第8章

MissCrawfordwasnotentirelyfreefromsimilarapprehensions，thoughtheyaroseprincipallyfromdoubtsofhersister’sstyleoflivingandtoneofsociety；

anditwasnottillaftershehadtriedinvaintopersuadeherbrothertosettlewithherathisowncountryhouse，thatshecouldresolvetohazardherselfamongherotherrelations。Toanythinglikeapermanenceofabode，orlimitationofsociety，HenryCrawfordhad，unluckily，agreatdislike：hecouldnotaccommodatehissisterinanarticleofsuchimportance；butheescortedher，withtheutmostkindness，intoNorthamptonshire，andasreadilyengagedtofetchherawayagain，athalfanhour’snotice，whenevershewerewearyoftheplace。

Themeetingwasverysatisfactoryoneachside。

MissCrawfordfoundasisterwithoutprecisenessorrusticity，asister’shusbandwholookedthegentleman，andahousecommodiousandwellfittedup；andMrs。Grantreceivedinthosewhomshehopedtolovebetterthaneverayoungmanandwomanofveryprepossessingappearance。

MaryCrawfordwasremarkablypretty；Henry，thoughnothandsome，hadairandcountenance；themannersofbothwerelivelyandpleasant，andMrs。Grantimmediatelygavethemcreditforeverythingelse。Shewasdelightedwitheach，butMarywasherdearestobject；andhavingneverbeenabletogloryinbeautyofherown，shethoroughlyenjoyedthepowerofbeingproudofhersister’s。Shehadnotwaitedherarrivaltolookoutforasuitablematchforher：

shehadfixedonTomBertram；theeldestsonofabaronetwasnottoogoodforagirloftwentythousandpounds，withalltheeleganceandaccomplishmentswhichMrs。Grantforesawinher；andbeingawarm-hearted，unreservedwoman，Maryhadnotbeenthreehoursinthehousebeforeshetoldherwhatshehadplanned。

MissCrawfordwasgladtofindafamilyofsuchconsequencesoverynearthem，andnotatalldispleasedeitherathersister’searlycare，orthechoiceithadfallenon。

Matrimonywasherobject，providedshecouldmarrywell：

andhavingseenMr。Bertramintown，sheknewthatobjectioncouldnomorebemadetohispersonthantohissituationinlife。Whileshetreateditasajoke，therefore，shedidnotforgettothinkofitseriously。

TheschemewassoonrepeatedtoHenry。

“Andnow，“addedMrs。Grant，“Ihavethoughtofsomethingtomakeitcomplete。Ishoulddearlylovetosettleyoubothinthiscountry；andtherefore，Henry，youshallmarrytheyoungestMissBertram，anice，handsome，good-humoured，accomplishedgirl，whowillmakeyouveryhappy。“

Henrybowedandthankedher。

“Mydearsister，“saidMary，“ifyoucanpersuadehimintoanythingofthesort，itwillbeafreshmatterofdelighttometofindmyselfalliedtoanybodysoclever，andIshallonlyregretthatyouhavenothalfadozendaughterstodisposeof。IfyoucanpersuadeHenrytomarry，youmusthavetheaddressofaFrenchwoman。

AllthatEnglishabilitiescandohasbeentriedalready。

Ihavethreeveryparticularfriendswhohavebeenalldyingforhimintheirturn；andthepainswhichthey，theirmothers(verycleverwomen)，aswellasmydearauntandmyself，havetakentoreason，coax，ortrickhimintomarrying，isinconceivable!Heisthemosthorribleflirtthatcanbeimagined。IfyourMissBertramsdonotliketohavetheirheartsbroke，letthemavoidHenry。“

“Mydearbrother，Iwillnotbelievethisofyou。“

“No，Iamsureyouaretoogood。YouwillbekinderthanMary。

Youwillallowforthedoubtsofyouthandinexperience。

Iamofacautioustemper，andunwillingtoriskmyhappinessinahurry。NobodycanthinkmorehighlyofthematrimonialstatethanmyselfIconsidertheblessingofawifeasmostjustlydescribedinthosediscreetlinesofthepoet——’Heaven’s_last_bestgift。’“

