第6章

“Well，LadyBertram，“saidMrs。Norris，movingtogo，“Icanonlysaythatmysoledesireistobeofusetoyourfamily：andso，ifSirThomasshouldeverspeakagainaboutmytakingFanny，youwillbeabletosaythatmyhealthandspiritsputitquiteoutofthequestion；

besidesthat，Ireallyshouldnothaveabedtogiveher，forImustkeepaspareroomforafriend。“

LadyBertramrepeatedenoughofthisconversationtoherhusbandtoconvincehimhowmuchhehadmistakenhissister-in-law’sviews；andshewasfromthatmomentperfectlysafefromallexpectation，ortheslightestallusiontoitfromhim。Hecouldnotbutwonderatherrefusingtodoanythingforaniecewhomshehadbeensoforwardtoadopt；but，asshetookearlycaretomakehim，aswellasLadyBertram，understandthatwhatevershepossessedwasdesignedfortheirfamily，hesoongrewreconciledtoadistinctionwhich，atthesametimethatitwasadvantageousandcomplimentarytothem，wouldenablehimbettertoprovideforFannyhimself。

Fannysoonlearnthowunnecessaryhadbeenherfearsofaremoval；

andherspontaneous，untaughtfelicityonthediscovery，conveyedsomeconsolationtoEdmundforhisdisappointmentinwhathehadexpectedtobesoessentiallyserviceabletoher。Mrs。NorristookpossessionoftheWhiteHouse，theGrantsarrivedattheParsonage，andtheseeventsover，everythingatMansfieldwentonforsometimeasusual。

TheGrantsshowingadispositiontobefriendlyandsociable，gavegreatsatisfactioninthemainamongtheirnewacquaintance。

Theyhadtheirfaults，andMrs。Norrissoonfoundthemout。

TheDoctorwasveryfondofeating，andwouldhaveagooddinnereveryday；andMrs。Grant，insteadofcontrivingtogratifyhimatlittleexpense，gavehercookashighwagesastheydidatMansfieldPark，andwasscarcelyeverseeninheroffices。Mrs。Norriscouldnotspeakwithanytemperofsuchgrievances，norofthequantityofbutterandeggsthatwereregularlyconsumedinthehouse。

“Nobodylovedplentyandhospitalitymorethanherself；

nobodymorehatedpitifuldoings；theParsonage，shebelieved，hadneverbeenwantingincomfortsofanysort，hadneverborneabadcharacterin_her__time_，butthiswasawayofgoingonthatshecouldnotunderstand。

Afineladyinacountryparsonagewasquiteoutofplace。

_Her_store-room，shethought，mighthavebeengoodenoughforMrs。Granttogointo。Inquirewhereshewould，shecouldnotfindoutthatMrs。Granthadeverhadmorethanfivethousandpounds。“

LadyBertramlistenedwithoutmuchinteresttothissortofinvective。Shecouldnotenterintothewrongsofaneconomist，butshefeltalltheinjuriesofbeautyinMrs。Grant’sbeingsowellsettledinlifewithoutbeinghandsome，andexpressedherastonishmentonthatpointalmostasoften，thoughnotsodiffusely，asMrs。Norrisdiscussedtheother。

Theseopinionshadbeenhardlycanvassedayearbeforeanothereventaroseofsuchimportanceinthefamily，asmightfairlyclaimsomeplaceinthethoughtsandconversationoftheladies。SirThomasfounditexpedienttogotoAntiguahimself，forthebetterarrangementofhisaffairs，andhetookhiseldestsonwithhim，inthehopeofdetachinghimfromsomebadconnexionsathome。TheyleftEnglandwiththeprobabilityofbeingnearlyatwelvemonthabsent。

Thenecessityofthemeasureinapecuniarylight，andthehopeofitsutilitytohisson，reconciledSirThomastotheeffortofquittingtherestofhisfamily，andofleavinghisdaughterstothedirectionofothersattheirpresentmostinterestingtimeoflife。

