第76章

Williamwasalmostashappyintheplanashissister。

Itwouldbethegreatestpleasuretohimtohavehertheretothelastmomentbeforehesailed，andperhapsfindhertherestillwhenhecameinfromhisfirstcruise。

Andbesides，hewantedhersoverymuchtoseetheThrushbeforeshewentoutofharbour——theThrushwascertainlythefinestsloopintheservice——andtherewereseveralimprovementsinthedockyard，too，whichhequitelongedtoshewher。

Hedidnotscrupletoaddthatherbeingathomeforawhilewouldbeagreatadvantagetoeverybody。

“Idonotknowhowitis，“saidhe；“butweseemtowantsomeofyournicewaysandorderlinessatmyfather’s。Thehouseisalwaysinconfusion。Youwillsetthingsgoinginabetterway，Iamsure。Youwilltellmymotherhowitalloughttobe，andyouwillbesousefultoSusan，andyouwillteachBetsey，andmaketheboysloveandmindyou。

Howrightandcomfortableitwillallbe!“

BythetimeMrs。Price’sanswerarrived，thereremainedbutaveryfewdaysmoretobespentatMansfield；

andforpartofoneofthosedaystheyoungtravellerswereinagooddealofalarmonthesubjectoftheirjourney，forwhenthemodeofitcametobetalkedof，andMrs。Norrisfoundthatallheranxietytosaveherbrother-in-law’smoneywasvain，andthatinspiteofherwishesandhintsforalessexpensiveconveyanceofFanny，theyweretotravelpost；whenshesawSirThomasactuallygiveWilliamnotesforthepurpose，shewasstruckwiththeideaoftherebeingroomforathirdinthecarriage，andsuddenlyseizedwithastronginclinationtogowiththem，togoandseeherpoordearsisterPrice。

Sheproclaimedherthoughts。Shemustsaythatshehadmorethanhalfamindtogowiththeyoungpeople；

itwouldbesuchanindulgencetoher；shehadnotseenherpoordearsisterPriceformorethantwentyyears；

anditwouldbeahelptotheyoungpeopleintheirjourneytohaveherolderheadtomanageforthem；andshecouldnothelpthinkingherpoordearsisterPricewouldfeelitveryunkindofhernottocomebysuchanopportunity。

WilliamandFannywerehorror-struckattheidea。

Allthecomfortoftheircomfortablejourneywouldbedestroyedatonce。Withwoefulcountenancestheylookedateachother。Theirsuspenselastedanhourortwo。Nooneinterferedtoencourageordissuade。

Mrs。Norriswaslefttosettlethematterbyherself；

anditended，totheinfinitejoyofhernephewandniece，intherecollectionthatshecouldnotpossiblybesparedfromMansfieldParkatpresent；thatshewasagreatdealtoonecessarytoSirThomasandLadyBertramforhertobeabletoanswerittoherselftoleavethemevenforaweek，andthereforemustcertainlysacrificeeveryotherpleasuretothatofbeingusefultothem。

Ithad，infact，occurredtoher，thatthoughtakentoPortsmouthfornothing，itwouldbehardlypossibleforhertoavoidpayingherownexpensesbackagain。

SoherpoordearsisterPricewaslefttoallthedisappointmentofhermissingsuchanopportunity，andanothertwentyyears’absence，perhaps，begun。

Edmund’splanswereaffectedbythisPortsmouthjourney，thisabsenceofFanny’s。Het

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