FANNY. The best friend you ever had. [She is "up" again.] You
thank your stars, all of you, and tell the others, too, the whole
blessed twenty-three of you--you thank your stars that I did
"surreptitiously" beg and pray him to run down by the first train and
have a talk with me; and that Providence was kind enough to YOU to
enable him to come. It's a very different tune you'd have been
singing at this moment--all of you--if he hadn't. I can tell you
that.

MRS. BENNET. And pray, what tune SHOULD we have been singing if
Providence hadn't been so thoughtful of us?

FANNY [she is about to answer, then checks herself, and sits again].
You take care you don't find out. There's time yet.

MRS. BENNET. We had better leave her.

BENNET. Threats, my good girl, will not help you.

MRS. BENNET [with a laugh]. She's in too tight a corner for that.

BENNET. A contrite heart is what your aunt and I desire to see. [He
takes from his pocket a small book, places it open on the desk.] I
have marked one or two passages, on pages 93-7. We will discuss them
together--later in the day.

They troop out in silence, the key turns in the lock.

FANNY [takes up the book--turns to the cover, reads]. "The Sinner's
Manual." [She turns to page 93.]