improprietyinmakingthempublic。“
　　“Donotyouthink，“saidFanny，afteralittleconsideration，“thatthisimproprietyisareflectionitselfuponMrs。Crawford，asherniecehasbeenentirelybroughtupbyher？ShecannothavegivenherrightnotionsofwhatwasduetotheAdmiral。“
　　“Thatisafairremark。Yes，wemustsupposethefaultsoftheniecetohavebeenthoseoftheaunt；anditmakesonemoresensibleofthedisadvantagesshehasbeenunder。
　　ButIthinkherpresenthomemustdohergood。
　　Mrs。Grant’smannersarejustwhattheyoughttobe。
　　Shespeaksofherbrotherwithaverypleasingaffection。“
　　“Yes，exceptastohiswritinghersuchshortletters。
　　Shemademealmostlaugh；butIcannotratesoveryhighlytheloveorgood-natureofabrotherwhowillnotgivehimselfthetroubleofwritinganythingworthreadingtohissisters，whentheyareseparated。IamsureWilliamwouldneverhaveused_me_so，underanycircumstances。
　　Andwhatrighthadshetosupposethat_you_wouldnotwritelongletterswhenyouwereabsent？“
　　“Therightofalivelymind，Fanny，seizingwhatevermaycontributetoitsownamusementorthatofothers；
　　perfectlyallowable，whenuntincturedbyill-humourorroughness；andthereisnotashadowofeitherinthecountenanceormannerofMissCrawford：nothingsharp，orloud，orcoarse。Sheisperfectlyfeminine，exceptmtheinstanceswehavebeenspeakingof。Thereshecannotbejustified。IamgladyousawitallasIdid。“
　　Havingformedhermindandgainedheraffections，hehadagoodchanceofherthinkinglikehim；thoughatthisperiod，andonthissubject，therebegannowtobesomedangerofdissimilarity，forhewasinalineofadmirationofMissCrawford，whichmightleadhimwhereFannycouldnotfollow。MissCrawford’sattractionsdidnotlessen。
　　Theharparrived，andratheraddedtoherbeauty，wit，andgood-humour；forsheplayedwiththegreatestobligingness，withanexpressionandtastewhichwerepeculiarlybecoming，andtherewassomethingclevertobesaidatthecloseofeveryair。EdmundwasattheParsonageeveryday，tobeindulgedwithhisfavouriteinstrument：
　　onemorningsecuredaninvitationforthenext；
　　fortheladycouldnotbeunwillingtohavealistener，andeverythingwassooninafairtrain。
　　Ayoungwoman，pretty，lively，withaharpaselegantasherself，andbothplacednearawindow，cutdowntotheground，andopeningonalittlelawn，surroundedbyshrubsintherichfoliageofsummer，wasenoughtocatchanyman’sheart。Theseason，thescene，theair，wereallfavourabletotendernessandsentiment。
　　Mrs。Grantandhertambourframewerenotwithouttheiruse：
　　itwasallinharmony；andaseverythingwillturntoaccountwhenloveisoncesetgoing，eventhesandwichtray，andDr。Grantdoingthehonoursofit，wereworthlookingat。
　　Withoutstudyingthebusiness，however，orknowingwhathewasabout，Edmundwasbeginning，attheendofaweekofsuchintercourse，tobeagooddealinlove；
　　andtothecreditoftheladyitmaybeaddedthat，withouthisbeingamanoftheworldoranelderbrother，withoutanyoftheartsofflatteryorthegaietiesofsmalltalk，hebegantobeagreeabletoher。Shefeltittobeso，thoughshehadnotforeseen，andcouldhardlyunderstandit；forhewasnotpleasantbyanycommonrule：
　　hetalkednononsense；hepaidnocompliments；hisopinionswereunbending，hisattentionstranquilandsimple。
　　Therewasacharm，perhaps，inhissincerity，hissteadiness，hisintegrity，whichMissCrawfordmightbeequaltofeel，thoughnotequaltodiscusswithherself。
　　Shedidnotthinkverymuchaboutit，however：hepleasedherforthepresent；shelikedtohavehimnearher；
　　itwasenough。
　　FannycouldnotwonderthatEdmundwasattheParsonageeverymorning；shewouldgladlyhavebeentheretoo，mightshehavegoneinuninvitedandunnoticed，toheartheharp；neithercouldshewonderthat，whentheeveningstrollwasover，andthetwofamiliespartedagain，heshouldthinkitrighttoattendMrs。Grantandhersistertotheirhome，whileMr。CrawfordwasdevotedtotheladiesofthePark；butshethoughtitaverybadexchange；andifEdmundwerenottheretomixthewineandwaterforher，wouldrathergowithoutitthannot。
　　ShewasalittlesurprisedthathecouldspendsomanyhourswithMissCrawford，andnotseemoreofthesortoffaultwhichhehadalreadyobserved，andofwhich_she_
