style, with all the heightenings of imagination and all the laughs of
playfulness which are so essential to the shade of a departed ball, she could
afterwards bring her mind without much effort into its everyday state, and
easily conform to the tranquillity of the present quiet week.
    They were indeed a smaller party than she had ever known there for a whole
day together, and he was gone on whom the comfort and cheerfulness of every
family-meeting and every meal chiefly depended. But this must be learned to be
endured. He would soon be always gone; and she was thankful that she could now
sit in the same room with her uncle, hear his voice, receive his questions, and
even answer them without such wretched feelings as she had formerly known.
    »We miss our two young men,« was Sir Thomas's observation on both the first
and second day, as they formed their very reduced circle after dinner; and in
consideration of Fanny's swimming eyes, nothing more was said on the first day
than to drink their good health; but on the second it led to something farther.
William was kindly commended and his promotion hoped for. »And there is no
reason to suppose,« added Sir Thomas, »but that his visits to us may now be
tolerably frequent. As to Edmund, we must learn to do without him. This will be
the last winter of his belonging to us, as he has done.« »Yes,« said Lady
Bertram, »but I wish he was not going away. They are all going away I think. I
wish they would stay at home.«
    This wish was levelled principally at Julia, who had just applied for
permission to go to town with Maria; and as Sir Thomas thought it best for each
daughter that the permission should be granted, Lady Bertram, though in her own
good nature she would not have prevented it, was lamenting the change it made in
the prospect of Julia's return, which would otherwise have taken place about
this time. A great deal of good sense followed on Sir Thomas's side, tending to
reconcile his wife to the arrangement. Every thing that a considerate parent
ought to feel was advanced for her use; and every thing that an affectionate
mother must feel in promoting her children's enjoyment, was attributed to her
nature. Lady Bertram agreed to it all with a calm Yes - and at the end of a
quarter of an hour's silent consideration, spontaneously observed, »Sir Thomas,
I have been thinking - and I am very glad we