Shewouldratherdiethanownthetruth；andshehoped，byalittlereflection，tofortifyherselfbeyondbetrayingit。
　　“IndependentlyoftheinterestwhichMr。Crawford’s_choice_
　　seemedtojustify“saidSirThomas，beginningagain，andverycomposedly，“hiswishingtomarryatallsoearlyisrecommendatorytome。Iamanadvocateforearlymarriages，wheretherearemeansinproportion，andwouldhaveeveryyoungman，withasufficientincome，settleassoonafterfour-and-twentyashecan。Thisissomuchmyopinion，thatIamsorrytothinkhowlittlelikelymyowneldestson，yourcousin，Mr。Bertram，istomarryearly；butatpresent，asfarasIcanjudge，matrimonymakesnopartofhisplansorthoughts。
　　Iwishheweremorelikelytofix。“HerewasaglanceatFanny。“Edmund，Iconsider，fromhisdispositionsandhabits，asmuchmorelikelytomarryearlythanhisbrother。_He_，indeed，Ihavelatelythought，hasseenthewomanhecouldlove，which，Iamconvinced，myeldestsonhasnot。AmIright？Doyouagreewithme，mydear？“
　　“Yes，sir。“
　　Itwasgently，butitwascalmlysaid，andSirThomaswaseasyonthescoreofthecousins。Buttheremovalofhisalarmdidhisniecenoservice：asherunaccountablenesswasconfirmedhisdispleasureincreased；andgettingupandwalkingabouttheroomwithafrown，whichFannycouldpicturetoherself，thoughshedarednotliftuphereyes，heshortlyafterwards，andinavoiceofauthority，said，“Haveyouanyreason，child，tothinkillofMr。Crawford’stemper？“
　　“No，sir。“
　　Shelongedtoadd，“ButofhisprinciplesIhave“；butherheartsunkundertheappallingprospectofdiscussion，explanation，andprobablynon-conviction。Herillopinionofhimwasfoundedchieflyonobservations，which，forhercousins’sake，shecouldscarcelydarementiontotheirfather。MariaandJulia，andespeciallyMaria，weresocloselyimplicatedinMr。Crawford’smisconduct，thatshecouldnotgivehischaracter，suchasshebelievedit，withoutbetrayingthem。Shehadhopedthat，toamanlikeheruncle，sodiscerning，sohonourable，sogood，thesimpleacknowledgmentofsettled_dislike_
　　onhersidewouldhavebeensufficient。Toherinfinitegriefshefounditwasnot。
　　SirThomascametowardsthetablewhereshesatintremblingwretchedness，andwithagooddealofcoldsternness，said，“Itisofnouse，Iperceive，totalktoyou。Wehadbetterputanendtothismostmortifyingconference。Mr。Crawfordmustnotbekeptlongerwaiting。Iwill，therefore，onlyadd，asthinkingitmydutytomarkmyopinionofyourconduct，thatyouhavedisappointedeveryexpectationIhadformed，andprovedyourselfofacharactertheveryreverseofwhatIhadsupposed。ForI_had_，Fanny，asIthinkmybehaviourmusthaveshewn，formedaveryfavourableopinionofyoufromtheperiodofmyreturntoEngland。
　　Ihadthoughtyoupeculiarlyfreefromwilfulnessoftemper，self-conceit，andeverytendencytothatindependenceofspiritwhichprevailssomuchinmoderndays，eveninyoungwomen，andwhichinyoungwomenisoffensiveanddisgustingbeyondallcommonoffence。Butyouhavenowshewnmethatyoucanbewilfulandperverse；
　　thatyoucanandwilldecideforyourself，withoutanyconsiderationordeferenceforthosewhohavesurelysomerighttoguideyou，withoutevenaskingtheiradvice。
　　Youhaveshewnyourselfvery，verydifferentfromanythingthatIhadimagined。Theadvantageordisadvantageofyourfamily，ofyourparents，yourbrothersandsisters，neverseemstohavehadamoment’sshareinyourthoughtsonthisoccasion。How_they_mightbebenefited，how_they_mustrejoiceinsuchanestablishmentforyou，isnothingto_you_。Youthinkonlyofyourself，andbecauseyoudonotfeelforMr。Crawfordexactlywhatayoungheatedfancyimaginestobenecessaryforhappiness，youresolvetorefusehimatonce，withoutwishingevenforalittletimetoconsiderofit，alittlemoretimeforcoolconsideration，andforreallyexaminingyourowninclinations；andare，inawildfitoffolly，throwingawayfromyousuchanopportunityofbeingsettledinlife，eligibly，honourably，noblysettled，aswill，probably，neveroccurtoyouagain。Hereisayoungmanofsense，ofcharacter，oftemper，ofmanners，andoffortune，exceedinglyattachedtoyou，andseekingyourhandinthemosthandsomeanddisinterestedway；
　　andletmetellyou，Fanny，thatyoumayliveeighteenyearslongerintheworldwithoutbeingaddressedbyamanofhalfMr。Crawford’sestate，oratenthpartofhismerits。
　　GladlywouldIhavebestowedeitherofmyowndaughtersonhim。Mariaisnoblymarried；buthadMr。CrawfordsoughtJulia’shand，IshouldhavegivenittohimwithsuperiorandmoreheartfeltsatisfactionthanIgaveMaria’stoMr。Rushworth。“Afterhalfamoment’spause：
　　“AndIshouldhavebeenverymuchsurprisedhadeitherofmydaughters，onreceivingaproposalofmarriageatanytimewhichmightcarrywithitonly_half_theeligibilityof_this_，immediatelyandperemptorily，andwithoutpayingmyopinionormyregardthecomplimentofanyconsultation，putadecidednegativeonit。Ishouldhavebeenmuchsurprisedandmuchhurtbysuchaproceeding。Ishouldhavethoughtitagrossviolationofdutyandrespect。
　　_You_arenottobejudgedbythesamerule。Youdonotowemethedutyofachild。But，Fanny，ifyourheartcanacquityouof_ingratitude_——“
　　Heceased。Fannywasbythistimecryingsobitterlythat，angryashewas，hewouldnotpressthatarticlefarther。
　　Herheartwasalmostbrokebysuchapictureofwhatsheappearedtohim；bysuchaccusations，soheavy，somultiplied，sorisingindreadfulgradation!
