Oh，Mr。Crawford，weareinfinitelyobligedtoyou!
Dearest，dearestWilliam!“Shejumpedupandmovedinhastetowardsthedoor，cryingout，“Iwillgotomyuncle。
Myuncleoughttoknowitassoonaspossible。“Butthiscouldnotbesuffered。Theopportunitywastoofair，andhisfeelingstooimpatient。Hewasafterherimmediately。
“Shemustnotgo，shemustallowhimfiveminuteslonger，“
andhetookherhandandledherbacktoherseat，andwasinthemiddleofhisfartherexplanation，beforeshehadsuspectedforwhatshewasdetained。
Whenshedidunderstandit，however，andfoundherselfexpectedtobelievethatshehadcreatedsensationswhichhishearthadneverknownbefore，andthateverythinghehaddoneforWilliamwastobeplacedtotheaccountofhisexcessiveandunequalledattachmenttoher，shewasexceedinglydistressed，andforsomemomentsunabletospeak。Sheconsidereditallasnonsense，asmeretriflingandgallantry，whichmeantonlytodeceiveforthehour；shecouldnotbutfeelthatitwastreatingherimproperlyandunworthily，andinsuchawayasshehadnotdeserved；butitwaslikehimself，andentirelyofapiecewithwhatshehadseenbefore；andshewouldnotallowherselftoshewhalfthedispleasureshefelt，becausehehadbeenconferringanobligation，whichnowantofdelicacyonhispartcouldmakeatrifletoher。
WhileherheartwasstillboundingwithjoyandgratitudeonWilliam’sbehalf，shecouldnotbeseverelyresentfulofanythingthatinjuredonlyherself；andafterhavingtwicedrawnbackherhand，andtwiceattemptedinvaintoturnawayfromhim，shegotup，andsaidonly，withmuchagitation，“Don’t，Mr。Crawford，praydon’t!I
begyouwouldnot。Thisisasortoftalkingwhichisveryunpleasanttome。Imustgoaway。Icannotbearit。“
Buthewasstilltalkingon，describinghisaffection，solicitingareturn，and，finally，inwordssoplainastobearbutonemeaningeventoher，offeringhimself，hand，fortune，everything，toheracceptance。Itwasso；
hehadsaidit。Herastonishmentandconfusionincreased；
andthoughstillnotknowinghowtosupposehimserious，shecouldhardlystand。Hepressedforananswer。
“No，no，no!“shecried，hidingherface。“Thisisallnonsense。
Donotdistressme。Icanhearnomoreofthis。
YourkindnesstoWilliammakesmemoreobligedtoyouthanwordscanexpress；butIdonotwant，Icannotbear，Imustnotlistentosuch——No，no，don’tthinkofme。
Butyouare_not_thinkingofme。Iknowitisallnothing。“
Shehadburstawayfromhim，andatthatmomentSirThomaswasheardspeakingtoaservantinhiswaytowardstheroomtheywerein。Itwasnotimeforfartherassurancesorentreaty，thoughtopartwithheratamomentwhenhermodestyaloneseemed，tohissanguineandpreassuredmind，tostandinthewayofthehappinesshesought，wasacruelnecessity。Sherushedoutatanoppositedoorfromtheoneherunclewasapproaching，andwaswalkingupanddowntheEastroomilltheutmostconfusionofcontraryfeeling，beforeSirThomas’spolitenessorapologieswereover，orhehadreachedthebeginningofthejoyfulintelligencewhichhisvisitorcametocommunicate。
Shewasfeeling，thinking，tremblingabouteverything；
agitated，happy，miserable，infinitelyobliged，absolutelyangry。Itwasallbeyondbelief!
Hewasinexcusable，incomprehensible!Butsuchwerehishabitsthathecoulddonothingwithoutamixtureofevil。Hehadpreviouslymadeherthehappiestofhumanbeings，andnowhehadinsulted——sheknewnotwhattosay，howtoclass，orhowtoregardit。
Shewouldnothavehimbeserious，andyetwhatcouldexcusetheuseofsuchwordsandoffers，iftheymeantbuttotrifle？
ButWilliamwasalieutenant。_That_wasafactbeyondadoubt，andwithoutanalloy。Shewouldthinkofitforeverandforgetalltherest。Mr。Crawfordwouldcertainlyneveraddresshersoagain：hemusthaveseenhowunwelcomeitwastoher；andinthatcase，howgratefullyshecouldesteemhimforhisfriendshiptoWilliam!
