第4章

SuchwerethecounselsbywhichMrs。Norrisassistedtoformhernieces’minds；anditisnotverywonderfulthat，withalltheirpromisingtalentsandearlyinformation，theyshouldbeentirelydeficientinthelesscommonacquirementsofself-knowledge，generosityandhumility。

Ineverythingbutdispositiontheywereadmirablytaught。

SirThomasdidnotknowwhatwaswanting，because，thoughatrulyanxiousfather，hewasnotoutwardlyaffectionate，andthereserveofhismannerrepressedalltheflowoftheirspiritsbeforehim。

TotheeducationofherdaughtersLadyBertrampaidnotthesmallestattention。Shehadnottimeforsuchcares。

Shewasawomanwhospentherdaysinsitting，nicelydressed，onasofa，doingsomelongpieceofneedlework，oflittleuseandnobeauty，thinkingmoreofherpugthanherchildren，butveryindulgenttothelatterwhenitdidnotputherselftoinconvenience，guidedineverythingimportantbySirThomas，andinsmallerconcernsbyhersister。

Hadshepossessedgreaterleisurefortheserviceofhergirls，shewouldprobablyhavesupposeditunnecessary，fortheywereunderthecareofagoverness，withpropermasters，andcouldwantnothingmore。AsforFanny’sbeingstupidatlearning，“shecouldonlysayitwasveryunlucky，butsomepeople_were_stupid，andFannymusttakemorepains：

shedidnotknowwhatelsewastobedone；and，exceptherbeingsodull，shemustaddshesawnoharminthepoorlittlething，andalwaysfoundherveryhandyandquickincarryingmessages，andfetching，whatshewanted。“

Fanny，withallherfaultsofignoranceandtimidity，wasfixedatMansfieldPark，andlearningtotransferinitsfavourmuchofherattachmenttoherformerhome，grewuptherenotunhappilyamonghercousins。Therewasnopositiveill-natureinMariaorJulia；andthoughFannywasoftenmortifiedbytheirtreatmentofher，shethoughttoolowlyofherownclaimstofeelinjuredbyit。

Fromaboutthetimeofherenteringthefamily，LadyBertram，inconsequenceofalittleill-health，andagreatdealofindolence，gaveupthehouseintown，whichshehadbeenusedtooccupyeveryspring，andremainedwhollyinthecountry，leavingSirThomastoattendhisdutyinParliament，withwhateverincreaseordiminutionofcomfortmightarisefromherabsence。

Inthecountry，therefore，theMissBertramscontinuedtoexercisetheirmemories，practisetheirduets，andgrowtallandwomanly：andtheirfathersawthembecominginperson，manner，andaccomplishments，everythingthatcouldsatisfyhisanxiety。Hiseldestsonwascarelessandextravagant，andhadalreadygivenhimmuchuneasiness；

buthisotherchildrenpromisedhimnothingbutgood。

Hisdaughters，hefelt，whiletheyretainedthenameofBertram，mustbegivingitnewgrace，andinquittingit，hetrusted，wouldextenditsrespectablealliances；

andthecharacterofEdmund，hisstronggoodsenseanduprightnessofmind，bidmostfairlyforutility，honour，andhappinesstohimselfandallhisconnexions。

Hewastobeaclergyman。

Amidthecaresandthecomplacencywhichhisownchildrensuggested，SirThomasdidnotforgettodowhathecouldforthechildrenofMrs。Price：heassistedherliberallyintheeducationanddisposalofhersonsastheybecameoldenoughforadeterminatepursuit；

andFanny，thoughalmosttotallyseparatedfromherfamily，wassensibleofthetruestsatisfactioninhearingofanykindnesstowardsthem，orofanythingatallpromisingintheirsituationorconduct。Once，andonceonly，inthecourseofmanyyears，hadshethehappinessofbeingwithWilliam。Oftherestshesawnothing：

nobodyseemedtothinkofherevergoingamongstthemagain，evenforavisit，nobodyathomeseemedtowanther；

butWilliamdetermining，soonafterherremoval，tobeasailor，wasinvitedtospendaweekwithhissisterinNorthamptonshirebeforehewenttosea。

Theireageraffectioninmeeting，theirexquisitedelightinbeingtogether，theirhoursofhappymirth，andmomentsofseriousconference，maybeimagined；

aswellasthesanguineviewsandspiritsoftheboyeventothelast，andthemiseryofthegirlwhenhelefther。

LuckilythevisithappenedintheChristmasholidays，whenshecoulddirectlylookforcomforttohercousinEdmund；

andhetoldhersuchcharmingthingsofwhatWilliamwastodo，andbehereafter，inconsequenceofhisprofession，asmadehergraduallyadmitthattheseparationmighthavesomeuse。Edmund’sfriendshipneverfailedher：

hisleavingEtonforOxfordmadenochangeinhiskinddispositions，andonlyaffordedmorefrequentopportunitiesofprovingthem。Withoutanydisplayofdoingmorethantherest，oranyfearofdoingtoomuch，hewasalwaystruetoherinterests，andconsiderateofherfeelings，tryingtomakehergoodqualitiesunderstood，andtoconquerthediffidencewhichpreventedtheirbeingmoreapparent；

givingheradvice，consolation，andencouragement。

Keptbackasshewasbyeverybodyelse，hissinglesupportcouldnotbringherforward；buthisattentionswereotherwiseofthehighestimportanceinassistingtheimprovementofhermind，andextendingitspleasures。Heknewhertobeclever，tohaveaquickapprehensionaswellasgoodsense，andafondnessforreading，which，properlydirected，mustbeaneducationinitself。MissLeetaughtherFrench，andheardherreadthedailyportionofhistory；butherecommendedthebookswhichcharmedherleisurehours，heencouragedhertaste，andcorrectedherjudgment：

hemadereadingusefulbytalkingtoherofwhatsheread，andheighteneditsattractionbyjudiciouspraise。