　　Self-willed，obstinate，selfish，andungrateful。
　　Hethoughtherallthis。Shehaddeceivedhisexpectations；
　　shehadlosthisgoodopinion。Whatwastobecomeofher？
　　“Iamverysorry，“saidsheinarticulately，throughhertears，“Iamverysorryindeed。“
　　“Sorry!yes，Ihopeyouaresorry；andyouwillprobablyhavereasontobelongsorryforthisday’stransactions。“
　　“Ifitwerepossibleformetodootherwise“saidshe，withanotherstrongeffort；“butIamsoperfectlyconvincedthatIcouldnevermakehimhappy，andthatI
　　shouldbemiserablemyself。“
　　Anotherburstoftears；butinspiteofthatburst，andinspiteofthatgreatblackword_miserable_，whichservedtointroduceit，SirThomasbegantothinkalittlerelenting，alittlechangeofinclination，mighthavesomethingtodowithit；andtoaugurfavourablyfromthepersonalentreatyoftheyoungmanhimself。
　　Heknewhertobeverytimid，andexceedinglynervous；
　　andthoughtitnotimprobablethathermindmightbeinsuchastateasalittletime，alittlepressing，alittlepatience，andalittleimpatience，ajudiciousmixtureofallonthelover’sside，mightworktheirusualeffecton。Ifthegentlemanwouldbutpersevere，ifhehadbutloveenoughtopersevere，SirThomasbegantohavehopes；andthesereflectionshavingpassedacrosshismindandcheeredit，“Well，“saidhe，inatoneofbecominggravity，butoflessanger，“well，child，dryupyourtears。Thereisnouseinthesetears；
　　theycandonogood。Youmustnowcomedownstairswithme。
　　Mr。Crawfordhasbeenkeptwaitingtoolongalready。
　　Youmustgivehimyourownanswer：wecannotexpecthimtobesatisfiedwithless；andyouonlycanexplaintohimthegroundsofthatmisconceptionofyoursentiments，which，unfortunatelyforhimself，hecertainlyhasimbibed。Iamtotallyunequaltoit。“
　　ButFannyshewedsuchreluctance，suchmisery，attheideaofgoingdowntohim，thatSirThomas，afteralittleconsideration，judgeditbettertoindulgeher。
　　Hishopesfrombothgentlemanandladysufferedasmalldepressioninconsequence；butwhenhelookedathisniece，andsawthestateoffeatureandcomplexionwhichhercryinghadbroughtherinto，hethoughttheremightbeasmuchlostasgainedbyanimmediateinterview。
　　Withafewwords，therefore，ofnoparticularmeaning，hewalkedoffbyhimself，leavinghispoorniecetositandcryoverwhathadpassed，withverywretchedfeelingsHermindwasalldisorder。Thepast，present，future，everythingwasterrible。Butheruncle’sangergavehertheseverestpainofall。Selfishandungrateful!
　　tohaveappearedsotohim!Shewasmiserableforever。
　　Shehadnoonetotakeherpart，tocounsel，orspeakforher。Heronlyfriendwasabsent。Hemighthavesoftenedhisfather；butall，perhapsall，wouldthinkherselfishandungrateful。Shemighthavetoendurethereproachagainandagain；shemighthearit，orseeit，orknowittoexistforeverineveryconnexionabouther。
　　ShecouldnotbutfeelsomeresentmentagainstMr。Crawford；
　　yet，ifhereallylovedher，andwereunhappytoo!
　　Itwasallwretchednesstogether。
　　Inaboutaquarterofanhourherunclereturned；
　　shewasalmostreadytofaintatthesightofhim。
　　Hespokecalmly，however，withoutausterity，withoutreproach，andsherevivedalittle。Therewascomfort，too，inhiswords，aswellashismanner，forhebeganwith，“Mr。Crawfordisgone：hehasjustleftme。Ineednotrepeatwhathaspassed。Idonotwanttoaddtoanythingyoumaynowbefeeling，byanaccountofwhathehasfelt。
　　Sufficeit，thathehasbehavedinthemostgentlemanlikeandgenerousmanner，andhasconfirmedmeinamostfavourableopinionofhisunderstanding，heart，andtemper。
　　Uponmyrepresentationofwhatyouweresuffering，heimmediately，andwiththegreatestdelicacy，ceasedtourgetoseeyouforthepresent。“
　　HereFanny，whohadlookedup，lookeddownagain。“Ofcourse，“
　　continuedheruncle，“itcannotbesupposedbutthatheshouldrequesttospeakwithyoualone，beitonlyforfiveminutes；
　　arequesttoonatural，aclaimtoojusttobedenied。