is familiar with Shakespeare in a degree,« said Edmund, »from
one's earliest years. His celebrated passages are quoted by every body; they are
in half the books we open, and we all talk Shakespeare, use his similies, and
describe with his descriptions; but this is totally distinct from giving his
sense as you gave it. To know him in bits and scraps, is common enough; to know
him pretty thoroughly, is, perhaps, not uncommon; but to read him well aloud, is
no every-day talent.«
    »Sir, you do me honour;« was Crawford's answer, with a bow of mock gravity.
    Both gentlemen had a glance at Fanny, to see if a word of accordant praise
could be extorted from her; yet both feeling that it could not be. Her praise
had been given in her attention; that must content them.
    Lady Bertram's admiration was expressed, and strongly too. »It was really
like being at a play,« said she. - »I wish Sir Thomas had been here.«
    Crawford was excessively pleased. - If Lady Bertram, with all her
incompetency and languor, could feel this, the inference of what her niece,
alive and enlightened as she was, must feel, was elevating.
    »You have a great turn for acting, I am sure, Mr. Crawford,« said her
Ladyship soon afterwards - »and I will tell you what, I think you will have a
theatre, some time or other, at your house in Norfolk. I mean when you are
settled there. I do, indeed. I think you will fit up a theatre at your house in
Norfolk.«
    »Do you, Ma'am?« cried he with quickness. »No, no, that will never be. Your
Ladyship is quite mistaken. No theatre at Everingham! Oh! no.« - And he looked
at Fanny with an expressive smile, which evidently meant, »that lady will never
allow a theatre at Everingham.«
    Edmund saw it all, and saw Fanny so determined not to see it, as to make it
clear that the voice was enough to convey the full meaning of the protestation;
and such a quick consciousness of compliment, such a ready comprehension of a
hint, he thought, was rather favourable than not.
    The subject of reading aloud was farther discussed. The two young men were
the only talkers, but they, standing by the fire, talked over the too common
neglect of the qualification, the total inattention to it,