andashemust，eitherinthenavyorarmy，havehadagreatmanymorepeopleunderhiscommandthanhehasnow，Ithinkmorewouldhavebeenmadeunhappybyhimasasailororsoldierthanasaclergyman。Besides，IcannotbutsupposethatwhatevertheremaybetowishotherwiseinDr。Grantwouldhavebeeninagreaterdangerofbecomingworseinamoreactiveandworldlyprofession，wherehewouldhavehadlesstimeandobligation——
　　wherehemighthaveescapedthatknowledgeofhimself，the_frequency_，atleast，ofthatknowledgewhichitisimpossibleheshouldescapeasheisnow。Aman——
　　asensiblemanlikeDr。Grant，cannotbeinthehabitofteachingotherstheirdutyeveryweek，cannotgotochurchtwiceeverySunday，andpreachsuchverygoodsermonsinsogoodamannerashedoes，withoutbeingthebetterforithimself。Itmustmakehimthink；
　　andIhavenodoubtthatheoftenerendeavourstorestrainhimselfthanhewouldifhehadbeenanythingbutaclergyman。“
　　“Wecannotprovetothecontrary，tobesure；butIwishyouabetterfate，MissPrice，thantobethewifeofamanwhoseamiablenessdependsuponhisownsermons；forthoughhemaypreachhimselfintoagood-humoureverySunday，itwillbebadenoughtohavehimquarrellingaboutgreengeesefromMondaymorningtillSaturdaynight。“
　　“IthinkthemanwhocouldoftenquarrelwithFanny，“
　　saidEdmundaffectionately，“mustbebeyondthereachofanysermons。“
　　Fannyturnedfartherintothewindow；andMissCrawfordhadonlytimetosay，inapleasantmanner，“IfancyMissPricehasbeenmoreusedtodeservepraisethantohearit“；when，beingearnestlyinvitedbytheMissBertramstojoininaglee，shetrippedofftotheinstrument，leavingEdmundlookingafterherinanecstasyofadmirationofallhermanyvirtues，fromherobligingmannersdowntoherlightandgracefultread。
　　“Theregoesgood-humour，Iamsure，“saidhepresently。
　　“Theregoesatemperwhichwouldnevergivepain!
　　Howwellshewalks!andhowreadilyshefallsinwiththeinclinationofothers!joiningthemthemomentsheisasked。
　　Whatapity，“headded，afteraninstant’sreflection，“thatsheshouldhavebeeninsuchhands!“
　　Fannyagreedtoit，andhadthepleasureofseeinghimcontinueatthewindowwithher，inspiteoftheexpectedglee；
　　andofhavinghiseyessoonturned，likehers，towardsthescenewithout，whereallthatwassolemn，andsoothing，andlovely，appearedinthebrilliancyofanuncloudednight，andthecontrastofthedeepshadeofthewoods。Fannyspokeherfeelings。“Here’sharmony!“saidshe；“here’srepose!
　　Here’swhatmayleaveallpaintingandallmusicbehind，andwhatpoetryonlycanattempttodescribe!Here’swhatmaytranquilliseeverycare，andliftthehearttorapture!
　　WhenIlookoutonsuchanightasthis，Ifeelasiftherecouldbeneitherwickednessnorsorrowintheworld；
　　andtherecertainlywouldbelessofbothifthesublimityofNatureweremoreattendedto，andpeoplewerecarriedmoreoutofthemselvesbycontemplatingsuchascene。“
　　“Iliketohearyourenthusiasm，Fanny。Itisalovelynight，andtheyaremuchtobepitiedwhohavenotbeentaughttofeel，insomedegree，asyoudo；whohavenot，atleast，beengivenatasteforNatureinearlylife。
　　Theyloseagreatdeal。“
　　“_You_taughtmetothinkandfeelonthesubject，cousin。“
　　“Ihadaveryaptscholar。There’sArcturuslookingverybright。“
　　“Yes，andtheBear。IwishIcouldseeCassiopeia。“
　　“Wemustgooutonthelawnforthat。Shouldyoubeafraid？“
　　“Notintheleast。Itisagreatwhilesincewehavehadanystar-gazing。
　　“Yes；Idonotknowhowithashappened。“Thegleebegan。
　　“Wewillstaytillthisisfinished，Fanny，“saidhe，turninghisbackonthewindow；andasitadvanced，shehadthemortificationofseeinghimadvancetoo，movingforwardbygentledegreestowardstheinstrument，andwhenitceased，hewasclosebythesingers，amongthemosturgentinrequestingtohearthegleeagain。
　　FannysighedaloneatthewindowtillscoldedawaybyMrs。Norris’sthreatsofcatchingcold。
　　SirThomaswastoreturninNovember，andhiseldestsonhaddutiestocallhimearlierhome。TheapproachofSeptemberbroughttidingsofMr。Bertram，firstinalettertothegamekeeperandtheninalettertoEdmund；
　　andbytheendofAugusthearrivedhimself，tobegay，agreeable，andgallantagainasoccasionserved，orMissCrawforddemanded；totellofracesandWeymouth，andpartiesandfriends，towhichshemighthavelistenedsixweeksbeforewithsomeinterest，andaltogethertogiveherthefullestconviction，bythepowerofactualcomparison，ofherpreferringhisyoungerbrother。
