“Thereisnohardship，Isuppose，nothingunpleasant，“
　　saidEdmund，“ingoingonthebarouchebox。“
　　“Unpleasant!“criedMaria：“ohdear!Ibelieveitwouldbegenerallythoughtthefavouriteseat。Therecanbenocomparisonastoone’sviewofthecountry。
　　ProbablyMissCrawfordwillchoosethebarouche-boxherself。“
　　“Therecanbenoobjection，then，toFanny’sgoingwithyou；
　　therecanbenodoubtofyourhavingroomforher。“
　　“Fanny!“repeatedMrs。Norris；“mydearEdmund，thereisnoideaofhergoingwithus。Shestayswithheraunt。
　　ItoldMrs。Rushworthso。Sheisnotexpected。“
　　“Youcanhavenoreason，Iimagine，madam，“saidhe，addressinghismother，“forwishingFanny_not_
　　tobeoftheparty，butasitrelatestoyourself，toyourowncomfort。Ifyoucoulddowithouther，youwouldnotwishtokeepherathome？“
　　“Tobesurenot，butI_cannot_dowithouther。“
　　“Youcan，ifIstayathomewithyou，asImeantodo。“
　　Therewasageneralcryoutatthis。“Yes，“hecontinued，“thereisnonecessityformygoing，andImeantostayathome。FannyhasagreatdesiretoseeSotherton。
　　Iknowshewishesitverymuch。Shehasnotoftenagratificationofthekind，andIamsure，ma’am，youwouldbegladtogiveherthepleasurenow？“
　　“Ohyes!veryglad，ifyourauntseesnoobjection。“
　　Mrs。Norriswasveryreadywiththeonlyobjectionwhichcouldremain——theirhavingpositivelyassuredMrs。RushworththatFannycouldnotgo，andtheverystrangeappearancetherewouldconsequentlybeintakingher，whichseemedtoheradifficultyquiteimpossibletobegotover。
　　Itmusthavethestrangestappearance!Itwouldbesomethingsoveryunceremonious，soborderingondisrespectforMrs。Rushworth，whoseownmannersweresuchapatternofgood-breedingandattention，thatshereallydidnotfeelequaltoit。Mrs。NorrishadnoaffectionforFanny，andnowishofprocuringherpleasureatanytime；
　　butheroppositiontoEdmund_now_，arosemorefrompartialityforherownscheme，becauseit_was_herown，thanfromanythingelse。Shefeltthatshehadarrangedeverythingextremelywell，andthatanyalterationmustbefortheworse。WhenEdmund，therefore，toldherinreply，ashedidwhenshewouldgivehimthehearing，thatsheneednotdistressherselfonMrs。Rushworth’saccount，becausehehadtakentheopportunity，ashewalkedwithherthroughthehall，ofmentioningMissPriceasonewhowouldprobablybeoftheparty，andhaddirectlyreceivedaverysufficientinvitationforhiscousin，Mrs。Norriswastoomuchvexedtosubmitwithaverygoodgrace，andwouldonlysay，“Verywell，verywell，justasyouchuse，settleityourownway，IamsureI
　　donotcareaboutit。“
　　“Itseemsveryodd，“saidMaria，“thatyoushouldbestayingathomeinsteadofFanny。“
　　“Iamsuresheoughttobeverymuchobligedtoyou，“
　　addedJulia，hastilyleavingtheroomasshespoke，fromaconsciousnessthatsheoughttooffertostayathomeherself。
　　“Fannywillfeelquiteasgratefulastheoccasionrequires，“
　　wasEdmund’sonlyreply，andthesubjectdropt。
　　Fanny’sgratitude，whensheheardtheplan，was，infact，muchgreaterthanherpleasure。ShefeltEdmund’skindnesswithall，andmorethanall，thesensibilitywhichhe，unsuspiciousofherfondattachment，couldbeawareof；
　　butthatheshouldforegoanyenjoymentonheraccountgaveherpain，andherownsatisfactioninseeingSothertonwouldbenothingwithouthim。
　　ThenextmeetingofthetwoMansfieldfamiliesproducedanotheralterationintheplan，andonethatwasadmittedwithgeneralapprobation。Mrs。GrantofferedherselfascompanionforthedaytoLadyBertraminlieuofherson，andDr。Grantwastojointhematdinner。LadyBertramwasverywellpleasedtohaveitso，andtheyoungladieswereinspiritsagain。EvenEdmundwasverythankfulforanarrangementwhichrestoredhimtohisshareoftheparty；
　　andMrs。Norristhoughtitanexcellentplan，andhaditathertongue’send，andwasonthepointofproposingit，whenMrs。Grantspoke。
　　Wednesdaywasfine，andsoonafterbreakfastthebarouchearrived，Mr。Crawforddrivinghissisters；andaseverybodywasready，therewasnothingtobedonebutforMrs。Granttoalightandtheotherstotaketheirplaces。Theplaceofallplaces，theenviedseat，thepostofhonour，wasunappropriated。Towhosehappylotwasittofall？
　　WhileeachoftheMissBertramsweremeditatinghowbest，andwiththemostappearanceofobligingtheothers，tosecureit，thematterwassettledbyMrs。Grant’ssaying，asshesteppedfromthecarriage，“Astherearefiveofyou，itwillbebetterthatoneshouldsitwithHenry；
