hewasproudofhisniece；andwithoutattributingallherpersonalbeauty，asMrs。Norrisseemedtodo，tohertransplantationtoMansfield，hewaspleasedwithhimselfforhavingsuppliedeverythingelse：
educationandmannerssheowedtohim。
MissCrawfordsawmuchofSirThomas’sthoughtsashestood，andhaving，inspiteofallhiswrongstowardsher，ageneralprevailingdesireofrecommendingherselftohim，tookanopportunityofsteppingasidetosaysomethingagreeableofFanny。Herpraisewaswarm，andhereceiveditasshecouldwish，joininginitasfarasdiscretion，andpoliteness，andslownessofspeechwouldallow，andcertainlyappearingtogreateradvantageonthesubjectthanhisladydidsoonafterwards，whenMary，perceivingheronasofaverynear，turnedroundbeforeshebegantodance，tocomplimentheronMissPrice’slooks。
“Yes，shedoeslookverywell，“wasLadyBertram’splacidreply。
“Chapmanhelpedhertodress。IsentChapmantoher。“
NotbutthatshewasreallypleasedtohaveFannyadmired；
butshewassomuchmorestruckwithherownkindnessinsendingChapmantoher，thatshecouldnotgetitoutofherhead。
MissCrawfordknewMrs。Norristoowelltothinkofgratifying_her_bycommendationofFanny；toher，itwasastheoccasionoffered——“Ah!ma’am，howmuchwewantdearMrs。RushworthandJuliato-night!“andMrs。Norrispaidherwithasmanysmilesandcourteouswordsasshehadtimefor，amidsomuchoccupationasshefoundforherselfinmakingupcard-tables，givinghintstoSirThomas，andtryingtomoveallthechaperonstoabetterpartoftheroom。
MissCrawfordblunderedmosttowardsFannyherselfinherintentionstoplease。Shemeanttobegivingherlittleheartahappyflutter，andfillingherwithsensationsofdelightfulself-consequence；and，misinterpretingFanny’sblushes，stillthoughtshemustbedoingsowhenshewenttoherafterthetwofirstdances，andsaid，withasignificantlook，“Perhaps_you_cantellmewhymybrothergoestotownto-morrow？Hesayshehasbusinessthere，butwillnottellmewhat。Thefirsttimeheeverdeniedmehisconfidence!Butthisiswhatweallcometo。
Allaresupplantedsoonerorlater。Now，Imustapplytoyouforinformation。Pray，whatisHenrygoingfor？“
Fannyprotestedherignoranceassteadilyasherembarrassmentallowed。
“Well，then，“repliedMissCrawford，laughing，“Imustsupposeittobepurelyforthepleasureofconveyingyourbrother，andoftalkingofyoubytheway。“
Fannywasconfused，butitwastheconfusionofdiscontent；
whileMissCrawfordwonderedshedidnotsmile，andthoughtherover-anxious，orthoughtherodd，orthoughtheranythingratherthaninsensibleofpleasureinHenry’sattentions。
Fannyhadagooddealofenjoymentinthecourseoftheevening；
butHenry’sattentionshadverylittletodowithit。
Shewouldmuchrather_not_havebeenaskedbyhimagainsoverysoon，andshewishedshehadnotbeenobligedtosuspectthathispreviousinquiriesofMrs。Norris，aboutthesupperhour，wereallforthesakeofsecuringheratthatpartoftheevening。Butitwasnottobeavoided：
hemadeherfeelthatshewastheobjectofall；thoughshecouldnotsaythatitwasunpleasantlydone，thattherewasindelicacyorostentationinhismanner；andsometimes，whenhetalkedofWilliam，hewasreallynotunagreeable，andshewedevenawarmthofheartwhichdidhimcredit。
Butstillhisattentionsmadenopartofhersatisfaction。
ShewashappywhenevershelookedatWilliam，andsawhowperfectlyhewasenjoyinghimself，ineveryfiveminutesthatshecouldwalkaboutwithhimandhearhisaccountofhispartners；shewashappyinknowingherselfadmired；
andshewashappyinhavingthetwodanceswithEdmundstilltolookforwardto，duringthegreatestpartoftheevening，herhandbeingsoeagerlysoughtafterthatherindefiniteengagementwith_him_wasincontinualperspective。
Shewashappyevenwhentheydidtakeplace；butnotfromanyflowofspiritsonhisside，oranysuchexpressionsoftendergallantryashadblessedthemorning。
Hismindwasfagged，andherhappinesssprungfrombeingthefriendwithwhomitcouldfindrepose。
“Iamwornoutwithcivility，“saidhe。“Ihavebeentalkingincessantlyallnight，andwithnothingtosay。
