She succeeded. She was safe in the breakfast-room, with her aunt, when
Miss Crawford did come; and the first misery over, and Miss Crawford
looking and speaking with much less particularity of expression than
she had anticipated, Fanny began to hope there would be nothing worse
to be endured than a half-hour of moderate agitation. But here she
hoped too much; Miss Crawford was not the slave of opportunity. She
was determined to see Fanny alone, and therefore said to her tolerably
soon, in a low voice, "I must speak to you for a few minutes
somewhere"; words that Fanny felt all over her, in all her pulses and
all her nerves. Denial was impossible. Her habits of ready
submission, on the contrary, made her almost instantly rise and lead
the way out of the room. She did it with wretched feelings, but it was
inevitable.

They were no sooner in the hall than all restraint of countenance was
over on Miss Crawford's side. She immediately shook her head at Fanny
with arch, yet affectionate reproach, and taking her hand, seemed
hardly able to help beginning directly. She said nothing, however,
but, "Sad, sad girl! I do not know when I shall have done scolding
you," and had discretion enough to reserve the rest till they might be
secure of having four walls to themselves. Fanny naturally turned
upstairs, and took her guest to the apartment which was now always fit
for comfortable use; opening the door, however, with a most aching
heart, and feeling that she had a more distressing scene before her
than ever that spot had yet witnessed. But the evil ready to burst on
her was at least delayed by the sudden change in Miss Crawford's ideas;
by the strong effect on her mind which the finding herself in the East
room again produced.