ofwhichshehadbeenacollectorfromthefirsthourofhercommandingashilling——herwriting-desk，andherworksofcharityandingenuity，wereallwithinherreach；
　　orifindisposedforemployment，ifnothingbutmusingwoulddo，shecouldscarcelyseeanobjectinthatroomwhichhadnotaninterestingremembranceconnectedwithit。
　　Everythingwasafriend，orboreherthoughtstoafriend；
　　andthoughtherehadbeensometimesmuchofsufferingtoher；thoughhermotiveshadoftenbeenmisunderstood，herfeelingsdisregarded，andhercomprehensionundervalued；
　　thoughshehadknownthepainsoftyranny，ofridicule，andneglect，yetalmosteveryrecurrenceofeitherhadledtosomethingconsolatory：herauntBertramhadspokenforher，orMissLeehadbeenencouraging，or，whatwasyetmorefrequentormoredear，Edmundhadbeenherchampionandherfriend：hehadsupportedhercauseorexplainedhermeaning，hehadtoldhernottocry，orhadgivenhersomeproofofaffectionwhichmadehertearsdelightful；
　　andthewholewasnowsoblendedtogether，soharmonisedbydistance，thateveryformerafflictionhaditscharm。
　　Theroomwasmostdeartoher，andshewouldnothavechangeditsfurnitureforthehandsomestinthehouse，thoughwhathadbeenoriginallyplainhadsufferedalltheill-usageofchildren；anditsgreatesteleganciesandornamentswereafadedfootstoolofJulia’swork，tooilldoneforthedrawing-room，threetransparencies，madeinaragefortransparencies，forthethreelowerpanesofonewindow，whereTinternAbbeyhelditsstationbetweenacaveinItalyandamoonlightlakeinCumberland，acollectionoffamilyprofiles，thoughtunworthyofbeinganywhereelse，overthemantelpiece，andbytheirside，andpinnedagainstthewall，asmallsketchofashipsentfouryearsagofromtheMediterraneanbyWilliam，withH。M。S。Antwerpatthebottom，inlettersastallasthemainmast。
　　TothisnestofcomfortsFannynowwalkeddowntotryitsinfluenceonanagitated，doubtingspirit，toseeifbylookingatEdmund’sprofileshecouldcatchanyofhiscounsel，orbygivingairtohergeraniumsshemightinhaleabreezeofmentalstrengthherself。Butshehadmorethanfearsofherownperseverancetoremove：shehadbeguntofeelundecidedastowhatshe_ought__to__do_；
　　andasshewalkedroundtheroomherdoubtswereincreasing。
　　Wasshe_right_inrefusingwhatwassowarmlyasked，sostronglywishedfor——whatmightbesoessentialtoaschemeonwhichsomeofthosetowhomsheowedthegreatestcomplaisancehadsettheirhearts？Wasitnotill-nature，selfishness，andafearofexposingherself？
　　AndwouldEdmund’sjudgment，wouldhispersuasionofSirThomas’sdisapprobationofthewhole，beenoughtojustifyherinadetermineddenialinspiteofalltherest？
　　Itwouldbesohorribletohertoactthatshewasinclinedtosuspectthetruthandpurityofherownscruples；
　　andasshelookedaroundher，theclaimsofhercousinstobeingobligedwerestrengthenedbythesightofpresentuponpresentthatshehadreceivedfromthem。
　　Thetablebetweenthewindowswascoveredwithwork-boxesandnetting-boxeswhichhadbeengivenheratdifferenttimes，principallybyTom；andshegrewbewilderedastotheamountofthedebtwhichallthesekindremembrancesproduced。
　　Atapatthedoorrousedherinthemidstofthisattempttofindherwaytoherduty，andhergentle“Comein“
　　wasansweredbytheappearanceofone，beforewhomallherdoubtswerewonttobelaid。HereyesbrightenedatthesightofEdmund。
　　“CanIspeakwithyou，Fanny，forafewminutes？“
　　saidhe。
　　“Yes，certainly。“
　　“Iwanttoconsult。Iwantyouropinion。“
　　“Myopinion!“shecried，shrinkingfromsuchacompliment，highlyasitgratifiedher。
　　“Yes，youradviceandopinion。Idonotknowwhattodo。
　　Thisactingschemegetsworseandworse，yousee。
　　Theyhavechosenalmostasbadaplayastheycould，andnow，tocompletethebusiness，aregoingtoaskthehelpofayoungmanveryslightlyknowntoanyofus。
