All this produced altogether such a combination of charms for Fanny, as made her gradually almost careless of the circumstances. Nay, had she been without his arm, she would soon have known that she needed it, for she wanted strength for a two hours’ saunter of this kind, coming upon a week’s previous inactivity. Fanny was beginning to feel the effect of being debarred from her usual regular exercise; she had lost ground as to health since her being in Portsmouth. And but for Mr. Crawford and the beauty of the weather, Fanny would soon have been knocked up now. (Why—you insufferable Reader! This is quite beyond the disciplinary power of a mere footnote! I shall not endeavour to call you “gentle” any longer for you are indeed being shameless, now! Knocked up is not what you think it means!)

The loveliness of the day, and of the view, Mr. Crawford felt like herself. They often stopt with the same sentiment and taste, leaning against the wall, some minutes, to look and admire. And, considering he was not Edmund, Fanny could not but allow that he was sufficiently open to the charms of nature, and very well able to express his admiration.

She had a few tender reveries now and then, which he could sometimes take advantage of to look in her face without detection; and the result of these looks was, that though as bewitching as ever, her face was less blooming than it ought to be. She said she was very well, and did not like to be supposed otherwise. But take it all in all, he was convinced that her present residence could not be comfortable, and therefore could not be salutary for her. He was growing anxious for her being again at Mansfield, where her own happiness (and his in seeing her) must be so much greater.

“You have been here a month, I think?” said he.

“No; not quite a month. It is only four weeks to-morrow since I left Mansfield.”

“You are a most accurate and honest reckoner. I should call that a month.”

“I did not arrive here till Tuesday evening.”

“And it is to be a two months’ visit, is it not?”

“Yes. My uncle talked of two months. I suppose it will not be less.”

“And how are you to be conveyed back again? Who comes for you?”

“I do not know. I have heard nothing about it yet from my aunt. Perhaps I may be to stay longer. It may not be convenient for me to be fetched exactly at the two months’ end.”