ShewouldnotstirfartherfromtheEastroomthantheheadofthegreatstaircase，tillshehadsatisfiedherselfofMr。Crawford’shavingleftthehouse；
butwhenconvincedofhisbeinggone，shewaseagertogodownandbewithheruncle，andhaveallthehappinessofhisjoyaswellasherown，andallthebenefitofhisinformationorhisconjecturesastowhatwouldnowbeWilliam’sdestination。SirThomaswasasjoyfulasshecoulddesire，andverykindandcommunicative；
andshehadsocomfortableatalkwithhimaboutWilliamastomakeherfeelasifnothinghadoccurredtovexher，tillshefound，towardstheclose，thatMr。Crawfordwasengagedtoreturnanddinetherethatveryday。
Thiswasamostunwelcomehearing，forthoughhemightthinknothingofwhathadpassed，itwouldbequitedistressingtohertoseehimagainsosoon。
Shetriedtogetthebetterofit；triedveryhard，asthedinnerhourapproached，tofeelandappearasusual；
butitwasquiteimpossibleforhernottolookmostshyanduncomfortablewhentheirvisitorenteredtheroom。
ShecouldnothavesupposeditinthepowerofanyconcurrenceofcircumstancestogivehersomanypainfulsensationsonthefirstdayofhearingofWilliam’spromotion。
Mr。Crawfordwasnotonlyintheroom——hewassoonclosetoher。Hehadanotetodeliverfromhissister。
Fannycouldnotlookathim，buttherewasnoconsciousnessofpastfollyinhisvoice。Sheopenedhernoteimmediately，gladtohaveanythingtodo，andhappy，asshereadit，tofeelthatthefidgetingsofherauntNorris，whowasalsotodinethere，screenedheralittlefromview。
“MydearFanny，——forsoImaynowalwayscallyou，totheinfinitereliefofatonguethathasbeenstumblingat_Miss__Price_foratleastthelastsixweeks——
Icannotletmybrothergowithoutsendingyouafewlinesofgeneralcongratulation，andgivingmymostjoyfulconsentandapproval。Goon，mydearFanny，andwithoutfear；
therecanbenodifficultiesworthnaming。Ichusetosupposethattheassuranceofmyconsentwillbesomething；
soyoumaysmileuponhimwithyoursweetestsmilesthisafternoon，andsendhimbacktomeevenhappierthanhegoes——Yoursaffectionately，M。C。“
ThesewerenotexpressionstodoFannyanygood；
forthoughshereadintoomuchhasteandconfusiontoformtheclearestjudgmentofMissCrawford’smeaning，itwasevidentthatshemeanttocomplimentheronherbrother’sattachment，andevento_appear_tobelieveitserious。Shedidnotknowwhattodo，orwhattothink。
Therewaswretchednessintheideaofitsbeingserious；
therewasperplexityandagitationeveryway。
ShewasdistressedwheneverMr。Crawfordspoketoher，andhespoketohermuchtoooften；andshewasafraidtherewasasomethinginhisvoiceandmannerinaddressingherverydifferentfromwhattheywerewhenhetalkedtotheothers。Hercomfortinthatday’sdinnerwasquitedestroyed：shecouldhardlyeatanything；
andwhenSirThomasgood-humouredlyobservedthatjoyhadtakenawayherappetite，shewasreadytosinkwithshame，fromthedreadofMr。Crawford’sinterpretation；
forthoughnothingcouldhavetemptedhertoturnhereyestotherighthand，wherehesat，shefeltthat_his_
wereimmediatelydirectedtowardsher。
Shewasmoresilentthanever。ShewouldhardlyjoinevenwhenWilliamwasthesubject，forhiscommissioncameallfromtherighthandtoo，andtherewaspainintheconnexion。
ShethoughtLadyBertramsatlongerthanever，andbegantobeindespairofevergettingaway；butatlasttheywereinthedrawing-room，andshewasabletothinkasshewould，whileherauntsfinishedthesubjectofWilliam’sappointmentintheirownstyle。
Mrs。NorrisseemedasmuchdelightedwiththesavingitwouldbetoSirThomasaswithanypartofit。
“_Now_Williamwouldbeabletokeephimself，whichwouldmakeavastdifferencetohisuncle，foritwasunknownhowmuchhehadcosthisuncle；and，indeed，itwouldmakesomedifferencein_her_presentstoo。ShewasverygladthatshehadgivenWilliamwhatshedidatparting，veryglad，indeed，thatithadbeeninherpower，withoutmaterialinconvenience，justatthattimetogivehimsomethingratherconsiderable；thatis，for_her_，with_her_limitedmeans，fornowitwouldallbeusefulinhelpingtofituphiscabin。Sheknewhemustbeatsomeexpense，thathewouldhavemanythingstobuy，thoughtobesurehisfatherandmotherwouldbeabletoputhiminthewayofgettingeverythingverycheap；
butshewasverygladshehadcontributedhermitetowardsit。“
“Iamgladyougavehimsomethingconsiderable，“
saidLadyBertram，withmostunsuspiciouscalmness，“for_I_gavehimonly10。“
“Indeed!“criedMrs。Norris，reddening。“Uponmyword，hemusthavegoneoffwithhispockets1welllined，andatnoexpenseforhisjourneytoLondoneither!“
“SirThomastoldme10wouldbeenough。“
Mrs。Norris，beingnotatallinclinedtoquestionitssufficiency，begantotakethematterinanotherpoint。