AboutthirtyyearsagoMissMariaWard，ofHuntingdon，withonlyseventhousandpounds，hadthegoodlucktocaptivateSirThomasBertram，ofMansfieldPark，inthecountyofNorthampton，andtobetherebyraisedtotherankofabaronet’slady，withallthecomfortsandconsequencesofanhandsomehouseandlargeincome。
　　AllHuntingdonexclaimedonthegreatnessofthematch，andheruncle，thelawyer，himself，allowedhertobeatleastthreethousandpoundsshortofanyequitableclaimtoit。
　　Shehadtwosisterstobebenefitedbyherelevation；
　　andsuchoftheiracquaintanceasthoughtMissWardandMissFrancesquiteashandsomeasMissMaria，didnotscrupletopredicttheirmarryingwithalmostequaladvantage。
　　Buttherecertainlyarenotsomanymenoflargefortuneintheworldasthereareprettywomentodeservethem。
　　MissWard，attheendofhalfadozenyears，foundherselfobligedtobeattachedtotheRev。Mr。Norris，afriendofherbrother-in-law，withscarcelyanyprivatefortune，andMissFrancesfaredyetworse。
　　MissWard’smatch，indeed，whenitcametothepoint，wasnotcontemptible：SirThomasbeinghappilyabletogivehisfriendanincomeinthelivingofMansfield；
　　andMr。andMrs。Norrisbegantheircareerofconjugalfelicitywithverylittlelessthanathousandayear。
　　ButMissFrancesmarried，inthecommonphrase，todisobligeherfamily，andbyfixingonalieutenantofmarines，withouteducation，fortune，orconnexions，diditverythoroughly。Shecouldhardlyhavemadeamoreuntowardchoice。SirThomasBertramhadinterest，which，fromprincipleaswellaspride——fromageneralwishofdoingright，andadesireofseeingallthatwereconnectedwithhiminsituationsofrespectability，hewouldhavebeengladtoexertfortheadvantageofLadyBertram’ssister；butherhusband’sprofessionwassuchasnointerestcouldreach；andbeforehehadtimetodeviseanyothermethodofassistingthem，anabsolutebreachbetweenthesistershadtakenplace。
　　Itwasthenaturalresultoftheconductofeachparty，andsuchasaveryimprudentmarriagealmostalwaysproduces。
　　Tosaveherselffromuselessremonstrance，Mrs。Priceneverwrotetoherfamilyonthesubjecttillactuallymarried。
　　LadyBertram，whowasawomanofverytranquilfeelings，andatemperremarkablyeasyandindolent，wouldhavecontentedherselfwithmerelygivinguphersister，andthinkingnomoreofthematter；butMrs。Norrishadaspiritofactivity，whichcouldnotbesatisfiedtillshehadwrittenalongandangrylettertoFanny，topointoutthefollyofherconduct，andthreatenherwithallitspossibleillconsequences。Mrs。Price，inherturn，wasinjuredandangry；andananswer，whichcomprehendedeachsisterinitsbitterness，andbestowedsuchverydisrespectfulreflectionsontheprideofSirThomasasMrs。Norriscouldnotpossiblykeeptoherself，putanendtoallintercoursebetweenthemforaconsiderableperiod。
　　Theirhomesweresodistant，andthecirclesinwhichtheymovedsodistinct，asalmosttoprecludethemeansofeverhearingofeachother’sexistenceduringtheelevenfollowingyears，or，atleast，tomakeitverywonderfultoSirThomasthatMrs。Norrisshouldeverhaveitinherpowertotellthem，asshenowandthendid，inanangryvoice，thatFannyhadgotanotherchild。
　　Bytheendofelevenyears，however，Mrs。Pricecouldnolongeraffordtocherishprideorresentment，ortoloseoneconnexionthatmightpossiblyassisther。Alargeandstillincreasingfamily，anhusbanddisabledforactiveservice，butnotthelessequaltocompanyandgoodliquor，andaverysmallincometosupplytheirwants，madehereagertoregainthefriendsshehadsocarelesslysacrificed；
　　andsheaddressedLadyBertraminaletterwhichspokesomuchcontritionanddespondence，suchasuperfluityofchildren，andsuchawantofalmosteverythingelse，ascouldnotbutdisposethemalltoareconciliation。
　　Shewaspreparingforherninthlying-in；andafterbewailingthecircumstance，andimploringtheircountenanceassponsorstotheexpectedchild，shecouldnotconcealhowimportantshefelttheymightbetothefuturemaintenanceoftheeightalreadyinbeing。Hereldestwasaboyoftenyearsold，afinespiritedfellow，wholongedtobeoutintheworld；butwhatcouldshedo？
　　WasthereanychanceofhisbeinghereafterusefultoSirThomasintheconcernsofhisWestIndianproperty？
　　Nosituationwouldbebeneathhim；orwhatdidSirThomasthinkofWoolwich？orhowcouldaboybesentouttotheEast？
　　Theletterwasnotunproductive。Itre-establishedpeaceandkindness。SirThomassentfriendlyadviceandprofessions，LadyBertramdispatchedmoneyandbaby-linen，andMrs。Norriswrotetheletters。
　　Suchwereitsimmediateeffects，andwithinatwelvemonthamoreimportantadvantagetoMrs。Priceresultedfromit。
