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1She could hardly believe it. To be placed above so many elegant young women! The distinction was too great. It was
2treating her like her cousins! And her thoughts flew to those absent cousins with most unfeigned and truly tender
3regret, that they were not at home to take their own place in the room, and have their share of a pleasure which would
4have been so very delightful to them. So often as she had heard them wish for a ball at home as the greatest of all
5felicities! And to have them away when it was given--and for her to be opening the ball--and with Mr. Crawford too! She
6hoped they would not envy her that distinction now; but when she looked back to the state of things in the autumn, to
7what they had all been to each other when once dancing in that house before, the present arrangement was almost more
8than she could understand herself. The ball began. It was rather honour than happiness to Fanny, for the first dance at
9least: her partner was in excellent spirits, and tried to impart them to her; but she was a great deal too much
10frightened to have any enjoyment till she could suppose herself no longer looked at. Young, pretty, and gentle, however,
11she had no awkwardnesses that were not as good as graces, and there were few persons present that were not disposed to
12praise her. She was attractive, she was modest, she was Sir Thomas's niece, and she was soon said to be admired by Mr.
13Crawford. It was enough to give her general favour. Sir Thomas himself was watching her progress down the dance with
14much complacency; he was proud of his niece; and without attributing all her personal beauty, as Mrs. Norris seemed to
15do, to her transplantation to Mansfield, he was pleased with himself for having supplied everything else: education and
16manners she owed to him. Miss Crawford saw much of Sir Thomas's thoughts as he stood, and having, in spite of all his
17wrongs towards her, a general prevailing desire of recommending herself to him, took an opportunity of stepping aside to
18say something agreeable of Fanny. Her praise was warm, and he received it as she could wish, joining in it as far as
19discretion, and politeness, and slowness of speech would allow, and certainly appearing to greater advantage on the
20subject than his lady did soon afterwards, when Mary, perceiving her on a sofa very near, turned round before she began
21to dance, to compliment her on Miss Price's looks. "Yes, she does look very well," was Lady Bertram's placid reply.
22"Chapman helped her to dress. I sent Chapman to her." Not but that she was really pleased to have Fanny admired; but she
23was so much more struck with her own kindness in sending Chapman to her, that she could not get it out of her head. Miss
24Crawford knew Mrs. Norris too well to think of gratifying her by commendation of Fanny; to her, it was as the occasion
25offered--"Ah! ma'am, how much we want dear Mrs. Rushworth and Julia to-night!" and Mrs. Norris paid her with as many
26smiles and courteous words as she had time for, amid so much occupation as she found for herself in making up
27card-tables, giving hints to Sir Thomas, and trying to move all the chaperons to a better part of the room. Miss
28Crawford blundered most towards Fanny herself in her intentions to please. She meant to be giving her little heart a
29happy flutter, and filling her with sensations of delightful self-consequence; and, misinterpreting Fanny's blushes,
30still thought she must be doing so when she went to her after the two first dances, and said, with a significant look,
31"Perhaps you can tell me why my brother goes to town to-morrow? He says he has business there, but will not tell me
32what. The first time he ever denied me his confidence! But this is what we all come to. All are supplanted sooner or
33later. Now, I must apply to you for information. Pray, what is Henry going for?" Fanny protested her ignorance as
34steadily as her embarrassment allowed. "Well, then," replied Miss Crawford, laughing, "I must suppose it to be purely
35for the pleasure of conveying your brother, and of talking of you by the way." Fanny was confused, but it was the
36confusion of discontent; while Miss Crawford wondered she did not smile, and thought her over-anxious, or thought her
37odd, or thought her anything rather than insensible of pleasure in Henry's attentions. Fanny had a good deal of
38enjoyment in the course of the evening; but Henry's attentions had very little to do with it. She would much rather not
39have been asked by him again so very soon, and she wished she had not been obliged to suspect that his previous
40inquiries of Mrs. Norris, about the supper hour, were all for the sake of securing her at that part of the evening. But
41it was not to be avoided: he made her feel that she was the object of all; though she could not say that it was
42unpleasantly done, that there was indelicacy or ostentation in his manner; and sometimes, when he talked of William, he
43was really not unagreeable, and shewed even a warmth of heart which did him credit. But still his attentions made no
44part of her satisfaction. She was happy whenever she looked at William, and saw how perfectly he was enjoying himself,
45in every five minutes that she could walk about with him and hear his account of his partners; she was happy in knowing
46herself admired; and she was happy in having the two dances with Edmund still to look forward to, during the greatest
47part of the evening, her hand being so eagerly sought after that her indefinite engagement with him was in continual
48perspective. She was happy even when they did take place; but not from any flow of spirits on his side, or any such
49expressions of tender gallantry as had blessed the morning. His mind was fagged, and her happiness sprung from being the
50friend with whom it could find repose. "I am worn out with civility," said he. "I have been talking incessantly all
51night, and with nothing to say. But with you, Fanny, there may be peace. You will not want to be talked to. Let us have
52the luxury of silence." Fanny would hardly even speak her agreement. A weariness, arising probably, in great measure,
53from the same feelings which he had acknowledged in the morning, was peculiarly to be respected, and they went down
54their two dances together with such sober tranquillity as might satisfy any looker-on that Sir Thomas had been bringing
55up no wife for his younger son. The evening had afforded Edmund little pleasure. Miss Crawford had been in gay spirits
56when they first danced together, but it was not her gaiety that could do him good: it rather sank than raised his
57comfort; and afterwards, for he found himself still impelled to seek her again, she had absolutely pained him by her
58manner of speaking of the profession to which he was now on the point of belonging. They had talked, and they had been
59silent; he had reasoned, she had ridiculed; and they had parted at last with mutual vexation. Fanny, not able to refrain
60entirely from observing them, had seen enough to be tolerably satisfied. It was barbarous to be happy when Edmund was
61suffering. Yet some happiness must and would arise from the very conviction that he did suffer. When her two dances with
62him were over, her inclination and strength for more were pretty well at an end; and Sir Thomas, having seen her walk
63rather than dance down the shortening set, breathless, and with her hand at her side, gave his orders for her sitting
64down entirely. From that time Mr. Crawford sat down likewise. "Poor Fanny!" cried William, coming for a moment to visit
65her, and working away his partner's fan as if for life, "how soon she is knocked up! Why, the sport is but just begun. I
66hope we shall keep it up these two hours. How can you be tired so soon?" "So soon! my good friend," said Sir Thomas,
67producing his watch with all necessary caution; "it is three o'clock, and your sister is not used to these sort of
68hours." "Well, then, Fanny, you shall not get up to-morrow before I go. Sleep as long as you can, and never mind me."
69"Oh! William." "What! Did she think of being up before you set off?" "Oh! yes, sir," cried Fanny, rising eagerly from
70her seat to be nearer her uncle; "I must get up and breakfast with him. It will be the last time, you know; the last
71morning."
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