| Rushworth will be very angryIt will be a bitter
pill to her; that is, like other bitter pills, it will have two moments?
ill flavour, and then be swallowed and forgotten; for I am not such
a coxcomb as to suppose her feelings more lasting than other
women?s, though I was the object of themYes, Mary, my Fanny
will feel a difference indeed: a daily, hourly difference, in the
behaviour of every being who approaches her; and it will be the
completion of my happiness to know that I am the doer of it, that I
am the person to give the consequence so justly her dueNow she is
dependent, helpless, friendless, neglected, forgotten
?Nay, Henry, not by all; not forgotten by all; not friendless or
forgottenHer cousin Edmund never forgets her
?Edmund! True, I believe he is, generally speaking, kind to her,
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and so is Sir Thomas in his way; but it is the way of a rich, superior,
long-worded, arbitrary uncleWhat can Sir Thomas and Edmund
together do, what do they do for her happiness, comfort, honour,
and dignity in the world, to what I shall do??
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CHAPTER XXXI
HENRY CRAWFORD was at Mansfield Park again the next morning,
and at an earlier hour than common visiting warrantsThe two
ladies were together in the breakfast-room, and, fortunately for him,
Lady Bertram was on the very point of quitting it as he enteredShe
was almost at the door, and not chusing by any means to take so
much trouble in vain, she still went on, after a civil reception, a
short sentence about being waited for, and a ?Let Sir Thomas know?
to the servant
Henry, overjoyed to have her go, bowed and watched her off, and
without losing louis vuitton bag to buy another moment, turned instantly to Fanny, and,
taking out some letters, said, with a most animated look, ?I must
acknowledge myself infinitely obliged to any creature who gives me
such an opportunity of seeing you alone: I have been wishing it
more than you can have any ideaKnowing as I do what your feelings
as a sister are, I could hardly have borne that any one in the
house should share with you in the first knowledge of the news I
now bringYour brother is a lieutenantI have the
infinite satisfaction of congratulating you on your brother?s promotion
Here are the letters which announce it, this moment come to
handYou will, perhaps, like to see them
Fanny could not speak, but he did not want her to speakTo see
the expression of her eyes, the change of her complexion, the progress
of her feelings, their doubt, confusion, and felicity, was enough
She took the letters as he gave themThe first was from the Admiral
to inform his nephew, in a few words, of his having succeeded in
the object he had undertaken, the promotion of young Price, and
enclosing two more, one from the Secretary of the First Lord to a
friend, whom the Admiral had set to work in the business, the other
from that friend to himself, by which it appeared that his lordship
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had the very great happiness of attending to the recommendation
of Sir Charles; that Sir Charles was much delighted in having such
an opportunity of proving his regard for Admiral Crawford, and
that the circumstance of MrWilliam Price?s commission as Second
Lieutenant of HSloop Thrush being made out was spreading
general joy through a wide circle of great people
While her miu miu black handbag hand was trembling under these letters, her eye running
from one to the other, and her heart swelling with emotion,
Crawford thus continued, with unfeigned eagerness, to express his
interest in the event?
?I will not talk of my own happiness,? said he, ?great as it is, for I
think only of yoursCompared with you, who has a right to be
happy? I have almost grudged myself my own prior knowledge of
what you ought to have known before all the worldI have not lost
a moment, howeverThe post was late this morning, but there has
not been since a moment?s delayHow impatient, how anxious, how
wild I have been on the subject, I will not attempt to describe; how
severely mortified, how cruelly disappointed, in not having it finished
while I was in London! I was kept there from day to day in the
hope of it, for nothing less dear to me than such an object would
have detained me half the time from MansfieldBut though my
uncle entered into my wishes with all the warmth I could desire,
and exerted himself immediately, there were difficulties from the
absence of one friend, and the engagements of another, which at
last I could no longer bear to stay the end of, and knowing in what
good hands I left the cause, I came away on Monday, trusting that
many posts would not pass before I should be followed by such very
letters as theseMy uncle, who is the very best man in the world,
has exerted himself, as I knew he would, after seeing your brother
He was delighted with himI would not allow myself yesterday to
say how delighted, or to repeat half that the Admiral said in his
praiseI deferred it all till his praise should be proved the praise of balenciaga purses a
friend, as this day does prove itNow I may say that even I could not
require William Price to excite a greater interest, or be followed by
warmer wishes and higher commendation, than were most voluntarily
bestowed by my uncle after the evening they had passed together
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?Has this been all your doing, then?? cried Fanny?Good heaven!
how very, very kind! Have you really?was it by your desire? I beg
your pardon, but I am bewilderedDid Admiral Crawford apply?
How was it? I am stupefied
Henry was most happy to make it more intelligible, by beginning
at an earlier stage, and explaining very particularly what he had
doneHis last journey to London had been undertaken with no
other view than that of introducing her brother in Hill Street, and
prevailing on the Admiral to exert whatever interest he might have
for getting him onThis had been his businessHe had communicated
it to no creature: he had not breathed a syllable of it even to
Mary; while uncertain of the issue, he could not have borne any
participation of his feelings, but this had been his business; and he
spoke with such a glow of what his solicitude had been, and used
such strong expressions, was so abounding in the deepest interest, in
twofold motives, in views and wishes more than could be told, that
Fanny could not have remained insensible of his drift, had she been
able to attend; but her heart was so full and her senses still so astonished,
that she could listen but imperfectly even to what he told her
of William, and saying only when he paused, ?How kind! how very
kind! Oh, MrCrawford, we are infinitely obliged to you! Dearest,
dearest William!? She cartier watch jumped up and moved in haste towards the
door, crying out, ?I will go to my uncleMy uncle ought to know it
as soon as possible But this could not be sufferedThe opportunity
was too fair, and his feelings too impatientHe was after her
immediately?She must not go, she must allow him five minutes
longer,? and he took her hand and led her back to her seat, and was
in the middle of his farther explanation, before she had suspected
for what she was detainedWhen she did understand it, however,
and found herself expected to believe that she had created sensations
which his heart had never known before, and that everything
he had done for William was to be placed to the account of his
excessive and unequalled attachment to her, she was exceedingly
distressed, and for some moments unable to speakShe considered
it all as nonsense, as mere trifling and gallantry, which meant only
to deceive for the hour; she could not but feel that it was treating
her improperly and unworthily, and in such a way as she had not
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deserved; but it was like himself, and entirely of a piece with what
she had seen before; and she would not allow herself to shew half
the displeasure she felt, because he had been conferring an obligation,
which no want of delicacy on his part could make a trifle to
herWhile her heart was still bounding with joy and gratitude on
William?s behalf, she could not be severely resentful of anything
that injured only herself; and after having twice drawn back her
hand, and twice attempted in vain to turn away from him, she got
up, and said only, with much agitation, ?Don?t, MrCrawford,
pray don?t! I beg you would rolex daytona men's watches not |
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