Edmund found himself obliged to speak and fill up the blanks in his mother's
story. He told the whole; and she had only to add, "So strange! for Mrs. Grant
never used to ask her."
"But is it not very natural," observed Edmund, "that Mrs. Grant should wish to
procure so agreeable a visitor for her sister?"
"Nothing can be more natural," said Sir Thomas, after a short deliberation; "nor,
were there no sister in the case, could anything, in my opinion, be more natural.
Mrs. Grant's showing civility to Miss Price, to Lady Bertram's niece, could never
want explanation. The only surprise I can feel is, that this should be the first time
of its being paid. Fanny was perfectly right in giving only a conditional answer.
She appears to feel as she ought. But as I conclude that she must wish to go,
since all young people like to be together, I can see no reason why she should
be denied the indulgence."
"But can I do without her, Sir Thomas?"
"Indeed I think you may."
"She always makes tea, you know, when my sister is not here."
"Your sister, perhaps, may be prevailed on to spend the day with us, and I shall
certainly be at home."
"Very well, then, Fanny may go, Edmund."
The good news soon followed her. Edmund knocked at her door in his way to his
own.
"Well, Fanny, it is all happily settled, and without the smallest hesitation on your
uncle's side. He had but one opinion. You are to go."
"Thank you, I am so glad," was Fanny's instinctive reply; though when she had
turned from him and shut the door, she could not help feeling, "And yet why
should I be glad? for am I not certain of seeing or hearing something there to
pain me?"
In spite of this conviction, however, she was glad. Simple as such an
engagement might appear in other eyes, it had novelty and importance in hers,
for excepting the day at Sotherton, she had scarcely ever dined out before; and
though now going only half a mile, and only to three people, still it was dining out,
and all the little interests of preparation were enjoyments in themselves. She had
neither sympathy nor assistance from those who ought to have entered into her
feelings and directed her taste; for Lady Bertram never thought of being useful to
anybody, and Mrs. Norris, when she came on the morrow, in consequence of an
early call and invitation from Sir Thomas, was in a very ill humour, and seemed
intent only on lessening her niece's pleasure, both present and future, as much
as possible.
"Upon my word, Fanny, you are in high luck to meet with such attention and
indulgence! You ought to be very much obliged to Mrs. Grant for thinking of you,
and to your aunt for letting you go, and you ought to look upon it as something
extraordinary; for I hope you are aware that there is no real occasion for your
going into company in this sort of way, or ever dining out at all; and it is what you
must not depend upon ever being repeated. Nor must you be fancying that the
invitation is meant as any particular compliment to you; the compliment is
intended to your uncle and aunt and me. Mrs. Grant thinks it a civility due to us to
