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group Edmund and Miss Crawford both on horseback, riding side by side, Dr. and Mrs. Grant, and
Mr. Crawford, with two or three grooms, standing about and looking on. A happy party it appeared to
her all interested in one object cheerful beyond a doubt, for the sound of merriment ascended even to
her. It was a sound which did not make her cheerful; she wondered that Edmund should forget her, and
felt a pang. She could not turn her eyes from the meadow, she could not help watching all that passed. At
first Miss Crawford and her companion made the circuit of the field, which was not small, at a foot's
pace; then, at her apparent suggestion, they rose into a canter; and to Fanny's timid nature it was most
astonishing to see how well she sat. After a few minutes, they stopped entirely, Edmund was close to her,
he was speaking to her, he was evidently directing her management of the bridle, he had hold of her
hand; she saw it, or the imagination supplied what the eye could not reach. She must not wonder at all
this; what could be more natural than that Edmund should be making himself useful, and proving his good
nature by any one? She could not but think indeed that Mr. Crawford might as well have saved him the
trouble; that it would have been particularly proper and becoming in a brother to have done it himself; but
Mr. Crawford, with all his boasted good-nature, and all his coachmanship, probably knew nothing of the
matter, and had no active kindness in comparison of Edmund. She began to think it rather hard upon the
mare to have such double duty; if she were forgotten the poor mare should be remembered.
Her feelings for one and the other were soon a little tranquilized, by seeing the party in the meadow
disperse, and Miss Crawford still on horseback, but attended by Edmund on foot, pass through a gate
into the lane, and so into the park, and make towards the spot where she stood. She began then to be
afraid of appearing rude and impatient; and walked to meet them with a great anxiety to avoid the
suspicion.
"My dear Miss Price," said Miss Crawford, as soon as she was at all within hearing, "I am come to
make my own apologies for keeping you waiting but I have nothing in the world to say for myself I
knew it was very late, and that I was behaving extremely ill; and, therefore, if you please, you must
forgive me. Selfishness must always be forgiven you know, because there is no hope of a cure."
Fanny's answer was extremely civil, and Edmund added his conviction that she could be in no hurry.
"For there is more than time enough for my cousin to ride twice as far as she ever goes," said he, "and
you have been promoting her comfort by preventing her from setting off half an hour sooner; clouds are
now coming up, and she will not suffer from the heat as she would have done then. I wish you may not
be fatigued by so much exercise. I wish you had saved yourself this walk home."
"No part of it fatigues me but getting off this horse, I assure you," said she, as she sprang down with his
help; "I am very strong. Nothing ever fatigues me, but doing what I do not like. Miss Price, I give way to
you with a very bad grace; but I sincerely hope you will have a pleasant ride, and that I may have nothing
but good to hear of this dear, delightful, beautiful animal."
The old coachman, who had been waiting about with his own horse, now joining them, Fanny was lifted
on hers, and they set off across another part of the park; her feelings of discomfort not lightened by
seeing, as she looked back, that the others were walking down the hill together to the village; nor did her
attendant do her much good by his comments on Miss Crawford's great cleverness as a horsewoman,
which he had been watching with an interest almost equal to her own.
"It is a pleasure to see a lady with such a good heart for riding!" said he. "I never see one sit a horse
better. She did not seem to have a thought of fear. Very different from you, miss, when you first began,
six years ago come next Easter. Lord bless me! how you did tremble when Sir Thomas first had you put
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on!"
In the drawing-room Miss Crawford was also celebrated. Her merit in being gifted by nature with
strength and courage was fully appreciated by the Miss Bertrams; her delight in riding was like their own;
her early excellence in it was like their own, and they had great pleasure in praising it.
"I was sure she would ride well," said Julia; "she has the make for it. Her figure is as neat as her
brother's."
"Yes," added Maria, "and her spirits are as good, and she has the same energy of character. I cannot but
think that good horsemanship has a great deal to do with the mind." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]