InreturnforsuchservicesshelovedhimbetterthananybodyintheworldexceptWilliam：herheartwasdividedbetweenthetwo。

ThefirsteventofanyimportanceinthefamilywasthedeathofMr。Norris，whichhappenedwhenFannywasaboutfifteen，andnecessarilyintroducedalterationsandnovelties。Mrs。Norris，onquittingtheParsonage，removedfirsttothePark，andafterwardstoasmallhouseofSirThomas’sinthevillage，andconsoledherselfforthelossofherhusbandbyconsideringthatshecoulddoverywellwithouthim；andforherreductionofincomebytheevidentnecessityofstrictereconomy。

ThelivingwashereafterforEdmund；and，hadhisunclediedafewyearssooner，itwouldhavebeendulygiventosomefriendtoholdtillhewereoldenoughfororders。

ButTom’sextravagancehad，previoustothatevent，beensogreatastorenderadifferentdisposalofthenextpresentationnecessary，andtheyoungerbrothermusthelptopayforthepleasuresoftheelder。

TherewasanotherfamilylivingactuallyheldforEdmund；

butthoughthiscircumstancehadmadethearrangementsomewhateasiertoSirThomas’sconscience，hecouldnotbutfeelittobeanactofinjustice，andheearnestlytriedtoimpresshiseldestsonwiththesameconviction，inthehopeofitsproducingabettereffectthananythinghehadyetbeenabletosayordo。

“Iblushforyou，Tom，“saidhe，inhismostdignifiedmanner；

“IblushfortheexpedientwhichIamdrivenon，andItrustImaypityyourfeelingsasabrotherontheoccasion。

YouhaverobbedEdmundforten，twenty，thirtyyears，perhapsforlife，ofmorethanhalftheincomewhichoughttobehis。Itmayhereafterbeinmypower，orinyours(Ihopeitwill)，toprocurehimbetterpreferment；

butitmustnotbeforgottenthatnobenefitofthatsortwouldhavebeenbeyondhisnaturalclaimsonus，andthatnothingcan，infact，beanequivalentforthecertainadvantagewhichheisnowobligedtoforegothroughtheurgencyofyourdebts。“

Tomlistenedwithsomeshameandsomesorrow；

butescapingasquicklyaspossible，couldsoonwithcheerfulselfishnessreflect，firstly，thathehadnotbeenhalfsomuchindebtassomeofhisfriends；

secondly，thathisfatherhadmadeamosttiresomepieceofworkofit；and，thirdly，thatthefutureincumbent，whoeverhemightbe，would，inallprobability，dieverysoon。

OnMr。Norris’sdeaththepresentationbecametherightofaDr。Grant，whocameconsequentlytoresideatMansfield；

andonprovingtobeaheartymanofforty-five，seemedlikelytodisappointMr。Bertram’scalculations。

But“no，hewasashort-necked，apoplecticsortoffellow，and，pliedwellwithgoodthings，wouldsoonpopoff。“

Hehadawifeaboutfifteenyearshisjunior，butnochildren；

andtheyenteredtheneighbourhoodwiththeusualfairreportofbeingveryrespectable，agreeablepeople。

ThetimewasnowcomewhenSirThomasexpectedhissister-in-lawtoclaimhershareintheirniece，thechangeinMrs。Norris’ssituation，andtheimprovementinFanny’sage，seemingnotmerelytodoawayanyformerobjectiontotheirlivingtogether，buteventogiveitthemostdecidedeligibility；andashisowncircumstanceswererenderedlessfairthanheretofore，bysomerecentlossesonhisWestIndiaestate，inadditiontohiseldestson’sextravagance，itbecamenotundesirabletohimselftoberelievedfromtheexpenseofhersupport，andtheobligationofherfutureprovision。Inthefullnessofhisbeliefthatsuchathingmustbe，hementioneditsprobabilitytohiswife；andthefirsttimeofthesubject’soccurringtoheragainhappeningtobewhenFannywaspresent，shecalmlyobservedtoher，“So，Fanny，youaregoingtoleaveus，andlivewithmysister。Howshallyoulikeit？“

Fannywastoomuchsurprisedtodomorethanrepeatheraunt’swords，“Goingtoleaveyou？“

“Yes，mydear；whyshouldyoubeastonished？

Youhavebeenfiveyearswithus，andmysisteralwaysmeanttotakeyouwhenMr。Norrisdied。

Butyoumustcomeupandtackonmypatternsallthesame。“

ThenewswasasdisagreeabletoFannyasithadbeenunexpected。

ShehadneverreceivedkindnessfromherauntNorris，andcouldnotloveher。

“Ishallbeverysorrytogoaway，“saidshe，withafalteringvoice。

“Yes，Idaresayyouwill；_that’s_naturalenough。