HecouldnotthinkLadyBertramquiteequaltosupplyhisplacewiththem，orrather，toperformwhatshouldhavebeenherown；but，inMrs。Norris’swatchfulattention，andinEdmund’sjudgment，hehadsufficientconfidencetomakehimgowithoutfearsfortheirconduct。

LadyBertramdidnotatallliketohaveherhusbandleaveher；

butshewasnotdisturbedbyanyalarmforhissafety，orsolicitudeforhiscomfort，beingoneofthosepersonswhothinknothingcanbedangerous，ordifficult，orfatiguingtoanybodybutthemselves。

TheMissBertramsweremuchtobepitiedontheoccasion：

notfortheirsorrow，butfortheirwantofit。

Theirfatherwasnoobjectoflovetothem；hehadneverseemedthefriendoftheirpleasures，andhisabsencewasunhappilymostwelcome。Theywererelievedbyitfromallrestraint；andwithoutaimingatonegratificationthatwouldprobablyhavebeenforbiddenbySirThomas，theyfeltthemselvesimmediatelyattheirowndisposal，andtohaveeveryindulgencewithintheirreach。

Fanny’srelief，andherconsciousnessofit，werequiteequaltohercousins’；butamoretendernaturesuggestedthatherfeelingswereungrateful，andshereallygrievedbecauseshecouldnotgrieve。“SirThomas，whohaddonesomuchforherandherbrothers，andwhowasgoneperhapsnevertoreturn!thatsheshouldseehimgowithoutatear!itwasashamefulinsensibility。“

Hehadsaidtoher，moreover，ontheverylastmorning，thathehopedshemightseeWilliamagaininthecourseoftheensuingwinter，andhadchargedhertowriteandinvitehimtoMansfieldassoonasthesquadrontowhichhebelongedshouldbeknowntobeinEngland。

“Thiswassothoughtfulandkind!“andwouldheonlyhavesmileduponher，andcalledher“mydearFanny，“

whilehesaidit，everyformerfrownorcoldaddressmighthavebeenforgotten。Buthehadendedhisspeechinawaytosinkherinsadmortification，byadding，“IfWilliamdoescometoMansfield，Ihopeyoumaybeabletoconvincehimthatthemanyyearswhichhavepassedsinceyoupartedhavenotbeenspentonyoursideentirelywithoutimprovement；though，Ifear，hemustfindhissisteratsixteeninsomerespectstoomuchlikehissisteratten。“

Shecriedbitterlyoverthisreflectionwhenherunclewasgone；andhercousins，onseeingherwithredeyes，setherdownasahypocrite。

TomBertramhadoflatespentsolittleofhistimeathomethathecouldbeonlynominallymissed；andLadyBertramwassoonastonishedtofindhowverywelltheydidevenwithouthisfather，howwellEdmundcouldsupplyhisplaceincarving，talkingtothesteward，writingtotheattorney，settlingwiththeservants，andequallysavingherfromallpossiblefatigueorexertionineveryparticularbutthatofdirectingherletters。

Theearliestintelligenceofthetravellers’safearrivalatAntigua，afterafavourablevoyage，wasreceived；

thoughnotbeforeMrs。Norrishadbeenindulginginverydreadfulfears，andtryingtomakeEdmundparticipatethemwhenevershecouldgethimalone；andasshedependedonbeingthefirstpersonmadeacquaintedwithanyfatalcatastrophe，shehadalreadyarrangedthemannerofbreakingittoalltheothers，whenSirThomas’sassurancesoftheirbothbeingaliveandwellmadeitnecessarytolaybyheragitationandaffectionatepreparatoryspeechesforawhile。

