第22章

ThedayatSotherton，withallitsimperfections，affordedtheMissBertramsmuchmoreagreeablefeelingsthanwerederivedfromthelettersfromAntigua，whichsoonafterwardsreachedMansfield。ItwasmuchpleasantertothinkofHenryCrawfordthanoftheirfather；

andtothinkoftheirfatherinEnglandagainwithinacertainperiod，whichtheselettersobligedthemtodo，wasamostunwelcomeexercise。

Novemberwastheblackmonthfixedforhisreturn。

SirThomaswroteofitwithasmuchdecisionasexperienceandanxietycouldauthorise。HisbusinesswassonearlyconcludedastojustifyhiminproposingtotakehispassageintheSeptemberpacket，andheconsequentlylookedforwardwiththehopeofbeingwithhisbelovedfamilyagainearlyinNovember。

MariawasmoretobepitiedthanJulia；fortoherthefatherbroughtahusband，andthereturnofthefriendmostsolicitousforherhappinesswouldunitehertothelover，onwhomshehadchosenthathappinessshoulddepend。

Itwasagloomyprospect，andallshecoulddowastothrowamistoverit，andhopewhenthemistclearedawaysheshouldseesomethingelse。Itwouldhardlybe_early_inNovember，thereweregenerallydelays，abadpassageor_something_；thatfavouring_something_

whicheverybodywhoshutstheireyeswhiletheylook，ortheirunderstandingswhiletheyreason，feelsthecomfortof。ItwouldprobablybethemiddleofNovemberatleast；themiddleofNovemberwasthreemonthsoff。

Threemonthscomprisedthirteenweeks。Muchmighthappeninthirteenweeks。

SirThomaswouldhavebeendeeplymortifiedbyasuspicionofhalfthathisdaughtersfeltonthesubjectofhisreturn，andwouldhardlyhavefoundconsolationinaknowledgeoftheinterestitexcitedinthebreastofanotheryounglady。

MissCrawford，onwalkingupwithherbrothertospendtheeveningatMansfieldPark，heardthegoodnews；

andthoughseemingtohavenoconcernintheaffairbeyondpoliteness，andtohaveventedallherfeelingsinaquietcongratulation，hearditwithanattentionnotsoeasilysatisfied。Mrs。Norrisgavetheparticularsoftheletters，andthesubjectwasdropt；butaftertea，asMissCrawfordwasstandingatanopenwindowwithEdmundandFannylookingoutonatwilightscene，whiletheMissBertrams，Mr。Rushworth，andHenryCrawfordwereallbusywithcandlesatthepianoforte，shesuddenlyreviveditbyturningroundtowardsthegroup，andsaying，“HowhappyMr。Rushworthlooks!HeisthinkingofNovember。“

EdmundlookedroundatMr。Rushworthtoo，buthadnothingtosay。

“Yourfather’sreturnwillbeaveryinterestingevent。“

“Itwill，indeed，aftersuchanabsence；anabsencenotonlylong，butincludingsomanydangers。“

“Itwillbetheforerunneralsoofotherinterestingevents：

yoursister’smarriage，andyourtakingorders。“

“Yes。“

“Don’tbeaffronted，“saidshe，laughing，“butitdoesputmeinmindofsomeoftheoldheathenheroes，who，afterperforminggreatexploitsinaforeignland，offeredsacrificesto

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