Mrs。Chapmanhadjustreachedtheatticfloor，whenMissPricecameoutofherroomcompletelydressed，andonlycivilitieswerenecessary；butFannyfeltheraunt’sattentionalmostasmuchasLadyBertramorMrs。Chapmancoulddothemselves。
　　Chapter28CHAPTERXXVIII
　　Heruncleandbothherauntswereinthedrawing-roomwhenFannywentdown。Totheformershewasaninterestingobject，andhesawwithpleasurethegeneraleleganceofherappearance，andherbeinginremarkablygoodlooks。
　　Theneatnessandproprietyofherdresswasallthathewouldallowhimselftocommendinherpresence，butuponherleavingtheroomagainsoonafterwards，hespokeofherbeautywithverydecidedpraise。
　　“Yes，“saidLadyBertram，“shelooksverywell。
　　IsentChapmantoher。“
　　“Lookwell!Oh，yes!“criedMrs。Norris，“shehasgoodreasontolookwellwithallheradvantages：
　　broughtupinthisfamilyasshehasbeen，withallthebenefitofhercousins’mannersbeforeher。
　　Onlythink，mydearSirThomas，whatextraordinaryadvantagesyouandIhavebeenthemeansofgivingher。
　　TheverygownyouhavebeentakingnoticeofisyourowngenerouspresenttoherwhendearMrs。Rushworthmarried。
　　Whatwouldshehavebeenifwehadnottakenherbythehand？“
　　SirThomassaidnomore；butwhentheysatdowntotabletheeyesofthetwoyoungmenassuredhimthatthesubjectmightbegentlytouchedagain，whentheladieswithdrew，withmoresuccess。Fannysawthatshewasapproved；
　　andtheconsciousnessoflookingwellmadeherlookstillbetter。Fromavarietyofcausesshewashappy，andshewassoonmadestillhappier；forinfollowingherauntsoutoftheroom，Edmund，whowasholdingopenthedoor，said，asshepassedhim，“Youmustdancewithme，Fanny；
　　youmustkeeptwodancesforme；anytwothatyoulike，exceptthefirst。“Shehadnothingmoretowishfor。
　　Shehadhardlyeverbeeninastatesonearlyapproachinghighspiritsinherlife。Hercousins’formergaietyonthedayofaballwasnolongersurprisingtoher；
　　shefeltittobeindeedverycharming，andwasactuallypractisingherstepsaboutthedrawing-roomaslongasshecouldbesafefromthenoticeofherauntNorris，whowasentirelytakenupatfirstinfresharrangingandinjuringthenoblefirewhichthebutlerhadprepared。
　　Halfanhourfollowedthatwouldhavebeenatleastlanguidunderanyothercircumstances，butFanny’shappinessstillprevailed。ItwasbuttothinkofherconversationwithEdmund，andwhatwastherestlessnessofMrs。Norris？
　　WhatweretheyawnsofLadyBertram？
　　Thegentlemenjoinedthem；andsoonafterbeganthesweetexpectationofacarriage，whenageneralspiritofeaseandenjoymentseemeddiffused，andtheyallstoodaboutandtalkedandlaughed，andeverymomenthaditspleasureanditshope。FannyfeltthattheremustbeastruggleinEdmund’scheerfulness，butitwasdelightfultoseetheeffortsosuccessfullymade。
　　Whenthecarriageswerereallyheard，whentheguestsbeganreallytoassemble，herowngaietyofheartwasmuchsubdued：
　　thesightofsomanystrangersthrewherbackintoherself；
　　andbesidesthegravityandformalityofthefirstgreatcircle，whichthemannersofneitherSirThomasnorLadyBertramwereofakindtodoaway，shefoundherselfoccasionallycalledontoenduresomethingworse。Shewasintroducedhereandtherebyheruncle，andforcedtobespokento，andtocurtsey，andspeakagain。Thiswasahardduty，andshewasneversummonedtoitwithoutlookingatWilliam，ashewalkedaboutathiseaseinthebackgroundofthescene，andlongingtobewithhim。
　　TheentranceoftheGrantsandCrawfordswasafavourableepoch。
　　Thestiffnessofthemeetingsoongavewaybeforetheirpopularmannersandmorediffusedintimacies：littlegroupswereformed，andeverybodygrewcomfortable。Fannyfelttheadvantage；and，drawingbackfromthetoilsofcivility，wouldhavebeenagainmosthappy，couldshehavekepthereyesfromwanderingbetweenEdmundandMaryCrawford。
　　_She_lookedallloveliness——andwhatmightnotbetheendofit？HerownmusingswerebroughttoanendonperceivingMr。Crawfordbeforeher，andherthoughtswereputintoanotherchannelbyhisengagingheralmostinstantlyforthefirsttwodances。Herhappinessonthisoccasionwasverymuch_a__la__mortal_，finelychequered。
　　Tobesecureofapartneratfirstwasamostessentialgood——
　　forthemomentofbeginningwasnowgrowingseriouslynear；
