Mrs。Chapmanhadjustreachedtheatticfloor，whenMissPricecameoutofherroomcompletelydressed，andonlycivilitieswerenecessary；butFannyfeltheraunt’sattentionalmostasmuchasLadyBertramorMrs。Chapmancoulddothemselves。
Chapter28CHAPTERXXVIII
Heruncleandbothherauntswereinthedrawing-roomwhenFannywentdown。Totheformershewasaninterestingobject，andhesawwithpleasurethegeneraleleganceofherappearance，andherbeinginremarkablygoodlooks。
Theneatnessandproprietyofherdresswasallthathewouldallowhimselftocommendinherpresence，butuponherleavingtheroomagainsoonafterwards，hespokeofherbeautywithverydecidedpraise。
“Yes，“saidLadyBertram，“shelooksverywell。
IsentChapmantoher。“
“Lookwell!Oh，yes!“criedMrs。Norris，“shehasgoodreasontolookwellwithallheradvantages：
broughtupinthisfamilyasshehasbeen，withallthebenefitofhercousins’mannersbeforeher。
Onlythink，mydearSirThomas，whatextraordinaryadvantagesyouandIhavebeenthemeansofgivingher。
TheverygownyouhavebeentakingnoticeofisyourowngenerouspresenttoherwhendearMrs。Rushworthmarried。
Whatwouldshehavebeenifwehadnottakenherbythehand？“
SirThomassaidnomore；butwhentheysatdowntotabletheeyesofthetwoyoungmenassuredhimthatthesubjectmightbegentlytouchedagain，whentheladieswithdrew，withmoresuccess。Fannysawthatshewasapproved；
andtheconsciousnessoflookingwellmadeherlookstillbetter。Fromavarietyofcausesshewashappy，andshewassoonmadestillhappier；forinfollowingherauntsoutoftheroom，Edmund，whowasholdingopenthedoor，said，asshepassedhim，“Youmustdancewithme，Fanny；
youmustkeeptwodancesforme；anytwothatyoulike，exceptthefirst。“Shehadnothingmoretowishfor。
Shehadhardlyeverbeeninastatesonearlyapproachinghighspiritsinherlife。Hercousins’formergaietyonthedayofaballwasnolongersurprisingtoher；
shefeltittobeindeedverycharming，andwasactuallypractisingherstepsaboutthedrawing-roomaslongasshecouldbesafefromthenoticeofherauntNorris，whowasentirelytakenupatfirstinfresharrangingandinjuringthenoblefirewhichthebutlerhadprepared。
Halfanhourfollowedthatwouldhavebeenatleastlanguidunderanyothercircumstances，butFanny’shappinessstillprevailed。ItwasbuttothinkofherconversationwithEdmund，andwhatwastherestlessnessofMrs。Norris？
WhatweretheyawnsofLadyBertram？
Thegentlemenjoinedthem；andsoonafterbeganthesweetexpectationofacarriage，whenageneralspiritofeaseandenjoymentseemeddiffused，andtheyallstoodaboutandtalkedandlaughed，andeverymomenthaditspleasureanditshope。FannyfeltthattheremustbeastruggleinEdmund’scheerfulness，butitwasdelightfultoseetheeffortsosuccessfullymade。
Whenthecarriageswerereallyheard，whentheguestsbeganreallytoassemble，herowngaietyofheartwasmuchsubdued：
thesightofsomanystrangersthrewherbackintoherself；
andbesidesthegravityandformalityofthefirstgreatcircle，whichthemannersofneitherSirThomasnorLadyBertramwereofakindtodoaway，shefoundherselfoccasionallycalledontoenduresomethingworse。Shewasintroducedhereandtherebyheruncle，andforcedtobespokento，andtocurtsey，andspeakagain。Thiswasahardduty，andshewasneversummonedtoitwithoutlookingatWilliam，ashewalkedaboutathiseaseinthebackgroundofthescene，andlongingtobewithhim。
TheentranceoftheGrantsandCrawfordswasafavourableepoch。
Thestiffnessofthemeetingsoongavewaybeforetheirpopularmannersandmorediffusedintimacies：littlegroupswereformed，andeverybodygrewcomfortable。Fannyfelttheadvantage；and，drawingbackfromthetoilsofcivility，wouldhavebeenagainmosthappy，couldshehavekepthereyesfromwanderingbetweenEdmundandMaryCrawford。
_She_lookedallloveliness——andwhatmightnotbetheendofit？HerownmusingswerebroughttoanendonperceivingMr。Crawfordbeforeher，andherthoughtswereputintoanotherchannelbyhisengagingheralmostinstantlyforthefirsttwodances。Herhappinessonthisoccasionwasverymuch_a__la__mortal_，finelychequered。
Tobesecureofapartneratfirstwasamostessentialgood——
forthemomentofbeginningwasnowgrowingseriouslynear；
