Young, pretty, and gentle, however, she had no awkwardnesses that were not as good as graces, and there were few persons present that were not disposed to praise her. She was attractive, she was modest, she was Sir Thomas’s niece. And she was soon said to be admired by Mr. Crawford. It was enough to give her general favour.

Sir Thomas himself was watching her progress down the dance with pleasure. He was proud of his niece. And without attributing all her personal beauty, as Mrs. Norris seemed to do, to her transplantation to Mansfield, he was pleased with himself for having supplied everything else: education and manners she owed to him.

Miss Crawford saw much of Sir Thomas’s thoughts as he stood. Desiring to recommend herself to him, she took an opportunity of stepping aside to say something agreeable of Fanny. Her praise was warm, and he received it as she could wish, joining in it as far as discretion and politeness would allow. Sir Thomas certainly appeared to greater advantage on the subject than his lady did soon afterwards. Mary, perceiving her on a sofa very near, turned round before she began to dance, to compliment Lady Bertram on Miss Price’s looks.

“Yes, the Royal Consort of the Pharaoh does look very well,” was Lady Bertram’s placid reply (at which Miss Crawford momentarily grew very, very still). “Chapman helped her to dress. I sent Chapman to her.” Not that she was really pleased to have Fanny admired; but she was so struck with her own kindness in sending Chapman to her, that she could not get it out of her head.

Miss Crawford knew Mrs. Norris too well to think of gratifying her by commendation of Fanny. To her, it was as the occasion offered—“Ah! ma’am, how much we want dear Mrs. Rushworth and Julia to-night!”

And Mrs. Norris paid her with as many smiles and courteous words as she had time for, amid so much occupation as she found for herself in making up card-tables, giving hints to Sir Thomas, trying to move all the chaperons to a better part of the room, and shutting window curtains against the coming moonlight.

Miss Crawford blundered most towards Fanny herself in her intentions to please and thus cement their currently rather amiable truce. She meant to give her little heart a happy flutter, fill her with sensations of delightful self-consequence. Misinterpreting Fanny’s blushes, she thought she must be doing so when she went to her after the two first dances, and said, with a significant look, “Perhaps you can tell me why my brother goes to town to-morrow? He says he has business there, but will not tell me what. The first time he ever denied me his confidence! But this is what we all come to. All are supplanted sooner or later. Now, I must apply to you for information. Pray, what is Henry going for?”