Butwith_you_，Fanny，theremaybepeace。Youwillnotwanttobetalkedto。Letushavetheluxuryofsilence。“
Fannywouldhardlyevenspeakheragreement。Aweariness，arisingprobably，ingreatmeasure，fromthesamefeelingswhichhehadacknowledgedinthemorning，waspeculiarlytoberespected，andtheywentdowntheirtwodancestogetherwithsuchsobertranquillityasmightsatisfyanylooker-onthatSirThomashadbeenbringingupnowifeforhisyoungerson。
TheeveninghadaffordedEdmundlittlepleasure。MissCrawfordhadbeeningayspiritswhentheyfirstdancedtogether，butitwasnothergaietythatcoulddohimgood：
itrathersankthanraisedhiscomfort；andafterwards，forhefoundhimselfstillimpelledtoseekheragain，shehadabsolutelypainedhimbyhermannerofspeakingoftheprofessiontowhichhewasnowonthepointofbelonging。
Theyhadtalked，andtheyhadbeensilent；hehadreasoned，shehadridiculed；andtheyhadpartedatlastwithmutualvexation。Fanny，notabletorefrainentirelyfromobservingthem，hadseenenoughtobetolerablysatisfied。
ItwasbarbaroustobehappywhenEdmundwassuffering。
Yetsomehappinessmustandwouldarisefromtheveryconvictionthathedidsuffer。
Whenhertwodanceswithhimwereover，herinclinationandstrengthformorewereprettywellatanend；
andSirThomas，havingseenherwalkratherthandancedowntheshorteningset，breathless，andwithherhandatherside，gavehisordersforhersittingdownentirely。
FromthattimeMr。Crawfordsatdownlikewise。
“PoorFanny!“criedWilliam，comingforamomenttovisither，andworkingawayhispartner’sfanasifforlife，“howsoonsheisknockedup!Why，thesportisbutjustbegun。
Ihopeweshallkeepitupthesetwohours。Howcanyoubetiredsosoon？“
“Sosoon!mygoodfriend，“saidSirThomas，producinghiswatchwithallnecessarycaution；“itisthreeo’clock，andyoursisterisnotusedtothesesortofhours。“
“Well，then，Fanny，youshallnotgetupto-morrowbeforeIgo。Sleepaslongasyoucan，andnevermindme。“
“Oh!William。“
“What!Didshethinkofbeingupbeforeyousetoff？“
“Oh!yes，sir，“criedFanny，risingeagerlyfromherseattobenearerheruncle；“Imustgetupandbreakfastwithhim。
Itwillbethelasttime，youknow；thelastmorning。“
“Youhadbetternot。Heistohavebreakfastedandbegonebyhalf-pastnine。Mr。Crawford，Ithinkyoucallforhimathalf-pastnine？“
Fannywastoourgent，however，andhadtoomanytearsinhereyesfordenial；anditendedinagracious“Well，well!“
whichwaspermission。
“Yes，half-pastnine，“saidCrawfordtoWilliamasthelatterwasleavingthem，“andIshallbepunctual，fortherewillbenokindsistertogetupfor_me_。“
AndinalowertonetoFanny，“Ishallhaveonlyadesolatehousetohurryfrom。Yourbrotherwillfindmyideasoftimeandhisownverydifferentto-morrow。“
Afterashortconsideration，SirThomasaskedCrawfordtojointheearlybreakfastpartyinthathouseinsteadofeatingalone：heshouldhimselfbeofit；
andthereadinesswithwhichhisinvitationwasacceptedconvincedhimthatthesuspicionswhence，hemustconfesstohimself，thisveryballhadingreatmeasuresprung，werewellfounded。Mr。CrawfordwasinlovewithFanny。
Hehadapleasinganticipationofwhatwouldbe。Hisniece，meanwhile，didnotthankhimforwhathehadjustdone。
ShehadhopedtohaveWilliamalltoherselfthelastmorning。
Itwouldhavebeenanunspeakableindulgence。Butthoughherwisheswereoverthrown，therewasnospiritofmurmuringwithinher。Onthecontrary，shewassototallyunusedtohaveherpleasureconsulted，ortohaveanythingtakeplaceatallinthewayshecoulddesire，thatshewasmoredisposedtowonderandrejoiceinhavingcarriedherpointsofar，thantorepineatthecounteractionwhichfollowed。
Shortlyafterward，SirThomaswasagaininterferingalittlewithherinclination，byadvisinghertogoimmediatelytobed。“Advise“washisword，butitwastheadviceofabsolutepower，andshehadonlytorise，and，withMr。Crawford’sverycordialadieus，passquietlyaway；stoppingattheentrance-door，liketheLadyofBranxholmHall，“onemomentandnomore，“
toviewthehappyscene，andtakealastlookatthefiveorsixdeterminedcouplewhowerestillhardatwork；