　　Itwasveryvexatious，andshewasheartilysorryforit；
　　butsoitwas；andsofarfromnowmeaningtomarrytheelder，shedidnotevenwanttoattracthimbeyondwhatthesimplestclaimsofconsciousbeautyrequired：
　　hislengthenedabsencefromMansfield，withoutanythingbutpleasureinview，andhisownwilltoconsult，madeitperfectlyclearthathedidnotcareabouther；andhisindifferencewassomuchmorethanequalledbyherown，thatwerehenowtostepforththeownerofMansfieldPark，theSirThomascomplete，whichhewastobeintime，shedidnotbelieveshecouldaccepthim。
　　TheseasonanddutieswhichbroughtMr。BertrambacktoMansfieldtookMr。CrawfordintoNorfolk。EveringhamcouldnotdowithouthiminthebeginningofSeptember。Hewentforafortnight——afortnightofsuchdullnesstotheMissBertramsasoughttohaveputthembothontheirguard，andmadeevenJuliaadmit，inherjealousyofhersister，theabsolutenecessityofdistrustinghisattentions，andwishinghimnottoreturn；andafortnightofsufficientleisure，intheintervalsofshootingandsleeping，tohaveconvincedthegentlemanthatheoughttokeeplongeraway，hadhebeenmoreinthehabitofexamininghisownmotives，andofreflectingtowhattheindulgenceofhisidlevanitywastending；but，thoughtlessandselfishfromprosperityandbadexample，hewouldnotlookbeyondthepresentmoment。
　　Thesisters，handsome，clever，andencouraging，wereanamusementtohissatedmind；andfindingnothinginNorfolktoequalthesocialpleasuresofMansfield，hegladlyreturnedtoitatthetimeappointed，andwaswelcomedthitherquiteasgladlybythosewhomhecametotriflewithfurther。
　　Maria，withonlyMr。Rushworthtoattendtoher，anddoomedtotherepeateddetailsofhisday’ssport，goodorbad，hisboastofhisdogs，hisjealousyofhisneighbours，hisdoubtsoftheirqualifications，andhiszealafterpoachers，subjectswhichwillnotfindtheirwaytofemalefeelingswithoutsometalentononesideorsomeattachmentontheother，hadmissedMr。Crawfordgrievously；andJulia，unengagedandunemployed，feltalltherightofmissinghimmuchmore。Eachsisterbelievedherselfthefavourite。
　　JuliamightbejustifiedinsodoingbythehintsofMrs。Grant，inclinedtocreditwhatshewished，andMariabythehintsofMr。Crawfordhimself。
　　Everythingreturnedintothesamechannelasbeforehisabsence；
　　hismannersbeingtoeachsoanimatedandagreeableastolosenogroundwitheither，andjuststoppingshortoftheconsistence，thesteadiness，thesolicitude，andthewarmthwhichmightexcitegeneralnotice。
　　Fannywastheonlyoneofthepartywhofoundanythingtodislike；butsincethedayatSotherton，shecouldneverseeMr。Crawfordwitheithersisterwithoutobservation，andseldomwithoutwonderorcensure；andhadherconfidenceinherownjudgmentbeenequaltoherexerciseofitineveryotherrespect，hadshebeensurethatshewasseeingclearly，andjudgingcandidly，shewouldprobablyhavemadesomeimportantcommunicationstoherusualconfidant。Asitwas，however，sheonlyhazardedahint，andthehintwaslost。“Iamrathersurprised，“
　　saidshe，“thatMr。Crawfordshouldcomebackagainsosoon，afterbeingheresolongbefore，fullsevenweeks；
　　forIhadunderstoodhewassoveryfondofchangeandmovingabout，thatIthoughtsomethingwouldcertainlyoccur，whenhewasoncegone，totakehimelsewhere。
　　HeisusedtomuchgayerplacesthanMansfield。“
　　“Itistohiscredit，“wasEdmund’sanswer；“andIdaresayitgiveshissisterpleasure。Shedoesnotlikehisunsettledhabits。“
　　“Whatafavouriteheiswithmycousins!“
　　“Yes，hismannerstowomenaresuchasmustplease。
　　Mrs。Grant，Ibelieve，suspectshimofapreferenceforJulia；
　　Ihaveneverseenmuchsymptomofit，butIwishitmaybeso。Hehasnofaultsbutwhataseriousattachmentwouldremove。“
　　“IfMissBertramwerenotengaged，“saidFannycautiously，“IcouldsometimesalmostthinkthatheadmiredhermorethanJulia。“
　　“Whichis，perhaps，moreinfavourofhislikingJuliabest，thanyou，Fanny，maybeaware；forIbelieveitoftenhappensthataman，beforehehasquitemadeuphisownmind，willdistinguishthesisterorintimatefriendofthewomanheisreallythinkingofmorethanthewomanherselfCrawfordhastoomuchsensetostayhereifhefoundhimselfinanydangerfromMaria；