“Well，“saidSirThomas，asifwaitingmoretoaccomplishthesurprise。
　　“Edmundwantshertogo。ButhowcanIspareher？“
　　“Shewillbelate，“saidSirThomas，takingouthiswatch；
　　“butwhatisyourdifficulty？“
　　Edmundfoundhimselfobligedtospeakandfilluptheblanksinhismother’sstory。Hetoldthewhole；
　　andshehadonlytoadd，“Sostrange!forMrs。Grantneverusedtoaskher。“
　　“Butisitnotverynatural，“observedEdmund，“thatMrs。Grantshouldwishtoprocuresoagreeableavisitorforhersister？“
　　“Nothingcanbemorenatural，“saidSirThomas，afterashortdeliberation；“nor，weretherenosisterinthecase，couldanything，inmyopinion，bemorenatural。
　　Mrs。Grant’sshewingcivilitytoMissPrice，toLadyBertram’sniece，couldneverwantexplanation。TheonlysurpriseIcanfeelis，thatthisshouldbethe_first_
　　timeofitsbeingpaid。Fannywasperfectlyrightingivingonlyaconditionalanswer。Sheappearstofeelassheought。ButasIconcludethatshemustwishtogo，sinceallyoungpeopleliketobetogether，Icanseenoreasonwhysheshouldbedeniedtheindulgence。“
　　“ButcanIdowithouther，SirThomas？“
　　“IndeedIthinkyoumay。“
　　“Shealwaysmakestea，youknow，whenmysisterisnothere。“
　　“Yoursister，perhaps，maybeprevailedontospendthedaywithus，andIshallcertainlybeathome。“
　　“Verywell，then，Fannymaygo，Edmund。“
　　Thegoodnewssoonfollowedher。Edmundknockedatherdoorinhiswaytohisown。
　　“Well，Fanny，itisallhappilysettled，andwithoutthesmallesthesitationonyouruncle’sside。
　　Hehadbutoneopinion。Youaretogo。“
　　“Thankyou，Iam_so_glad，“wasFanny’sinstinctivereply；
　　thoughwhenshehadturnedfromhimandshutthedoor，shecouldnothelpfeeling，“AndyetwhyshouldIbeglad？
　　foramInotcertainofseeingorhearingsomethingtheretopainme？“
　　Inspiteofthisconviction，however，shewasglad。
　　Simpleassuchanengagementmightappearinothereyes，ithadnoveltyandimportanceinhers，forexceptingthedayatSotherton，shehadscarcelyeverdinedoutbefore；
　　andthoughnowgoingonlyhalfamile，andonlytothreepeople，stillitwasdiningout，andallthelittleinterestsofpreparationwereenjoymentsinthemselves。
　　Shehadneithersympathynorassistancefromthosewhooughttohaveenteredintoherfeelingsanddirectedhertaste；
　　forLadyBertramneverthoughtofbeingusefultoanybody，andMrs。Norris，whenshecameonthemorrow，inconsequenceofanearlycallandinvitationfromSirThomas，wasinaveryillhumour，andseemedintentonlyonlesseningherniece’spleasure，bothpresentandfuture，asmuchaspossible。
　　“Uponmyword，Fanny，youareinhighlucktomeetwithsuchattentionandindulgence!YououghttobeverymuchobligedtoMrs。Grantforthinkingofyou，andtoyourauntforlettingyougo，andyououghttolookuponitassomethingextraordinary；forIhopeyouareawarethatthereisnorealoccasionforyourgoingintocompanyinthissortofway，oreverdiningoutatall；
　　anditiswhatyoumustnotdependuponeverbeingrepeated。
　　Normustyoubefancyingthattheinvitationismeantasanyparticularcomplimentto_you_；thecomplimentisintendedtoyouruncleandauntandme。Mrs。Grantthinksitacivilitydueto_us_totakealittlenoticeofyou，orelseitwouldneverhavecomeintoherhead，andyoumaybeverycertainthat，ifyourcousinJuliahadbeenathome，youwouldnothavebeenaskedatall。“
　　Mrs。NorrishadnowsoingeniouslydoneawayallMrs。Grant’spartofthefavour，thatFanny，whofoundherselfexpectedtospeak，couldonlysaythatshewasverymuchobligedtoherauntBertramforsparingher，andthatshewasendeavouringtoputheraunt’seveningworkinsuchastateastopreventherbeingmissed。
　　“Oh!dependuponit，yourauntcandoverywellwithoutyou，oryouwouldnotbeallowedtogo。_I_shallbehere，soyoumaybequiteeasyaboutyouraunt。AndIhopeyouwillhaveavery_agreeable_day，andfinditallmighty_delightful_。
　　ButImustobservethatfiveistheveryawkwardestofallpossiblenumberstositdowntotable；andIcannotbutbesurprisedthatsuchan_elegant_ladyasMrs。Grantshouldnotcontrivebetter!Androundtheirenormousgreatwidetable，too，whichfillsuptheroomsodreadfully!
