第7章

Mrs。NorriscouldnothelpthinkingthatsomesteadyoldthingmightbefoundamongthenumbersbelongingtotheParkthatwoulddovastlywell；orthatonemightbeborrowedofthesteward；orthatperhapsDr。Grantmightnowandthenlendthemtheponyhesenttothepost。

Shecouldnotbutconsideritasabsolutelyunnecessary，andevenimproper，thatFannyshouldhavearegularlady’shorseofherown，inthestyleofhercousins。

ShewassureSirThomashadneverintendedit：andshemustsaythat，tobemakingsuchapurchaseinhisabsence，andaddingtothegreatexpensesofhisstable，atatimewhenalargepartofhisincomewasunsettled，seemedtoherveryunjustifiable。“Fannymusthaveahorse，“wasEdmund’sonlyreply。Mrs。Norriscouldnotseeitinthesamelight。LadyBertramdid：

sheentirelyagreedwithhersonastothenecessityofit，andastoitsbeingconsiderednecessarybyhisfather；

sheonlypleadedagainsttherebeinganyhurry；sheonlywantedhimtowaittillSirThomas’sreturn，andthenSirThomasmightsettleitallhimself。HewouldbeathomeinSeptember，andwherewouldbetheharmofonlywaitingtillSeptember？

ThoughEdmundwasmuchmoredispleasedwithhisauntthanwithhismother，asevincingleastregardforherniece，hecouldnothelppayingmoreattentiontowhatshesaid；

andatlengthdeterminedonamethodofproceedingwhichwouldobviatetheriskofhisfather’sthinkinghehaddonetoomuch，andatthesametimeprocureforFannytheimmediatemeansofexercise，whichhecouldnotbearsheshouldbewithout。Hehadthreehorsesofhisown，butnotonethatwouldcarryawoman。Twoofthemwerehunters；thethird，ausefulroad-horse：thisthirdheresolvedtoexchangeforonethathiscousinmightride；

heknewwheresuchaonewastobemetwith；andhavingoncemadeuphismind，thewholebusinesswassooncompleted。

Thenewmareprovedatreasure；withaverylittletroubleshebecameexactlycalculatedforthepurpose，andFannywasthenputinalmostfullpossessionofher。

Shehadnotsupposedbeforethatanythingcouldeversuitherliketheoldgreypony；butherdelightinEdmund’smarewasfarbeyondanyformerpleasureofthesort；

andtheadditionitwaseverreceivingintheconsiderationofthatkindnessfromwhichherpleasuresprung，wasbeyondallherwordstoexpress。Sheregardedhercousinasanexampleofeverythinggoodandgreat，aspossessingworthwhichnoonebutherselfcouldeverappreciate，andasentitledtosuchgratitudefromherasnofeelingscouldbestrongenoughtopay。

Hersentimentstowardshimwerecompoundedofallthatwasrespectful，grateful，confiding，andtender。

Asthehorsecontinuedinname，aswellasfact，thepropertyofEdmund，Mrs。NorriscouldtolerateitsbeingforFanny’suse；andhadLadyBertrameverthoughtaboutherownobjectionagain，hemighthavebeenexcusedinhereyesfornotwaitingtillSirThomas’sreturninSeptember，forwhenSeptembercameSirThomaswasstillabroad，andwithoutanynearprospectoffinishinghisbusiness。

UnfavourablecircumstanceshadsuddenlyarisenatamomentwhenhewasbeginningtoturnallhisthoughtstowardsEngland；

andtheverygreatuncertaintyinwhicheverythingwastheninvolveddeterminedhimonsendinghomehisson，andwaitingthefinalarrangementbyhimselfTomarrivedsafely，bringinganexcellentaccountofhisfather’shealth；

buttoverylittlepurpose，asfarasMrs。Norriswasconcerned。SirThomas’ssendingawayhissonseemedtohersolikeaparent’scare，undertheinfluenceofaforebodingofeviltohimself，thatshecouldnothelpfeelingdreadfulpresentiments；andasthelongeveningsofautumncameon，wassoterriblyhauntedbytheseideas，inthesadsolitarinessofhercottage，astobeobligedtotakedailyrefugeinthedining-roomofthePark。

Thereturnofwinterengagements，however，wasnotwithoutitseffect；andinthecourseoftheirprogress，hermindbecamesopleasantlyoccupiedinsuperintendingthefortunesofhereldestniece，astolerablytoquiethernerves。“IfpoorSirThomaswerefatednevertoreturn，itwouldbepeculiarlyconsolingtoseetheirdearMariawellmarried，“sheveryoftenthought；alwayswhentheywereinthecompanyofmenoffortune，andparticularlyontheintroductionofayoungmanwhohadrecentlysucceededtooneofthelargestestatesandfinestplacesinthecountry。

Mr。RushworthwasfromthefirststruckwiththebeautyofMissBertram，and，beinginclinedtomarry，soonfanciedhimselfinlove。Hewasaheavyyoungman，withnotmorethancommonsense；butastherewasnothingdisagreeableinhisfigureoraddress，theyoungladywaswellpleasedwithherconquest。Beingnowinhertwenty-firstyear，MariaBertramwasbeginningtothinkmatrimonyaduty；

andasamarriagewithMr。Rushworthwouldgivehertheenjoymentofalargerincomethanherfather’s，aswellasensureherthehouseintown，whichwasnowaprimeobject，itbecame，bythesameruleofmoralobligation，herevidentdutytomarryMr。Rushworthifshecould。