　　Thisistheendofalltheprivacyandproprietywhichwastalkedaboutatfirst。IknownoharmofCharlesMaddox；
　　buttheexcessiveintimacywhichmustspringfromhisbeingadmittedamongusinthismannerishighlyobjectionable，the_more_thanintimacy——thefamiliarity。Icannotthinkofitwithanypatience；anditdoesappeartomeanevilofsuchmagnitudeasmust，_if__possible_，beprevented。
　　Donotyouseeitinthesamelight？“
　　“Yes；butwhatcanbedone？Yourbrotherissodetermined。“
　　“Thereisbut_one_thingtobedone，Fanny。ImusttakeAnhaltmyself。IamwellawarethatnothingelsewillquietTom。“
　　Fannycouldnotanswerhim。
　　“ItisnotatallwhatIlike，“hecontinued。“Nomancanlikebeingdrivenintothe_appearance_ofsuchinconsistency。
　　Afterbeingknowntoopposetheschemefromthebeginning，thereisabsurdityinthefaceofmyjoiningthem_now_，whentheyareexceedingtheirfirstplanineveryrespect；
　　butIcanthinkofnootheralternative。Canyou，Fanny？“
　　“No，“saidFannyslowly，“notimmediately，but——
　　“Butwhat？Iseeyourjudgmentisnotwithme。Thinkitalittleover。PerhapsyouarenotsomuchawareasIamofthemischiefthat_may_，oftheunpleasantnessthat_must_
　　arisefromayoungman’sbeingreceivedinthismanner：
　　domesticatedamongus；authorisedtocomeatallhours，andplacedsuddenlyonafootingwhichmustdoawayallrestraints。Tothinkonlyofthelicencewhicheveryrehearsalmusttendtocreate。Itisallverybad!
　　PutyourselfinMissCrawford’splace，Fanny。
　　ConsiderwhatitwouldbetoactAmeliawithastranger。
　　Shehasarighttobefeltfor，becausesheevidentlyfeelsforherself。Iheardenoughofwhatshesaidtoyoulastnighttounderstandherunwillingnesstobeactingwithastranger；andassheprobablyengagedinthepartwithdifferentexpectations——perhapswithoutconsideringthesubjectenoughtoknowwhatwaslikelytobe——
　　itwouldbeungenerous，itwouldbereallywrongtoexposehertoit。Herfeelingsoughttoberespected。
　　Doesitnotstrikeyouso，Fanny？Youhesitate。“
　　“IamsorryforMissCrawford；butIammoresorrytoseeyoudrawnintodowhatyouhadresolvedagainst，andwhatyouareknowntothinkwillbedisagreeabletomyuncle。
　　Itwillbesuchatriumphtotheothers!“
　　“TheywillnothavemuchcauseoftriumphwhentheyseehowinfamouslyIact。But，however，triumphtherecertainlywillbe，andImustbraveit。ButifIcanbethemeansofrestrainingthepublicityofthebusiness，oflimitingtheexhibition，ofconcentratingourfolly，Ishallbewellrepaid。AsIamnow，Ihavenoinfluence，Icandonothing：Ihaveoffendedthem，andtheywillnothearme；butwhenIhaveputthemingood-humourbythisconcession，Iamnotwithouthopesofpersuadingthemtoconfinetherepresentationwithinamuchsmallercirclethantheyarenowinthehighroadfor。
　　Thiswillbeamaterialgain。MyobjectistoconfineittoMrs。RushworthandtheGrants。Willnotthisbeworthgaining？“
　　“Yes，itwillbeagreatpoint。“
　　“Butstillithasnotyourapprobation。CanyoumentionanyothermeasurebywhichIhaveachanceofdoingequalgood？“
　　“No，Icannotthinkofanythingelse。“
　　“Givemeyourapprobation，then，Fanny。Iamnotcomfortablewithoutit。“
　　“Oh，cousin!“
　　“Ifyouareagainstme，Ioughttodistrustmyself，andyet——ButitisabsolutelyimpossibletoletTomgooninthisway，ridingaboutthecountryinquestofanybodywhocanbepersuadedtoact——nomatterwhom：
　　thelookofagentlemanistobeenough。Ithought_you_
　　wouldhaveenteredmoreintoMissCrawford’sfeelings。“
　　“Nodoubtshewillbeveryglad。Itmustbeagreatrelieftoher，“saidFanny，tryingforgreaterwarmthofmanner。
　　“Sheneverappearedmoreamiablethaninherbehaviourtoyoulastnight。Itgaveheraverystrongclaimonmygoodwill。“
　　“She_was_verykind，indeed，andIamgladtohaveherspared“……
　　Shecouldnotfinishthegenerouseffusion。Herconsciencestoptherinthemiddle，butEdmundwassatisfied。