　　andshesolittleunderstoodherownclaimsastothinkthatifMr。Crawfordhadnotaskedher，shemusthavebeenthelasttobesoughtafter，andshouldhavereceivedapartneronlythroughaseriesofinquiry，andbustle，andinterference，whichwouldhavebeenterrible；butatthesametimetherewasapointednessinhismannerofaskingherwhichshedidnotlike，andshesawhiseyeglancingforamomentathernecklace，withasmile——shethoughttherewasasmile——whichmadeherblushandfeelwretched。
　　Andthoughtherewasnosecondglancetodisturbher，thoughhisobjectseemedthentobeonlyquietlyagreeable，shecouldnotgetthebetterofherembarrassment，heightenedasitwasbytheideaofhisperceivingit，andhadnocomposuretillheturnedawaytosomeoneelse。
　　Thenshecouldgraduallyriseuptothegenuinesatisfactionofhavingapartner，avoluntarypartner，securedagainstthedancingbegan。
　　Whenthecompanyweremovingintotheballroom，shefoundherselfforthefirsttimenearMissCrawford，whoseeyesandsmileswereimmediatelyandmoreunequivocallydirectedasherbrother’shadbeen，andwhowasbeginningtospeakonthesubject，whenFanny，anxioustogetthestoryover，hastenedtogivetheexplanationofthesecondnecklace：
　　therealchain。MissCrawfordlistened；andallherintendedcomplimentsandinsinuationstoFannywereforgotten：
　　shefeltonlyonething；andhereyes，brightastheyhadbeenbefore，shewingtheycouldyetbebrighter，sheexclaimedwitheagerpleasure，“Didhe？DidEdmund？
　　Thatwaslikehimself。Noothermanwouldhavethoughtofit。
　　Ihonourhimbeyondexpression。“Andshelookedaroundasiflongingtotellhimso。Hewasnotnear，hewasattendingapartyofladiesoutoftheroom；andMrs。Grantcominguptothetwogirls，andtakinganarmofeach，theyfollowedwiththerest。
　　Fanny’sheartsunk，buttherewasnoleisureforthinkinglongevenofMissCrawford’sfeelings。
　　Theywereintheballroom，theviolinswereplaying，andhermindwasinaflutterthatforbadeitsfixingonanythingserious。Shemustwatchthegeneralarrangements，andseehoweverythingwasdone。
　　InafewminutesSirThomascametoher，andaskedifshewereengaged；andthe“Yes，sir；toMr。Crawford，“
　　wasexactlywhathehadintendedtohear。Mr。Crawfordwasnotfaroff；SirThomasbroughthimtoher，sayingsomethingwhichdiscoveredtoFanny，that_she_
　　wastoleadthewayandopentheball；anideathathadneveroccurredtoherbefore。Whenevershehadthoughtoftheminutiaeoftheevening，ithadbeenasamatterofcoursethatEdmundwouldbeginwithMissCrawford；
　　andtheimpressionwassostrong，thatthough_her__uncle_
　　spokethecontrary，shecouldnothelpanexclamationofsurprise，ahintofherunfitness，anentreatyeventobeexcused。TobeurgingheropinionagainstSirThomas’swasaproofoftheextremityofthecase；butsuchwasherhorroratthefirstsuggestion，thatshecouldactuallylookhiminthefaceandsaythatshehopeditmightbesettledotherwise；invain，however：SirThomassmiled，triedtoencourageher，andthenlookedtooserious，andsaidtoodecidedly，“Itmustbeso，mydear，“forhertohazardanotherword；andshefoundherselfthenextmomentconductedbyMr。Crawfordtothetopoftheroom，andstandingtheretobejoinedbytherestofthedancers，coupleaftercouple，astheywereformed。
　　Shecouldhardlybelieveit。Tobeplacedabovesomanyelegantyoungwomen!Thedistinctionwastoogreat。
　　Itwastreatingherlikehercousins!Andherthoughtsflewtothoseabsentcousinswithmostunfeignedandtrulytenderregret，thattheywerenotathometotaketheirownplaceintheroom，andhavetheirshareofapleasurewhichwouldhavebeensoverydelightfultothem。
　　Sooftenasshehadheardthemwishforaballathomeasthegreatestofallfelicities!Andtohavethemawaywhenitwasgiven——andfor_her_tobeopeningtheball——
　　andwithMr。Crawfordtoo!Shehopedtheywouldnotenvyherthatdistinction_now_；butwhenshelookedbacktothestateofthingsintheautumn，towhattheyhadallbeentoeachotherwhenoncedancinginthathousebefore，thepresentarrangementwasalmostmorethanshecouldunderstandherself。
　　Theballbegan。ItwasratherhonourthanhappinesstoFanny，forthefirstdanceatleast：herpartnerwasinexcellentspirits，andtriedtoimpartthemtoher；
　　butshewasagreatdealtoomuchfrightenedtohaveanyenjoymenttillshecouldsupposeherselfnolongerlookedat。Young，pretty，andgentle，however，shehadnoawkwardnessesthatwerenotasgoodasgraces，andtherewerefewpersonspresentthatwerenotdisposedtopraiseher。Shewasattractive，shewasmodest，shewasSirThomas’sniece，andshewassoonsaidtobeadmiredbyMr。Crawford。Itwasenoughtogivehergeneralfavour。SirThomashimselfwaswatchingherprogressdownthedancewithmuchcomplacency；