andthoughLordRavenshawofferedtoresignhistome，itwasimpossibletotakeit，youknow。Iwassorryfor_him_thatheshouldhavesomistakenhispowers，forhewasnomoreequaltotheBaron——alittlemanwithaweakvoice，alwayshoarseafterthefirsttenminutes。Itmusthaveinjuredthepiecematerially；
　　but_I_wasresolvedtomakenodifficulties。
　　SirHenrythoughtthedukenotequaltoFrederick，butthatwasbecauseSirHenrywantedtheparthimself；
　　whereasitwascertainlyinthebesthandsofthetwo。
　　IwassurprisedtoseeSirHenrysuchastick。
　　Luckilythestrengthofthepiecedidnotdependuponhim。
　　OurAgathawasinimitable，andthedukewasthoughtverygreatbymany。Anduponthewhole，itwouldcertainlyhavegoneoffwonderfully。“
　　“Itwasahardcase，uponmyword“；and，“Idothinkyouwereverymuchtobepitied，“werethekindresponsesoflisteningsympathy。
　　“Itisnotworthcomplainingabout；buttobesurethepoorolddowagercouldnothavediedataworsetime；
　　anditisimpossibletohelpwishingthatthenewscouldhavebeensuppressedforjustthethreedayswewanted。
　　Itwasbutthreedays；andbeingonlyagrandmother，andallhappeningtwohundredmilesoff，Ithinktherewouldhavebeennogreatharm，anditwassuggested，Iknow；
　　butLordRavenshaw，whoIsupposeisoneofthemostcorrectmeninEngland，wouldnothearofit。“
　　“Anafterpieceinsteadofacomedy，“saidMr。Bertram。
　　“Lovers’Vowswereatanend，andLordandLadyRavenshawlefttoactMyGrandmotherbythemselves。Well，thejointuremaycomfort_him_；andperhaps，betweenfriends，hebegantotrembleforhiscreditandhislungsintheBaron，andwasnotsorrytowithdraw；andtomake_you_amends，Yates，IthinkwemustraisealittletheatreatMansfield，andaskyoutobeourmanager。“
　　This，thoughthethoughtofthemoment，didnotendwiththemoment；fortheinclinationtoactwasawakened，andinnoonemorestronglythaninhimwhowasnowmasterofthehouse；andwho，havingsomuchleisureastomakealmostanynoveltyacertaingood，hadlikewisesuchadegreeoflivelytalentsandcomictaste，aswereexactlyadaptedtothenoveltyofacting。
　　Thethoughtreturnedagainandagain。“OhfortheEcclesfordtheatreandscenerytotrysomethingwith。“
　　Eachsistercouldechothewish；andHenryCrawford，towhom，inalltheriotofhisgratificationsitwasyetanuntastedpleasure，wasquitealiveattheidea。
　　“Ireallybelieve，“saidhe，“Icouldbefoolenoughatthismomenttoundertakeanycharacterthateverwaswritten，fromShylockorRichardIIIdowntothesingingheroofafarceinhisscarletcoatandcockedhat。
　　IfeelasifIcouldbeanythingoreverything；
　　asifIcouldrantandstorm，orsighorcutcapers，inanytragedyorcomedyintheEnglishlanguage。Letusbedoingsomething。Beitonlyhalfaplay，anact，ascene；
　　whatshouldpreventus？Notthesecountenances，Iamsure，“
　　lookingtowardstheMissBertrams；“andforatheatre，whatsignifiesatheatre？Weshallbeonlyamusingourselves。
　　Anyroominthishousemightsuffice。“
　　“Wemusthaveacurtain，“saidTomBertram；“afewyardsofgreenbaizeforacurtain，andperhapsthatmaybeenough。“
　　“Oh，quiteenough，“criedMr。Yates，“withonlyjustasidewingortworunup，doorsinflat，andthreeorfourscenestobeletdown；nothingmorewouldbenecessaryonsuchaplanasthis。
　　Formereamusementamongourselvesweshouldwantnothingmore。“
　　“Ibelievewemustbesatisfiedwith_less_，“saidMaria。
　　“Therewouldnotbetime，andotherdifficultieswouldarise。WemustratheradoptMr。Crawford’sviews，andmakethe_performance_，notthe_theatre_，ourobject。
　　Manypartsofourbestplaysareindependentofscenery。“
　　“Nay，“saidEdmund，whobegantolistenwithalarm。
　　“Letusdonothingbyhalves。Ifwearetoact，letitbeinatheatrecompletelyfittedupwithpit，boxes，andgallery，andletushaveaplayentirefrombeginningtoend；soasitbeaGermanplay，nomatterwhat，withagoodtricking，shiftingafterpiece，andafigure-dance，andahornpipe，andasongbetweentheacts。IfwedonotoutdoEcclesford，wedonothing。“
　　“Now，Edmund，donotbedisagreeable，“saidJulia。