Mrs。Norriswasmostzealousinpromotingthematch，byeverysuggestionandcontrivancelikelytoenhanceitsdesirablenesstoeitherparty；and，amongothermeans，byseekinganintimacywiththegentleman’smother，whoatpresentlivedwithhim，andtowhomsheevenforcedLadyBertramtogothroughtenmilesofindifferentroadtopayamorningvisit。Itwasnotlongbeforeagoodunderstandingtookplacebetweenthisladyandherself。

Mrs。Rushworthacknowledgedherselfverydesirousthathersonshouldmarry，anddeclaredthatofalltheyoungladiesshehadeverseen，MissBertramseemed，byheramiablequalitiesandaccomplishments，thebestadaptedtomakehimhappy。Mrs。Norrisacceptedthecompliment，andadmiredthenicediscernmentofcharacterwhichcouldsowelldistinguishmerit。Mariawasindeedtheprideanddelightofthemall——perfectlyfaultless——

anangel；and，ofcourse，sosurroundedbyadmirers，mustbedifficultinherchoice：butyet，asfarasMrs。Norriscouldallowherselftodecideonsoshortanacquaintance，Mr。Rushworthappearedpreciselytheyoungmantodeserveandattachher。

Afterdancingwitheachotheratapropernumberofballs，theyoungpeoplejustifiedtheseopinions，andanengagement，withaduereferencetotheabsentSirThomas，wasenteredinto，muchtothesatisfactionoftheirrespectivefamilies，andofthegenerallookers-onoftheneighbourhood，whohad，formanyweekspast，felttheexpediencyofMr。Rushworth’smarryingMissBertram。

ItwassomemonthsbeforeSirThomas’sconsentcouldbereceived；but，inthemeanwhile，asnoonefeltadoubtofhismostcordialpleasureintheconnexion，theintercourseofthetwofamilieswascarriedonwithoutrestraint，andnootherattemptmadeatsecrecythanMrs。Norris’stalkingofiteverywhereasamatternottobetalkedofatpresent。

Edmundwastheonlyoneofthefamilywhocouldseeafaultinthebusiness；butnorepresentationofhisaunt’scouldinducehimtofindMr。Rushworthadesirablecompanion。

Hecouldallowhissistertobethebestjudgeofherownhappiness，buthewasnotpleasedthatherhappinessshouldcentreinalargeincome；norcouldherefrainfromoftensayingtohimself，inMr。Rushworth’scompany——

“Ifthismanhadnottwelvethousandayear，hewouldbeaverystupidfellow。“

SirThomas，however，wastrulyhappyintheprospectofanalliancesounquestionablyadvantageous，andofwhichheheardnothingbuttheperfectlygoodandagreeable。

Itwasaconnexionexactlyoftherightsort——

inthesamecounty，andthesameinterest——andhismostheartyconcurrencewasconveyedassoonaspossible。

Heonlyconditionedthatthemarriageshouldnottakeplacebeforehisreturn，whichhewasagainlookingeagerlyforwardto。HewroteinApril，andhadstronghopesofsettlingeverythingtohisentiresatisfaction，andleavingAntiguabeforetheendofthesummer。

SuchwasthestateofaffairsinthemonthofJuly；

andFannyhadjustreachedhereighteenthyear，whenthesocietyofthevillagereceivedanadditioninthebrotherandsisterofMrs。Grant，aMr。andMissCrawford，thechildrenofhermotherbyasecondmarriage。

Theywereyoungpeopleoffortune。ThesonhadagoodestateinNorfolk，thedaughtertwentythousandpounds。

Aschildren，theirsisterhadbeenalwaysveryfondofthem；but，asherownmarriagehadbeensoonfollowedbythedeathoftheircommonparent，whichleftthemtothecareofabrotheroftheirfather，ofwhomMrs。Grantknewnothing，shehadscarcelyseenthemsince。

Intheiruncle’shousetheyhadfoundakindhome。

AdmiralandMrs。Crawford，thoughagreeinginnothingelse，wereunitedinaffectionforthesechildren，or，atleast，werenofartheradverseintheirfeelingsthanthateachhadtheirfavourite，towhomtheyshowedthegreatestfondnessofthetwo。TheAdmiraldelightedintheboy，Mrs。Crawforddotedonthegirl；anditwasthelady’sdeathwhichnowobligedher_protegee_，aftersomemonths’

furthertrialatheruncle’shouse，tofindanotherhome。

AdmiralCrawfordwasamanofviciousconduct，whochose，insteadofretaininghisniece，tobringhismistressunderhisownroof；andtothisMrs。Grantwasindebtedforhersister’sproposalofcomingtoher，ameasurequiteaswelcomeononesideasitcouldbeexpedientontheother；

forMrs。Grant，havingbythistimerunthroughtheusualresourcesofladiesresidinginthecountrywithoutafamilyofchildren——havingmorethanfilledherfavouritesitting-roomwithprettyfurniture，andmadeachoicecollectionofplantsandpoultry——wasverymuchinwantofsomevarietyathome。Thearrival，therefore，ofasisterwhomshehadalwaysloved，andnowhopedtoretainwithheraslongassheremainedsingle，washighlyagreeable；

andherchiefanxietywaslestMansfieldshouldnotsatisfythehabitsofayoungwomanwhohadbeenmostlyusedtoLondon。