Oh, cousin, you do not know how acceptable
it... Oh, cousin, you do not know how acceptable
it is
“My dear Fanny, you feel these things a great deal too muchI am
most happy that you like the chain, and that it should be here in
time for to-morrow; but your thanks are far beyond the occasion
Believe me, I have no pleasure in the world superior to that of contributing
to yoursNo, I can safely say, I have no pleasure so complete,
so unalloyedIt is without a drawback
Upon such expressions of affection Fanny could have lived an
hour without saying another word; but Edmund, after waiting a
moment, obliged her to bring down her mind from its heavenly
flight by saying, “But what is it that you want to consult me about?”
It was about the necklace, which she was now most earnestly longing
to return, and hoped to obtain his approbation of her doing
She gave the history of her recent visit, and now her raptures might
well be over; for Edmund was so struck with the circumstance, so
delighted with what Miss Crawford had done, so gratified by such a
coincidence of conduct between them, that Fanny could not but
admit the superior power of one pleasure over his own mind, though
it might have its drawbackIt was some time before she could get
his attention to her plan, or any answer to her demand of his opinion:
he was in a reverie of fond reflection, uttering only now and
then a few half-sentences of praise; but when he did awake and
understand, he was very decided in opposing what she wished
“Return the necklace! No, my dear Fanny, upon no accountIt
would be mortifying her severelyThere can hardly be a more unpleasant
sensation than the having anything returned on our hands
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which we have given with a reasonable hope of its contributing to
the comfort of a friendWhy should
chanel watches she lose a pleasure which she
has shewn herself so deserving of?”
“If it had been given to me in the first instance,” said Fanny, “I
should not have thought of returning it; but being her brother’s
present, is not it fair to suppose that she would rather not part with
it, when it is not wanted?”
“She must not suppose it not wanted, not acceptable, at least: and
its having been originally her brother’s gift makes no difference; for
as she was not prevented from offering, nor you from taking it on
that account, it ought not to prevent you from keeping itNo doubt
it is handsomer than mine, and fitter for a ballroom
“No, it is not handsomer, not at all handsomer in its way, and, for
my purpose, not half so fitThe chain will agree with William’s
cross beyond all comparison better than the necklace
“For one night, Fanny, for only one night, if it be a sacrifice; I am
sure you will, upon consideration, make that sacrifice rather than
give pain to one who has been so studious of your comfortMiss
Crawford’s attentions to you have been—not more than you were
justly entitled to—I am the last person to think that could be, but
they have been invariable; and to be returning them with what must
have something the air of ingratitude, though I know it could never
have the meaning, is not in your nature, I am sureWear the necklace,
as you are engaged to do, to-morrow evening, and let the chain,
which was not ordered with any reference to the ball, be kept for
commoner occasionsI would not have the shadow
of a coolness between the two whose intimacy I have been observing
with the greatest pleasure, and in whose characters there is so
much general resemblance in true generosity and natural delicacy as
to make the few slight differences, resulting
omega planet ocean watches principally from situation,
no reasonable hindrance to a perfect friendshipI would not
have the shadow of a coolness arise,” he repeated, his voice sinking
a little, “between the two dearest objects I have on earth
He was gone as he spoke; and Fanny remained to tranquillise herself
as she couldShe was one of his two dearest—that must support
herBut the other: the first! She had never heard him speak so openly
before, and though it told her no more than what she had long
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Jane Austen
perceived, it was a stab, for it told of his own convictions and viewsHe would marry Miss CrawfordIt was a stab, in
spite of every long-standing expectation; and she was obliged to repeat
again and again, that she was one of his two dearest, before the
words gave her any sensationCould she believe Miss Crawford to
deserve him, it would be—oh, how different would it be—how far
more tolerable! But he was deceived in her: he gave her merits which
she had not; her faults were what they had ever been, but he saw them
no longerTill she had shed many tears over this deception, Fanny
could not subdue her agitation; and the dejection which followed
could only be relieved by the influence of fervent prayers for his happiness
It was her intention, as she felt it to be her duty, to try to overcome
all that was excessive, all that bordered on selfishness, in her
affection for EdmundTo call or to fancy it a loss, a disappointment,
would be a presumption for which she had not words strong
enough to satisfy her own humilityTo think of him as Miss Crawford
might be justified in thinking, would in her be insanityTo her he
could be nothing under any circumstances; nothing dearer than a
friendWhy did such an idea occur to her even enough to be reprobated
and
discount tiffany's necklace forbidden? It ought not to have touched on the confines
of her imaginationShe would endeavour to be rational, and to
deserve the right of judging of Miss Crawford’s character, and the
privilege of true solicitude for him by a sound intellect and an honest
heart
She had all the heroism of principle, and was determined to do
her duty; but having also many of the feelings of youth and nature,
let her not be much wondered at, if, after making all these good
resolutions on the side of self-government, she seized the scrap of
paper on which Edmund had begun writing to her, as a treasure
beyond all her hopes, and reading with the tenderest emotion these
words, “My very dear Fanny, you must do me the favour to accept”
locked it up with the chain, as the dearest part of the giftIt was the
only thing approaching to a letter which she had ever received from
him; she might never receive another; it was impossible that she
ever should receive another so perfectly gratifying in the occasion
and the styleTwo lines more prized had never fallen from the pen
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Mansfield Park
of the most distinguished author—never more completely blessed
the researches of the fondest biographerThe enthusiasm of a woman’s
love is even beyond the biographer’sTo her, the handwriting itself,
independent of anything it may convey, is a blessednessNever were
such characters cut by any other human being as Edmund’s commonest
handwriting gave! This specimen, written in haste as it was,
had not a fault; and there was a felicity in the flow of the first four
words, in the arrangement of “My very dear Fanny,” which she could
have looked at for ever
Having regulated her thoughts and comforted her feelings by this
happy mixture of reason and weakness, she was able in due time to
go
christian dior saddle down and resume her usual employments near her aunt Bertram,
and pay her the usual observances without any apparent want of
spirits
Thursday, predestined to hope and enjoyment, came; and opened
with more kindness to Fanny than such self-willed, unmanageable
days often volunteer, for soon after breakfast a very friendly note
was brought from MrCrawford to William, stating that as he found
himself obliged to go to London on the morrow for a few days, he
could not help trying to procure a companion; and therefore hoped
that if William could make up his mind to leave Mansfield half a
day earlier than had been proposed, he would accept a place in his
carriageCrawford meant to be in town by his uncle’s
accustomary late dinner-hour, and William was invited to dine with
him at the Admiral’sThe proposal was a very pleasant one to
William himself, who enjoyed the idea of travelling post with four
horses, and such a good-humoured, agreeable friend; and, in likening
it to going up with despatches, was saying at once everything
in favour of its happiness and dignity which his imagination
could suggest; and Fanny, from a different motive, was exceedingly
pleased; for the original plan was that William should go up
by the mail from Northampton the following night, which would
not have allowed him an hour’s rest before he must have got into a
Portsmouth coach; and though this offer of MrCrawford’s would
rob her of many hours of his company, she was too happy in having
William spared from the fatigue of such a journey, to think of
anything elseSir Thomas approved of it for another reasonHis
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Jane Austen
nephew’s introduction to Admiral Crawford might be of service
The Admiral, he believed, had interestUpon the whole, it was a
very joyous
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