　　“Nobodylovesaplaybetterthanyoudo，orcanhavegonemuchfarthertoseeone。“
　　“True，toseerealacting，goodhardenedrealacting；
　　butIwouldhardlywalkfromthisroomtothenexttolookattheraweffortsofthosewhohavenotbeenbredtothetrade：asetofgentlemenandladies，whohaveallthedisadvantagesofeducationanddecorumtostrugglethrough。“
　　Afterashortpause，however，thesubjectstillcontinued，andwasdiscussedwithunabatedeagerness，everyone’sinclinationincreasingbythediscussion，andaknowledgeoftheinclinationoftherest；andthoughnothingwassettledbutthatTomBertramwouldpreferacomedy，andhissistersandHenryCrawfordatragedy，andthatnothingintheworldcouldbeeasierthantofindapiecewhichwouldpleasethemall，theresolutiontoactsomethingorotherseemedsodecidedastomakeEdmundquiteuncomfortable。Hewasdeterminedtopreventit，ifpossible，thoughhismother，whoequallyheardtheconversationwhichpassedattable，didnotevincetheleastdisapprobation。
　　Thesameeveningaffordedhimanopportunityoftryinghisstrength。Maria，Julia，HenryCrawford，andMr。Yateswereinthebilliard-room。Tom，returningfromthemintothedrawing-room，whereEdmundwasstandingthoughtfullybythefire，whileLadyBertramwasonthesofaatalittledistance，andFannyclosebesideherarrangingherwork，thusbeganasheentered——“Suchahorriblyvilebilliard-tableasoursisnottobemetwith，Ibelieve，aboveground。Icanstanditnolonger，andIthink，Imaysay，thatnothingshallevertemptmetoitagain；
　　butonegoodthingIhavejustascertained：itistheveryroomforatheatre，preciselytheshapeandlengthforit；
　　andthedoorsatthefartherend，communicatingwitheachother，astheymaybemadetodoinfiveminutes，bymerelymovingthebookcaseinmyfather’sroom，istheverythingwecouldhavedesired，ifwehadsatdowntowishforit；
　　andmyfather’sroomwillbeanexcellentgreenroom。
　　Itseemstojointhebilliard-roomonpurpose。“
　　“Youarenotserious，Tom，inmeaningtoact？“saidEdmund，inalowvoice，ashisbrotherapproachedthefire。
　　“Notserious!nevermoreso，Iassureyou。Whatistheretosurpriseyouinit？“
　　“Ithinkitwouldbeverywrong。Ina_general_light，privatetheatricalsareopentosomeobjections，butas_we_
　　arecircumstanced，Imustthinkitwouldbehighlyinjudicious，andmorethaninjudicioustoattemptanythingofthekind。
　　Itwouldshewgreatwantoffeelingonmyfather’saccount，absentasheis，andinsomedegreeofconstantdanger；
　　anditwouldbeimprudent，Ithink，withregardtoMaria，whosesituationisaverydelicateone，consideringeverything，extremelydelicate。“
　　“Youtakeupathingsoseriously!asifweweregoingtoactthreetimesaweektillmyfather’sreturn，andinviteallthecountry。Butitisnottobeadisplayofthatsort。Wemeannothingbutalittleamusementamongourselves，justtovarythescene，andexerciseourpowersinsomethingnew。Wewantnoaudience，nopublicity。Wemaybetrusted，Ithink，inchusingsomeplaymostperfectlyunexceptionable；
　　andIcanconceivenogreaterharmordangertoanyofusinconversingintheelegantwrittenlanguageofsomerespectableauthorthaninchatteringinwordsofourown。
　　Ihavenofearsandnoscruples。Andastomyfather’sbeingabsent，itissofarfromanobjection，thatI
　　consideritratherasamotive；fortheexpectationofhisreturnmustbeaveryanxiousperiodtomymother；
　　andifwecanbethemeansofamusingthatanxiety，andkeepingupherspiritsforthenextfewweeks，Ishallthinkourtimeverywellspent，andso，Iamsure，willhe。
　　Itisa_very_anxiousperiodforher。“
　　Ashesaidthis，eachlookedtowardstheirmother。
　　LadyBertram，sunkbackinonecornerofthesofa，thepictureofhealth，wealth，ease，andtranquillity，wasjustfallingintoagentledoze，whileFannywasgettingthroughthefewdifficultiesofherworkforher。
　　Edmundsmiledandshookhishead。
　　“ByJove!thiswon’tdo，“criedTom，throwinghimselfintoachairwithaheartylaugh。“Tobesure，mydearmother，youranxiety——Iwasunluckythere。“