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there was gloom on the face of each. Mr. Crawford
and Miss Bertram were much more gay, and she thought
that he was taking particular pains, during dinner,
to do away any little resentment of the other two,
and restore general good-humour.

Dinner was soon followed by tea and coffee, a ten miles'
drive home allowed no waste of hours; and from the time
of their sitting down to table, it was a quick succession
of busy nothings till the carriage came to the door,
and Mrs. Norris, having fidgeted about, and obtained a
few pheasants' eggs and a cream cheese from the housekeeper,
and made abundance of civil speeches to Mrs. Rushworth,
was ready to lead the way. At the same moment Mr. Crawford,
approaching Julia, said, "I hope I am not to lose
my companion, unless she is afraid of the evening air
in so exposed a seat." The request had not been foreseen,
but was very graciously received, and Julia's day was
likely to end almost as well as it began. Miss Bertram
had made up her mind to something different, and was a
little disappointed; but her conviction of being really
the one preferred comforted her under it, and enabled her
to receive Mr. Rushworth's parting attentions as she ought.
He was certainly better pleased to hand her into
the barouche than to assist her in ascending the box,
and his complacency seemed confirmed by the arrangement.

"Well, Fanny, this has been a fine day for you, upon my word,"
said Mrs. Norris, as they drove through the park.
"Nothing but pleasure from beginning to end! I am sure
you ought to be very much obliged to your aunt Bertram
and me for contriving to let you go. A pretty good day's
amusement you have had!"

Maria was just discontented enough to say directly, "I think
_you_ have done pretty well yourself, ma'am. Your lap seems
full of good things, and here is a basket of something
between us which has been knocking my elbow unmercifully."

"My dear, it is only a beautiful little heath,
which that nice old gardener would make me take; but if
it is in your way, I will have it in my lap directly.
There, Fanny, you shall carry that parcel for me;
take great care of it: do not let it fall; it is a
cream cheese, just like the excellent one we had at dinner.
Nothing would satisfy that good old Mrs. Whitaker,
but my taking one of the cheeses. I stood out as long
as I could, till the tears almost came into her eyes,
and I knew it was just the sort that my sister would
be delighted with. That Mrs. Whitaker is a treasure!
She was quite shocked when I asked her whether wine was allowed
at the second table, and she has turned away two housemaids
for wearing white gowns. Take care of the cheese, Fanny.
Now I can manage the other parcel and the basket very well."

"What else have you been spunging?" said Maria,
half-pleased that Sotherton should be so complimented.

"Spunging, my dear! It is nothing but four of those
beautiful pheasants' eggs, which Mrs. Whitaker would
quite force upon me: she would not take a denial.

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