“There，Mrs。Grant，youseehowhedwellsononeword，andonlylookathissmile。Iassureyouheisverydetestable；

theAdmiral’slessonshavequitespoiledhim。“

“Ipayverylittleregard，“saidMrs。Grant，“towhatanyyoungpersonsaysonthesubjectofmarriage。

Iftheyprofessadisinclinationforit，Ionlysetitdownthattheyhavenotyetseentherightperson。“

Dr。GrantlaughinglycongratulatedMissCrawfordonfeelingnodisinclinationtothestateherself。

“Ohyes!Iamnotatallashamedofit。Iwouldhaveeverybodymarryiftheycandoitproperly：

Idonotliketohavepeoplethrowthemselvesaway；

buteverybodyshouldmarryassoonastheycandoittoadvantage。“

Chapter05CHAPTERV

Theyoungpeoplewerepleasedwitheachotherfromthefirst。Oneachsidetherewasmuchtoattract，andtheiracquaintancesoonpromisedasearlyanintimacyasgoodmannerswouldwarrant。MissCrawford’sbeautydidhernodisservicewiththeMissBertrams。

Theyweretoohandsomethemselvestodislikeanywomanforbeingsotoo，andwerealmostasmuchcharmedastheirbrotherswithherlivelydarkeye，clearbrowncomplexion，andgeneralprettiness。Hadshebeentall，fullformed，andfair，itmighthavebeenmoreofatrial：butasitwas，therecouldbenocomparison；andshewasmostallowablyasweet，prettygirl，whiletheywerethefinestyoungwomeninthecountry。

Herbrotherwasnothandsome：no，whentheyfirstsawhimhewasabsolutelyplain，blackandplain；butstillhewasthegentleman，withapleasingaddress。Thesecondmeetingprovedhimnotsoveryplain：hewasplain，tobesure，butthenhehadsomuchcountenance，andhisteethweresogood，andhewassowellmade，thatonesoonforgothewasplain；andafterathirdinterview，afterdiningincompanywithhimattheParsonage，hewasnolongerallowedtobecalledsobyanybody。

Hewas，infact，themostagreeableyoungmanthesistershadeverknown，andtheywereequallydelightedwithhim。

MissBertram’sengagementmadehiminequitythepropertyofJulia，ofwhichJuliawasfullyaware；andbeforehehadbeenatMansfieldaweek，shewasquitereadytobefalleninlovewith。

Maria’snotionsonthesubjectweremoreconfusedandindistinct。Shedidnotwanttoseeorunderstand。

“Therecouldbenoharminherlikinganagreeableman——

everybodyknewhersituation——Mr。Crawfordmusttakecareofhimself。“Mr。Crawforddidnotmeantobeinanydanger!

theMissBertramswereworthpleasing，andwerereadytobepleased；andhebeganwithnoobjectbutofmakingthemlikehim。Hedidnotwantthemtodieoflove；

butwithsenseandtemperwhichoughttohavemadehimjudgeandfeelbetter，heallowedhimselfgreatlatitudeonsuchpoints。

“IlikeyourMissBertramsexceedingly，sister，“saidhe，ashereturnedfromattendingthemtotheircarriageafterthesaiddinnervisit；“theyareveryelegant，agreeablegirls。“

“Sotheyareindeed，andIamdelightedtohearyousayit。

ButyoulikeJuliabest。“

“Ohyes!IlikeJuliabest。“

“Butdoyoureally？forMissBertramisingeneralthoughtthehandsomest。“

“SoIshouldsuppose。Shehastheadvantageineveryfeature，andIpreferhercountenance；butIlikeJuliabest；

MissBertramiscertainlythehandsomest，andIhavefoundherthemostagreeable，butIshallalwayslikeJuliabest，becauseyouorderme。“

“Ishallnottalktoyou，Henry，butIknowyou_will_

likeherbestatlast。“

“DonotItellyouthatIlikeherbest_at__first_？“

“Andbesides，MissBertramisengaged。Rememberthat，mydearbrother。Herchoiceismade。“

“Yes，andIlikeherthebetterforit。Anengagedwomanisalwaysmoreagreeablethanadisengaged。

Sheissatisfiedwithherself。Hercaresareover，andshefeelsthatshemayexertallherpowersofpleasingwithoutsuspicion。Allissafewithaladyengaged：

noharmcanbedone。“