 side.«
    »She must know herself too secure of the regard of all the rest of you,«
said Fanny with half a sigh, »to have any such apprehension. And Sir Thomas's
wishing just at first to be only with his family is so very natural, that she
can argue nothing from that. After a little while I dare say we shall be meeting
again in the same sort of way, allowing for the difference of the time of year.«
    »This is the first October that she has passed in the country since her
infancy. I do not call Tunbridge or Cheltenham the country; and November is a
still more serious month, and I can see that Mrs. Grant is very anxious for her
not finding Mansfield dull as winter comes on.«
    Fanny could have said a great deal, but it was safer to say nothing, and
leave untouched all Miss Crawford's resources, her accomplishments, her spirits,
her importance, her friends, lest it should betray her into any observations
seemingly unhandsome. Miss Crawford's kind opinion of herself deserved at least
a grateful forbearance, and she began to talk of something else.
    »To-morrow, I think, my uncle dines at Sotherton, and you and Mr. Bertram
too. We shall be quite a small party at home. I hope my uncle may continue to
like Mr. Rushworth.«
    »That is impossible, Fanny. He must like him less after to-morrow's visit,
for we shall be five hours in his company. I should dread the stupidity of the
day, if there were not a much greater evil to follow - the impression it must
leave on Sir Thomas. He cannot much longer deceive himself. I am sorry for them
all, and would give something that Rushworth and Maria had never met.«
    In this quarter, indeed, disappointment was impending over Sir Thomas. Not
all his good-will for Mr. Rushworth, not all Mr. Rushworth's deference for him,
could prevent him from soon discerning some part of the truth - that Mr.
Rushworth was an inferior young man, as ignorant in business as in books, with
opinions in general unfixed, and without seeming much aware of it himself.
    He had expected a very different son-in-law; and beginning to feel grave on
Maria's account, tried to understand her feelings. Little observation there was
necessary to tell him that indifference was the most favourable state they could
be in. Her behaviour to Mr. Rushworth was careless and cold. She could not,
