and Henry Crawford conversed together in an under-voice,
and the declaration with which she began of, "I am
sure I would give up the part to Julia most willingly,
but that though I shall probably do it very ill,
I feel persuaded _she_ would do it worse," was doubtless
receiving all the compliments it called for.

When this had lasted some time, the division of the party
was completed by Tom Bertram and Mr. Yates walking off
together to consult farther in the room now beginning
to be called _the_ _Theatre_, and Miss Bertram's resolving
to go down to the Parsonage herself with the offer
of Amelia to Miss Crawford; and Fanny remained alone.

The first use she made of her solitude was to take up
the volume which had been left on the table, and begin
to acquaint herself with the play of which she had heard
so much. Her curiosity was all awake, and she ran
through it with an eagerness which was suspended only
by intervals of astonishment, that it could be chosen
in the present instance, that it could be proposed
and accepted in a private theatre! Agatha and Amelia
appeared to her in their different ways so totally
improper for home representation--the situation of one,
and the language of the other, so unfit to be expressed
by any woman of modesty, that she could hardly suppose
her cousins could be aware of what they were engaging in;
and longed to have them roused as soon as possible
by the remonstrance which Edmund would certainly make.