoved，itmustbebychangesthatwillonlyraisehercharacterthemorebytherecollectionofthefaultssheoncehad。YouaretheonlybeinguponearthtowhomIshouldsaywhatIhavesaid；butyouhavealwaysknownmyopinionofher；youcanbearmewitness，Fanny，thatI
haveneverbeenblinded。Howmanyatimehavewetalkedoverherlittleerrors!Youneednotfearme；
Ihavealmostgivenupeveryseriousideaofher；
butImustbeablockheadindeed，if，whateverbefellme，Icouldthinkofyourkindnessandsympathywithoutthesincerestgratitude。“
Hehadsaidenoughtoshaketheexperienceofeighteen。
HehadsaidenoughtogiveFannysomehappierfeelingsthanshehadlatelyknown，andwithabrighterlook，sheanswered，“Yes，cousin，Iamconvincedthat_you_
wouldbeincapableofanythingelse，thoughperhapssomemightnot。Icannotbeafraidofhearinganythingyouwishtosay。Donotcheckyourself。Tellmewhateveryoulike。“
Theywerenowonthesecondfloor，andtheappearanceofahousemaidpreventedanyfartherconversation。
ForFanny’spresentcomfortitwasconcluded，perhaps，atthehappiestmoment：hadhebeenabletotalkanotherfiveminutes，thereisnosayingthathemightnothavetalkedawayallMissCrawford’sfaultsandhisowndespondence。
Butasitwas，theypartedwithlooksonhissideofgratefulaffection，andwithsomeveryprecioussensationsonhers。Shehadfeltnothinglikeitforhours。
SincethefirstjoyfromMr。Crawford’snotetoWilliamhadwornaway，shehadbeeninastateabsolutelythereverse；
therehadbeennocomfortaround，nohopewithinher。
Noweverythingwassmiling。William’sgoodfortunereturnedagainuponhermind，andseemedofgreatervaluethanatfirst。Theball，too——suchaneveningofpleasurebeforeher!Itwasnowarealanimation；
andshebegantodressforitwithmuchofthehappyflutterwhichbelongstoaball。Allwentwell：
shedidnotdislikeherownlooks；andwhenshecametothenecklacesagain，hergoodfortuneseemedcomplete，forupontrialtheonegivenherbyMissCrawfordwouldbynomeansgothroughtheringofthecross。Shehad，toobligeEdmund，resolvedtowearit；butitwastoolargeforthepurpose。His，therefore，mustbeworn；
andhaving，withdelightfulfeelings，joinedthechainandthecross——thosememorialsofthetwomostbelovedofherheart，thosedearesttokenssoformedforeachotherbyeverythingrealandimaginary——andputthemroundherneck，andseenandfelthowfullofWilliamandEdmundtheywere，shewasable，withoutaneffort，toresolveonwearingMissCrawford’snecklacetoo。
Sheacknowledgedittoberight。MissCrawfordhadaclaim；
andwhenitwasnolongertoencroachon，tointerferewiththestrongerclaims，thetruerkindnessofanother，shecoulddoherjusticeevenwithpleasuretoherself。
Thenecklacereallylookedverywell；andFannyleftherroomatlast，comfortablysatisfiedwithherselfandallabouther。
HerauntBertramhadrecollectedheronthisoccasionwithanunusualdegreeofwakefulness。Ithadreallyoccurredtoher，unprompted，thatFanny，preparingforaball，mightbegladofbetterhelpthantheupperhousemaid’s，andwhendressedherself，sheactuallysentherownmaidtoassisther；toolate，ofcourse，tobeofanyuse。