　　Mrs。Norriswasoftenobservingtotheothersthatshecouldnotgetherpoorsisterandherfamilyoutofherhead，andthat，muchastheyhadalldoneforher，sheseemedtobewantingtodomore；andatlengthshecouldnotbutownittobeherwishthatpoorMrs。Priceshouldberelievedfromthechargeandexpenseofonechildentirelyoutofhergreatnumber。“Whatiftheywereamongthemtoundertakethecareofhereldestdaughter，agirlnownineyearsold，ofanagetorequiremoreattentionthanherpoormothercouldpossiblygive？
　　Thetroubleandexpenseofittothemwouldbenothing，comparedwiththebenevolenceoftheaction。“LadyBertramagreedwithherinstantly。“Ithinkwecannotdobetter，“
　　saidshe；“letussendforthechild。“
　　SirThomascouldnotgivesoinstantaneousandunqualifiedaconsent。Hedebatedandhesitated；——itwasaseriouscharge；——
　　agirlsobroughtupmustbeadequatelyprovidedfor，ortherewouldbecrueltyinsteadofkindnessintakingherfromherfamily。Hethoughtofhisownfourchildren，ofhistwosons，ofcousinsinlove，etc。；——butnosoonerhadhedeliberatelybeguntostatehisobjections，thanMrs。Norrisinterruptedhimwithareplytothemall，whetherstatedornot。
　　“MydearSirThomas，Iperfectlycomprehendyou，anddojusticetothegenerosityanddelicacyofyournotions，whichindeedarequiteofapiecewithyourgeneralconduct；
　　andIentirelyagreewithyouinthemainastotheproprietyofdoingeverythingonecouldbywayofprovidingforachildonehadinamannertakenintoone’sownhands；
　　andIamsureIshouldbethelastpersonintheworldtowithholdmymiteuponsuchanoccasion。Havingnochildrenofmyown，whoshouldIlooktoinanylittlematterI
　　mayeverhavetobestow，butthechildrenofmysisters？——
　　andIamsureMr。Norrisistoojust——butyouknowIamawomanoffewwordsandprofessions。Donotletusbefrightenedfromagooddeedbyatrifle。Giveagirlaneducation，andintroduceherproperlyintotheworld，andtentoonebutshehasthemeansofsettlingwell，withoutfartherexpensetoanybody。Anieceofours，SirThomas，Imaysay，oratleastof_yours_，wouldnotgrowupinthisneighbourhoodwithoutmanyadvantages。
　　Idon’tsayshewouldbesohandsomeashercousins。
　　Idaresayshewouldnot；butshewouldbeintroducedintothesocietyofthiscountryundersuchveryfavourablecircumstancesas，inallhumanprobability，wouldgetheracreditableestablishment。Youarethinkingofyoursons——
　　butdonotyouknowthat，ofallthingsuponearth，_that_istheleastlikelytohappen，broughtupastheywouldbe，alwaystogetherlikebrothersandsisters？
　　Itismorallyimpossible。Ineverknewaninstanceofit。
　　Itis，infact，theonlysurewayofprovidingagainsttheconnexion。Supposeheraprettygirl，andseenbyTomorEdmundforthefirsttimesevenyearshence，andIdaresaytherewouldbemischief。Theveryideaofherhavingbeensufferedtogrowupatadistancefromusallinpovertyandneglect，wouldbeenoughtomakeeitherofthedear，sweet-temperedboysinlovewithher。Butbreedherupwiththemfromthistime，andsupposehereventohavethebeautyofanangel，andshewillneverbemoretoeitherthanasister。“
　　“Thereisagreatdealoftruthinwhatyousay，“
　　repliedSirThomas，“andfarbeitfrommetothrowanyfancifulimpedimentinthewayofaplanwhichwouldbesoconsistentwiththerelativesituationsofeach。Ionlymeanttoobservethatitoughtnottobelightlyengagedin，andthattomakeitreallyserviceabletoMrs。Price，andcreditabletoourselves，wemustsecuretothechild，orconsiderourselvesengagedtosecuretoherhereafter，ascircumstancesmayarise，theprovisionofagentlewoman，ifnosuchestablishmentshouldofferasyouaresosanguineinexpecting。“
　　“Ithoroughlyunderstandyou，“criedMrs。Norris，“youareeverythingthatisgenerousandconsiderate，andIamsureweshallneverdisagreeonthispoint。
　　WhateverIcando，asyouwellknow，IamalwaysreadyenoughtodoforthegoodofthoseIlove；and，thoughI
　　couldneverfeelforthislittlegirlthehundredthpartoftheregardIbearyourowndearchildren，norconsiderher，inanyrespect，somuchmyown，IshouldhatemyselfifIwerecapableofneglectingher。
　　Isnotsheasister’schild？andcouldIbeartoseeherwantwhileIhadabitofbreadtogiveher？
　　MydearSirThomas，withallmyfaultsIhaveawarmheart；
　　and，poorasIam，wouldratherdenymyselfthenecessariesoflifethandoanungenerousthing。So，ifyouarenotagainstit，Iwillwritetomypoorsistertomorrow，andmaketheproposal；and，assoonasmattersaresettled，_I_willengagetogetthechildtoMansfield；_you_shallhavenotroubleaboutit。Myowntrouble，youknow，Ineverregard。IwillsendNannytoLondononpurpose，andshemayhaveabedathercousinthesaddler’s，andthechildbeappointedtomeetherthere。TheymayeasilygetherfromPortsmouthtotownbythecoach，underthecareofanycreditablepersonthatmaychancetobegoing。
　　Idaresaythereisalwayssomereputabletradesman’swifeorothergoingup。“
　　ExcepttotheattackonNanny’scousin，SirThomasnolongermadeanyobjection，andamorerespectable，thoughlesseconomicalrendezvousbeingaccordinglysubstituted，everythingwasconsideredassettled，andthepleasuresofsobenevolentaschemewerealreadyenjoyed。