　　andasyouweresayinglatelythatyouwishedyoucoulddrive，Julia，Ithinkthiswillbeagoodopportunityforyoutotakealesson。“
　　HappyJulia!UnhappyMaria!Theformerwasonthebarouche-boxinamoment，thelattertookherseatwithin，ingloomandmortification；andthecarriagedroveoffamidthegoodwishesofthetworemainingladies，andthebarkingofPuginhismistress’sarms。
　　Theirroadwasthroughapleasantcountry；andFanny，whoserideshadneverbeenextensive，wassoonbeyondherknowledge，andwasveryhappyinobservingallthatwasnew，andadmiringallthatwaspretty。Shewasnotofteninvitedtojoinintheconversationoftheothers，nordidshedesireit。Herownthoughtsandreflectionswerehabituallyherbestcompanions；and，inobservingtheappearanceofthecountry，thebearingsoftheroads，thedifferenceofsoil，thestateoftheharvest，thecottages，thecattle，thechildren，shefoundentertainmentthatcouldonlyhavebeenheightenedbyhavingEdmundtospeaktoofwhatshefelt。Thatwastheonlypointofresemblancebetweenherandtheladywhosatbyher：
　　ineverythingbutavalueforEdmund，MissCrawfordwasveryunlikeher。ShehadnoneofFanny’sdelicacyoftaste，ofmind，offeeling；shesawNature，inanimateNature，withlittleobservation；herattentionwasallformenandwomen，hertalentsforthelightandlively。
　　InlookingbackafterEdmund，however，whentherewasanystretchofroadbehindthem，orwhenhegainedontheminascendingaconsiderablehill，theywereunited，anda“thereheis“brokeatthesamemomentfromthemboth，morethanonce。
　　ForthefirstsevenmilesMissBertramhadverylittlerealcomfort：herprospectalwaysendedinMr。Crawfordandhersistersittingsidebyside，fullofconversationandmerriment；andtoseeonlyhisexpressiveprofileasheturnedwithasmiletoJulia，ortocatchthelaughoftheother，wasaperpetualsourceofirritation，whichherownsenseofproprietycouldbutjustsmoothover。
　　WhenJulialookedback，itwaswithacountenanceofdelight，andwhenevershespoketothem，itwasinthehighestspirits：
　　“herviewofthecountrywascharming，shewishedtheycouldallseeit，“etc。；butheronlyofferofexchangewasaddressedtoMissCrawford，astheygainedthesummitofalonghill，andwasnotmoreinvitingthanthis：
　　“Hereisafineburstofcountry。Iwishyouhadmyseat，butIdaresayyouwillnottakeit，letmepressyoueversomuch；“andMissCrawfordcouldhardlyanswerbeforetheyweremovingagainatagoodpace。
　　WhentheycamewithintheinfluenceofSothertonassociations，itwasbetterforMissBertram，whomightbesaidtohavetwostringstoherbow。ShehadRushworthfeelings，andCrawfordfeelings，andinthevicinityofSothertontheformerhadconsiderableeffect。Mr。Rushworth’sconsequencewashers。ShecouldnottellMissCrawfordthat“thosewoodsbelongedtoSotherton，“shecouldnotcarelesslyobservethat“shebelievedthatitwasnowallMr。Rushworth’spropertyoneachsideoftheroad，“
　　withoutelationofheart；anditwasapleasuretoincreasewiththeirapproachtothecapitalfreeholdmansion，andancientmanorialresidenceofthefamily，withallitsrightsofcourt-leetandcourt-baron。
　　“Nowweshallhavenomoreroughroad，MissCrawford；
　　ourdifficultiesareover。Therestofthewayissuchasitoughttobe。Mr。Rushworthhasmadeitsincehesucceededtotheestate。Herebeginsthevillage。
　　Thosecottagesarereallyadisgrace。Thechurchspireisreckonedremarkablyhandsome。Iamgladthechurchisnotsoclosetothegreathouseasoftenhappensinoldplaces。Theannoyanceofthebellsmustbeterrible。
　　Thereistheparsonage：atidy-lookinghouse，andI
　　understandtheclergymanandhiswifeareverydecentpeople。
　　Thosearealmshouses，builtbysomeofthefamily。
　　Totherightisthesteward’shouse；heisaveryrespectableman。Nowwearecomingtothelodge-gates；
　　butwehavenearlyamilethroughtheparkstill。
　　Itisnotugly，yousee，atthisend；thereissomefinetimber，butthesituationofthehouseisdreadful。
　　Wegodownhilltoitforhalfamile，anditisapity，foritwouldnotbeanill-lookingplaceifithadabetterapproach。“
　　MissCrawfordwasnotslowtoadmire；sheprettywellguessedMissBertram’sfeelings，andmadeitapointofhonourtopromoteherenjoymenttotheutmost。Mrs。Norriswasalldelightandvolubility；andevenFannyhadsomethingtosayinadmiration，andmightbeheardwithcomplacency。