andinthecourseofalongmorning，spentprincipallywithhertwoaunts，shewasoftenundertheinfluenceofmuchlesssanguineviews。William，determinedtomakethislastdayadayofthoroughenjoyment，wasoutsnipe-shooting；Edmund，shehadtoomuchreasontosuppose，wasattheParsonage；andleftalonetobeartheworryingofMrs。Norris，whowascrossbecausethehousekeeperwouldhaveherownwaywiththesupper，andwhom_she_couldnotavoidthoughthehousekeepermight，Fannywasworndownatlasttothinkeverythinganevilbelongingtotheball，andwhensentoffwithapartingworrytodress，movedaslanguidlytowardsherownroom，andfeltasincapableofhappinessasifshehadbeenallowednoshareinit。
　　Asshewalkedslowlyupstairsshethoughtofyesterday；
　　ithadbeenaboutthesamehourthatshehadreturnedfromtheParsonage，andfoundEdmundintheEastroom。
　　“SupposeIweretofindhimthereagainto-day!“saidshetoherself，inafondindulgenceoffancy。
　　“Fanny，“saidavoiceatthatmomentnearher。
　　Startingandlookingup，shesaw，acrossthelobbyshehadjustreached，Edmundhimself，standingattheheadofadifferentstaircase。Hecametowardsher。“Youlooktiredandfagged，Fanny。Youhavebeenwalkingtoofar。“
　　“No，Ihavenotbeenoutatall。“
　　“Thenyouhavehadfatigueswithindoors，whichareworse。
　　Youhadbetterhavegoneout。“
　　Fanny，notlikingtocomplain，founditeasiesttomakenoanswer；andthoughhelookedatherwithhisusualkindness，shebelievedhehadsoonceasedtothinkofhercountenance。
　　Hedidnotappearinspirits：somethingunconnectedwithherwasprobablyamiss。Theyproceededupstairstogether，theirroomsbeingonthesamefloorabove。
　　“IcomefromDr。Grant’s，“saidEdmundpresently。
　　“Youmayguessmyerrandthere，Fanny。“Andhelookedsoconscious，thatFannycouldthinkbutofoneerrand，whichturnedhertoosickforspeech。“IwishedtoengageMissCrawfordforthetwofirstdances，“wastheexplanationthatfollowed，andbroughtFannytolifeagain，enablingher，asshefoundshewasexpectedtospeak，touttersomethinglikeaninquiryastotheresult。
　　“Yes，“heanswered，“sheisengagedtome；but“withasmilethatdidnotsiteasy“shesaysitistobethelasttimethatsheeverwilldancewithme。Sheisnotserious。
　　Ithink，Ihope，Iamsuresheisnotserious；butIwouldrathernothearit。Sheneverhasdancedwithaclergyman，shesays，andshenever_will_。Formyownsake，Icouldwishtherehadbeennoballjustat——Imeannotthisveryweek，thisveryday；to-morrowIleavehome。“
　　Fannystruggledforspeech，andsaid，“Iamverysorrythatanythinghasoccurredtodistressyou。Thisoughttobeadayofpleasure。Myunclemeantitso。“
　　“Ohyes，yes!anditwillbeadayofpleasure。
　　Itwillallendright。Iamonlyvexedforamoment。
　　Infact，itisnotthatIconsidertheballasill-timed；
　　whatdoesitsignify？But，Fanny，“stoppingher，bytakingherhand，andspeakinglowandseriously，“youknowwhatallthismeans。Youseehowitis；
　　andcouldtellme，perhapsbetterthanIcouldtellyou，howandwhyIamvexed。Letmetalktoyoualittle。
　　Youareakind，kindlistener。Ihavebeenpainedbyhermannerthismorning，andcannotgetthebetterofit。Iknowherdispositiontobeassweetandfaultlessasyourown，buttheinfluenceofherformercompanionsmakesherseem——givestoherconversation，toherprofessedopinions，sometimesatingeofwrong。
　　Shedoesnot_think_evil，butshespeaksit，speaksitinplayfulness；andthoughIknowittobeplayfulness，itgrievesmetothesoul。“
　　“Theeffectofeducation，“saidFannygently。
　　Edmundcouldnotbutagreetoit。“Yes，thatuncleandaunt!
