Julia was the first to move and speak again.Jealousy and bitterness had been suspended: selfishness was lost in the common cause; but at the moment of her appearance, Frederick was listening with looks of devotion to Agatha''s narrative, and pressing her hand to his heart; and as soon as she could notice this, and see that, in spite of the shock of her words, he still kept his station and retained her sister''s hand, her wounded heart swelled again with injury, and looking as red as she had been white before, she turned out of the room, saying, "I need not be afraid of appearing before him."
Her going roused the rest, and at the same moment the two brothers stepped forward, feeling the necessity of doing.something.A very few words between them were sufficient.The case admitted no difference of opinion: they must go to the drawing—room directly.Maria joined them with the same intent, just then the stoutest of the three; for the very circumstance which had driven Julia away was to her the sweetest support.Henry Crawford''s retaining her hand at such a moment, a moment of such peculiar proof and importance, was worth ages of doubt and anxiety.She hailed it as an earnest of the most serious determination, and was equal even to encounter her father.They walked off, utterly heedless of Mr.Rushworth''s repeated question of, "Shall I go too? Had not I better go too? Will not it be right for me to go too?" but they were no sooner through the door than Henry Crawford undertook to answer the anxious inquiry, and, encouraging him by all means to pay his respects to Sir Thomas without delay, sent him after the others with delighted haste.