Thewintercameandpassedwithouttheirbeingcalledfor；theaccountscontinuedperfectlygood；

andMrs。Norris，inpromotinggaietiesforhernieces，assistingtheirtoilets，displayingtheiraccomplishments，andlookingaboutfortheirfuturehusbands，hadsomuchtodoas，inadditiontoallherownhouseholdcares，someinterferenceinthoseofhersister，andMrs。Grant’swastefuldoingstooverlook，leftherverylittleoccasiontobeoccupiedinfearsfortheabsent。

TheMissBertramswerenowfullyestablishedamongthebellesoftheneighbourhood；andastheyjoinedtobeautyandbrilliantacquirementsamannernaturallyeasy，andcarefullyformedtogeneralcivilityandobligingness，theypossesseditsfavouraswellasitsadmiration。

Theirvanitywasinsuchgoodorderthattheyseemedtobequitefreefromit，andgavethemselvesnoairs；

whilethepraisesattendingsuchbehaviour，securedandbroughtroundbytheiraunt，servedtostrengthentheminbelievingtheyhadnofaults。

LadyBertramdidnotgointopublicwithherdaughters。

Shewastooindolenteventoacceptamother’sgratificationinwitnessingtheirsuccessandenjoymentattheexpenseofanypersonaltrouble，andthechargewasmadeovertohersister，whodesirednothingbetterthanapostofsuchhonourablerepresentation，andverythoroughlyrelishedthemeansitaffordedherofmixinginsocietywithouthavinghorsestohire。

Fannyhadnoshareinthefestivitiesoftheseason；

butsheenjoyedbeingavowedlyusefulasheraunt’scompanionwhentheycalledawaytherestofthefamily；and，asMissLeehadleftMansfield，shenaturallybecameeverythingtoLadyBertramduringthenightofaballoraparty。

Shetalkedtoher，listenedtoher，readtoher；

andthetranquillityofsuchevenings，herperfectsecurityinsucha_tete-a-tete_fromanysoundofunkindness，wasunspeakablywelcometoamindwhichhadseldomknownapauseinitsalarmsorembarrassments。Astohercousins’gaieties，shelovedtohearanaccountofthem，especiallyoftheballs，andwhomEdmundhaddancedwith；

butthoughttoolowlyofherownsituationtoimaginesheshouldeverbeadmittedtothesame，andlistened，therefore，withoutanideaofanynearerconcerninthem。

Uponthewhole，itwasacomfortablewintertoher；

forthoughitbroughtnoWilliamtoEngland，thenever-failinghopeofhisarrivalwasworthmuch。

Theensuingspringdeprivedherofhervaluedfriend，theoldgreypony；andforsometimeshewasindangeroffeelingthelossinherhealthaswellasinheraffections；

forinspiteoftheacknowledgedimportanceofherridingonhorse-back，nomeasuresweretakenformountingheragain，“because，“asitwasobservedbyheraunts，“shemightrideoneofhercousin’shorsesatanytimewhentheydidnotwantthem，“andastheMissBertramsregularlywantedtheirhorseseveryfineday，andhadnoideaofcarryingtheirobligingmannerstothesacrificeofanyrealpleasure，thattime，ofcourse，nevercame。

TheytooktheircheerfulridesinthefinemorningsofAprilandMay；andFannyeithersatathomethewholedaywithoneaunt，orwalkedbeyondherstrengthattheinstigationoftheother：LadyBertramholdingexercisetobeasunnecessaryforeverybodyasitwasunpleasanttoherself；andMrs。Norris，whowaswalkingallday，thinkingeverybodyoughttowalkasmuch。Edmundwasabsentatthistime，ortheevilwouldhavebeenearlierremedied。

Whenhereturned，tounderstandhowFannywassituated，andperceiveditsilleffects，thereseemedwithhimbutonethingtobedone；andthat“Fannymusthaveahorse“

wastheresolutedeclarationwithwhichheopposedwhatevercouldbeurgedbythesupinenessofhismother，ortheeconomyofhisaunt，tomakeitappearunimportant。