She fancied he was trying for it the whole evening at intervals, whenever Sir Thomas was out of the room, or at all engaged with Mrs.Norris, and she carefully refused him every opportunity.
At last--it seemed an at last to Fanny's nervousness, though not remarkably late--he began to talk of going away; but the comfort of the sound was impaired by his turning to her the next moment, and saying, "Have you nothing to send to Mary?
No answer to her note?
She will be disappointed if she receives nothing from you.

Pray write to her, if it be only a line." "Oh yes! certainly," cried Fanny, rising in haste, the haste of embarrassment and of wanting to get away--"I will write directly." She went accordingly to the table, where she was in the habit of writing for her aunt, and prepared her materials without knowing what in the world to say.

She had read Miss Crawford's note only once, and how to reply to anything so imperfectly understood was most distressing.
Quite unpractised in such sort of note-writing, had there been time for scruples and fears as to style she would have felt them in abundance: but something must be instantly written; and with only one decided feeling, that of wishing not to appear to think anything really intended, she wrote thus, in great trembling both of spirits and hand-- "I am very much obliged to you, my dear Miss Crawford, for your kind congratulations, as far as they relate to my dearest William.

The rest of your note I know means nothing; but I am so unequal to anything of the sort, that I hope you will excuse my begging you to take no farther notice.

I have seen too much of Mr.Crawford not to understand his manners; if he understood me as well, he would, I dare say, behave differently.