　　Theyhaveinjuredthefinestmind；forsometimes，Fanny，Iowntoyou，itdoesappearmorethanmanner：
　　itappearsasiftheminditselfwastainted。“
　　Fannyimaginedthistobeanappealtoherjudgment，andtherefore，afteramoment’sconsideration，said，“Ifyouonlywantmeasalistener，cousin，IwillbeasusefulasIcan；butIamnotqualifiedforanadviser。
　　Donotaskadviceof_me_。Iamnotcompetent。“
　　“Youareright，Fanny，toprotestagainstsuchanoffice，butyouneednotbeafraid。ItisasubjectonwhichI
　　shouldneveraskadvice；itisthesortofsubjectonwhichithadbetterneverbeasked；andfew，Iimagine，doaskit，butwhentheywanttobeinfluencedagainsttheirconscience。Ionlywanttotalktoyou。“
　　“Onethingmore。Excusetheliberty；buttakecare_how_youtalktome。Donottellmeanythingnow，whichhereafteryoumaybesorryfor。Thetimemaycome——“
　　Thecolourrushedintohercheeksasshespoke。
　　“DearestFanny!“criedEdmund，pressingherhandtohislipswithalmostasmuchwarmthasifithadbeenMissCrawford’s，“youareallconsideratethought!
　　Butitisunnecessaryhere。Thetimewillnevercome。
　　Nosuchtimeasyoualludetowillevercome。Ibegintothinkitmostimprobable：thechancesgrowlessandless；
　　andevenifitshould，therewillbenothingtoberememberedbyeitheryouormethatweneedbeafraidof，forIcanneverbeashamedofmyownscruples；andiftheyareremoved，itmustbebychangesthatwillonlyraisehercharacterthemorebytherecollectionofthefaultssheoncehad。YouaretheonlybeinguponearthtowhomIshouldsaywhatIhavesaid；butyouhavealwaysknownmyopinionofher；youcanbearmewitness，Fanny，thatI
　　haveneverbeenblinded。Howmanyatimehavewetalkedoverherlittleerrors!Youneednotfearme；
　　Ihavealmostgivenupeveryseriousideaofher；
　　butImustbeablockheadindeed，if，whateverbefellme，Icouldthinkofyourkindnessandsympathywithoutthesincerestgratitude。“
　　Hehadsaidenoughtoshaketheexperienceofeighteen。
　　HehadsaidenoughtogiveFannysomehappierfeelingsthanshehadlatelyknown，andwithabrighterlook，sheanswered，“Yes，cousin，Iamconvincedthat_you_
　　wouldbeincapableofanythingelse，thoughperhapssomemightnot。Icannotbeafraidofhearinganythingyouwishtosay。Donotcheckyourself。Tellmewhateveryoulike。“
　　Theywerenowonthesecondfloor，andtheappearanceofahousemaidpreventedanyfartherconversation。
　　ForFanny’spresentcomfortitwasconcluded，perhaps，atthehappiestmoment：hadhebeenabletotalkanotherfiveminutes，thereisnosayingthathemightnothavetalkedawayallMissCrawford’sfaultsandhisowndespondence。
　　Butasitwas，theypartedwithlooksonhissideofgratefulaffection，andwithsomeveryprecioussensationsonhers。Shehadfeltnothinglikeitforhours。
　　SincethefirstjoyfromMr。Crawford’snotetoWilliamhadwornaway，shehadbeeninastateabsolutelythereverse；
　　therehadbeennocomfortaround，nohopewithinher。
　　Noweverythingwassmiling。William’sgoodfortunereturnedagainuponhermind，andseemedofgreatervaluethanatfirst。Theball，too——suchaneveningofpleasurebeforeher!Itwasnowarealanimation；
　　andshebegantodressforitwithmuchofthehappyflutterwhichbelongstoaball。Allwentwell：
　　shedidnotdislikeherownlooks；andwhenshecametothenecklacesagain，hergoodfortuneseemedcomplete，forupontrialtheonegivenherbyMissCrawfordwouldbynomeansgothroughtheringofthecross。Shehad，toobligeEdmund，resolvedtowearit；butitwastoolargeforthepurpose。His，therefore，mustbeworn；
　　andhaving，withdelightfulfeelings，joinedthechainandthecross——thosememorialsofthetwomostbelovedofherheart，thosedearesttokenssoformedforeachotherbyeverythingrealandimaginary——andputthemroundherneck，andseenandfelthowfullofWilliamandEdmundtheywere，shewasable，withoutaneffort，toresolveonwearingMissCrawford’snecklacetoo。
　　Sheacknowledgedittoberight。MissCrawfordhadaclaim；
　　andwhenitwasnolongertoencroachon，tointerferewiththestrongerclaims，thetruerkindnessofanother，shecoulddoherjusticeevenwithpleasuretoherself。
　　Thenecklacereallylookedverywell；andFannyleftherroomatlast，comfortablysatisfiedwithherselfandallabouther。
　　HerauntBertramhadrecollectedheronthisoccasionwithanunusualdegreeofwakefulness。Ithadreallyoccurredtoher，unprompted，thatFanny，preparingforaball，mightbegladofbetterhelpthantheupperhousemaid’s，andwhendressedherself，sheactuallysentherownmaidtoassisther；toolate，ofcourse，tobeofanyuse。