　　Hadthedoctorbeencontentedtotakemydining-tablewhenI
　　cameaway，asanybodyintheirsenseswouldhavedone，insteadofhavingthatabsurdnewoneofhisown，whichiswider，literallywiderthanthedinner-tablehere，howinfinitelybetteritwouldhavebeen!andhowmuchmorehewouldhavebeenrespected!forpeopleareneverrespectedwhentheystepoutoftheirpropersphere。
　　Rememberthat，Fanny。Five——onlyfivetobesittingroundthattable。However，youwillhavedinnerenoughonitforten，Idaresay。“
　　Mrs。Norrisfetchedbreath，andwentonagain。
　　“Thenonsenseandfollyofpeople’ssteppingoutoftheirrankandtryingtoappearabovethemselves，makesmethinkitrighttogive_you_ahint，Fanny，nowthatyouaregoingintocompanywithoutanyofus；andIdobeseechandentreatyounottobeputtingyourselfforward，andtalkingandgivingyouropinionasifyouwereoneofyourcousins——asifyouweredearMrs。RushworthorJulia。
　　_That_willneverdo，believeme。Remember，whereveryouare，youmustbethelowestandlast；andthoughMissCrawfordisinamannerathomeattheParsonage，youarenottobetakingplaceofher。Andastocomingawayatnight，youaretostayjustaslongasEdmundchuses。
　　Leavehimtosettle_that_。“
　　“Yes，ma’am，Ishouldnotthinkofanythingelse。“
　　“Andifitshouldrain，whichIthinkexceedinglylikely，forIneversawitmorethreateningforaweteveninginmylife，youmustmanageaswellasyoucan，andnotbeexpectingthecarriagetobesentforyou。Icertainlydonotgohometo-night，and，therefore，thecarriagewillnotbeoutonmyaccount；soyoumustmakeupyourmindtowhatmayhappen，andtakeyourthingsaccordingly。“
　　Herniecethoughtitperfectlyreasonable。SheratedherownclaimstocomfortaslowevenasMrs。Norriscould；
　　andwhenSirThomassoonafterwards，justopeningthedoor，said，“Fanny，atwhattimewouldyouhavethecarriagecomeround？“shefeltadegreeofastonishmentwhichmadeitimpossibleforhertospeak。
　　“MydearSirThomas!“criedMrs。Norris，redwithanger，“Fannycanwalk。“
　　“Walk!“repeatedSirThomas，inatoneofmostunanswerabledignity，andcomingfartherintotheroom。“Myniecewalktoadinnerengagementatthistimeoftheyear!
　　Willtwentyminutesafterfoursuityou？“
　　“Yes，sir，“wasFanny’shumbleanswer，givenwiththefeelingsalmostofacriminaltowardsMrs。Norris；
　　andnotbearingtoremainwithherinwhatmightseemastateoftriumph，shefollowedheruncleoutoftheroom，havingstaidbehindhimonlylongenoughtohearthesewordsspokeninangryagitation——
　　“Quiteunnecessary!agreatdealtookind!
　　ButEdmundgoes；true，itisuponEdmund’saccount。
　　IobservedhewashoarseonThursdaynight。“
　　ButthiscouldnotimposeonFanny。Shefeltthatthecarriagewasforherself，andherselfalone：
　　andheruncle’sconsiderationofher，comingimmediatelyaftersuchrepresentationsfromheraunt，costhersometearsofgratitudewhenshewasalone。
　　Thecoachmandroveroundtoaminute；anotherminutebroughtdownthegentleman；andastheladyhad，withamostscrupulousfearofbeinglate，beenmanyminutesseatedinthedrawing-room，SirThomassawthemoffinasgoodtimeashisowncorrectlypunctualhabitsrequired。
　　“NowImustlookatyou，Fanny，“saidEdmund，withthekindsmileofanaffectionatebrother，“andtellyouhowIlikeyou；andaswellasIcanjudgebythislight，youlookverynicelyindeed。Whathaveyougoton？“
　　“Thenewdressthatmyunclewassogoodastogivemeonmycousin’smarriage。Ihopeitisnottoofine；butI
　　thoughtIoughttowearitassoonasIcould，andthatI
　　mightnothavesuchanotheropportunityallthewinter。
　　Ihopeyoudonotthinkmetoofine。“