Goodness, this situation is growing uncomfortable--and I'm not even the one living it!
Henry's speech about wanting the opportunity to rescue Fanny is very revealing. It's chilling in a way that he longs for a situation where she is in his debt--that's a manipulative tactic he has tried before when helping her brother. But his speech is quite sad too. It's as if he is acknowledging that he can't be the kind of man she truly values (steady, virtuous, etc.), but perhaps he could approximate such character by occasional heroics.
I like the running thread of Fanny finding it difficult not to encourage him, not having the heart to pull her hand away, etc. I mean, I don't *like* it, but it illustrates the alternative scenario Austen outlined, had Henry been able to resist temptation with Maria and remain true to Fanny.
Why oh why can't Edmund overhear Mary's awful words? Sigh. She is downright nasty in this chapter. I know it's just as wrong to wish someone's death from afar vs while in their presence, but it is just unforgiveable to watch a person's suffering and coolly--even jokingly--wish their death for selfish reasons. Edmund's eyes cannot be opened quickly enough, and much as it will hurt him, I hope they are fully opened. No "hers is not a cruel nature" continued delusion for him.
So Henry now knows that Edmund knows, and Mary knows that Henry knows. (And still she says Fanny can't escape Henry and that Edmund wants her to marry Henry--is she just delusional?) I'm very curious how he will respond when all hope of Fanny is truly gone.