andshesolittleunderstoodherownclaimsastothinkthatifMr。Crawfordhadnotaskedher，shemusthavebeenthelasttobesoughtafter，andshouldhavereceivedapartneronlythroughaseriesofinquiry，andbustle，andinterference，whichwouldhavebeenterrible；butatthesametimetherewasapointednessinhismannerofaskingherwhichshedidnotlike，andshesawhiseyeglancingforamomentathernecklace，withasmile——shethoughttherewasasmile——whichmadeherblushandfeelwretched。
Andthoughtherewasnosecondglancetodisturbher，thoughhisobjectseemedthentobeonlyquietlyagreeable，shecouldnotgetthebetterofherembarrassment，heightenedasitwasbytheideaofhisperceivingit，andhadnocomposuretillheturnedawaytosomeoneelse。
Thenshecouldgraduallyriseuptothegenuinesatisfactionofhavingapartner，avoluntarypartner，securedagainstthedancingbegan。
Whenthecompanyweremovingintotheballroom，shefoundherselfforthefirsttimenearMissCrawford，whoseeyesandsmileswereimmediatelyandmoreunequivocallydirectedasherbrother’shadbeen，andwhowasbeginningtospeakonthesubject，whenFanny，anxioustogetthestoryover，hastenedtogivetheexplanationofthesecondnecklace：
therealchain。MissCrawfordlistened；andallherintendedcomplimentsandinsinuationstoFannywereforgotten：
shefeltonlyonething；andhereyes，brightastheyhadbeenbefore，shewingtheycouldyetbebrighter，sheexclaimedwitheagerpleasure，“Didhe？DidEdmund？
Thatwaslikehimself。Noothermanwouldhavethoughtofit。
Ihonourhimbeyondexpression。“Andshelookedaroundasiflongingtotellhimso。Hewasnotnear，hewasattendingapartyofladiesoutoftheroom；andMrs。Grantcominguptothetwogirls，andtakinganarmofeach，theyfollowedwiththerest。
Fanny’sheartsunk，buttherewasnoleisureforthinkinglongevenofMissCrawford’sfeelings。
Theywereintheballroom，theviolinswereplaying，andhermindwasinaflutterthatforbadeitsfixingonanythingserious。Shemustwatchthegeneralarrangements，andseehoweverythingwasdone。
InafewminutesSirThomascametoher，andaskedifshewereengaged；andthe“Yes，sir；toMr。Crawford，“
wasexactlywhathehadintendedtohear。Mr。Crawfordwasnotfaroff；SirThomasbroughthimtoher，sayingsomethingwhichdiscoveredtoFanny，that_she_
wastoleadthewayandopentheball；anideathathadneveroccurredtoherbefore。Whenevershehadthoughtoftheminutiaeoftheevening，ithadbeenasamatterofcoursethatEdmundwouldbeginwithMissCrawford；
andtheimpressionwassostrong，thatthough_her__uncle_
spokethecontrary，shecouldnothelpanexclamationofsurprise，ahintofherunfitness，anentreatyeventobeexcused。TobeurgingheropinionagainstSirThomas’swasaproofoftheextremityofthecase；butsuchwasherhorroratthefirstsuggestion，thatshecouldactuallylookhiminthefaceandsaythatshehopeditmightbesettledotherwise；invain，however：SirThomassmiled，triedtoencourageher，andthenlookedtooserious，andsaidtoodecidedly，“Itmustbeso，mydear，“forhertohazardanotherword；andshefoundherselfthenextmomentconductedbyMr。Crawfordtothetopoftheroom，andstandingtheretobejoinedbytherestofthedancers，coupleaftercouple，astheywereformed。
Shecouldhardlybelieveit。Tobeplacedabovesomanyelegantyoungwomen!Thedistinctionwastoogreat。
Itwastreatingherlikehercousins!Andherthoughtsflewtothoseabsentcousinswithmostunfeignedandtrulytenderregret，thattheywerenotathometotaketheirownplaceintheroom，andhavetheirshareofapleasurewhichwouldhavebeensoverydelightfultothem。
Sooftenasshehadheardthemwishforaballathomeasthegreatestofallfelicities!Andtohavethemawaywhenitwasgiven——andfor_her_tobeopeningtheball——
andwithMr。Crawfordtoo!Shehopedtheywouldnotenvyherthatdistinction_now_；butwhenshelookedbacktothestateofthingsintheautumn，towhattheyhadallbeentoeachotherwhenoncedancinginthathousebefore，thepresentarrangementwasalmostmorethanshecouldunderstandherself。
Theballbegan。ItwasratherhonourthanhappinesstoFanny，forthefirstdanceatleast：herpartnerwasinexcellentspirits，andtriedtoimpartthemtoher；
butshewasagreatdealtoomuchfrightenedtohaveanyenjoymenttillshecouldsupposeherselfnolongerlookedat。Young，pretty，andgentle，however，shehadnoawkwardnessesthatwerenotasgoodasgraces，andtherewerefewpersonspresentthatwerenotdisposedtopraiseher。Shewasattractive，shewasmodest，shewasSirThomas’sniece，andshewassoonsaidtobeadmiredbyMr。Crawford。Itwasenoughtogivehergeneralfavour。SirThomashimselfwaswatchingherprogressdownthedancewithmuchcomplacency；