　　wasalmostalwaysremindedbyasomethingofthesamenaturewhenevershewasinhercompany；butsoitwas。
　　EdmundwasfondofspeakingtoherofMissCrawford，butheseemedtothinkitenoughthattheAdmiralhadsincebeenspared；andshescrupledtopointoutherownremarkstohim，lestitshouldappearlikeill-nature。
　　ThefirstactualpainwhichMissCrawfordoccasionedherwastheconsequenceofaninclinationtolearntoride，whichtheformercaught，soonafterherbeingsettledatMansfield，fromtheexampleoftheyoungladiesatthePark，andwhich，whenEdmund’sacquaintancewithherincreased，ledtohisencouragingthewish，andtheofferofhisownquietmareforthepurposeofherfirstattempts，asthebestfittedforabeginnerthateitherstablecouldfurnish。
　　Nopain，noinjury，however，wasdesignedbyhimtohiscousininthisoffer：_she_wasnottoloseaday’sexercisebyit。ThemarewasonlytobetakendowntotheParsonagehalfanhourbeforeherrideweretobegin；andFanny，onitsbeingfirstproposed，sofarfromfeelingslighted，wasalmostover-poweredwithgratitudethatheshouldbeaskingherleaveforit。
　　MissCrawfordmadeherfirstessaywithgreatcredittoherself，andnoinconveniencetoFanny。Edmund，whohadtakendownthemareandpresidedatthewhole，returnedwithitinexcellenttime，beforeeitherFannyorthesteadyoldcoachman，whoalwaysattendedherwhensherodewithouthercousins，werereadytosetforward。
　　Thesecondday’strialwasnotsoguiltless。MissCrawford’senjoymentofridingwassuchthatshedidnotknowhowtoleaveoff。Activeandfearless，andthoughrathersmall，stronglymade，sheseemedformedforahorsewoman；andtothepuregenuinepleasureoftheexercise，somethingwasprobablyaddedinEdmund’sattendanceandinstructions，andsomethingmoreintheconvictionofverymuchsurpassinghersexingeneralbyherearlyprogress，tomakeherunwillingtodismount。Fannywasreadyandwaiting，andMrs。Norriswasbeginningtoscoldherfornotbeinggone，andstillnohorsewasannounced，noEdmundappeared。
　　Toavoidheraunt，andlookforhim，shewentout。
　　Thehouses，thoughscarcelyhalfamileapart，werenotwithinsightofeachother；but，bywalkingfiftyyardsfromthehalldoor，shecouldlookdownthepark，andcommandaviewoftheParsonageandallitsdemesnes，gentlyrisingbeyondthevillageroad；andinDr。Grant’smeadowsheimmediatelysawthegroup——EdmundandMissCrawfordbothonhorse-back，ridingsidebyside，Dr。andMrs。Grant，andMr。Crawford，withtwoorthreegrooms，standingaboutandlookingon。Ahappypartyitappearedtoher，allinterestedinoneobject：cheerfulbeyondadoubt，forthesoundofmerrimentascendedeventoher。
　　Itwasasoundwhichdidnotmake_her_cheerful；
　　shewonderedthatEdmundshouldforgether，andfeltapang。Shecouldnotturnhereyesfromthemeadow；
　　shecouldnothelpwatchingallthatpassed。AtfirstMissCrawfordandhercompanionmadethecircuitofthefield，whichwasnotsmall，atafoot’space；then，at_her_
　　apparentsuggestion，theyroseintoacanter；andtoFanny’stimidnatureitwasmostastonishingtoseehowwellshesat。Afterafewminutestheystoppedentirely。
　　Edmundwasclosetoher；hewasspeakingtoher；
　　hewasevidentlydirectinghermanagementofthebridle；
　　hehadholdofherhand；shesawit，ortheimaginationsuppliedwhattheeyecouldnotreach。Shemustnotwonderatallthis；whatcouldbemorenaturalthanthatEdmundshouldbemakinghimselfuseful，andprovinghisgood-naturebyanyone？Shecouldnotbutthink，indeed，thatMr。Crawfordmightaswellhavesavedhimthetrouble；thatitwouldhavebeenparticularlyproperandbecominginabrothertohavedoneithimself；
　　butMr。Crawford，withallhisboastedgood-nature，andallhiscoachmanship，probablyknewnothingofthematter，andhadnoactivekindnessincomparisonofEdmund。
　　Shebegantothinkitratherharduponthemaretohavesuchdoubleduty；ifshewereforgotten，thepoormareshouldberemembered。
　　Herfeelingsforoneandtheotherweresoonalittletranquillisedbyseeingthepartyinthemeadowdisperse，andMissCrawfordstillonhorseback，butattendedbyEdmundonfoot，passthroughagateintothelane，andsointothepark，andmaketowardsthespotwhereshestood。
　　Shebeganthentobeafraidofappearingrudeandimpatient；
　　andwalkedtomeetthemwithagreatanxietytoavoidthesuspicion。