Edmundmight，inthecommonphrase，dothedutyofThornton，thatis，hemightreadprayersandpreach，withoutgivingupMansfieldPark：hemightrideovereverySunday，toahousenominallyinhabited，andgothroughdivineservice；
　　hemightbetheclergymanofThorntonLaceyeveryseventhday，forthreeorfourhours，ifthatwouldcontenthim。
　　Butitwillnot。Heknowsthathumannatureneedsmorelessonsthanaweeklysermoncanconvey；andthatifhedoesnotliveamonghisparishioners，andprovehimself，byconstantattention，theirwell-wisherandfriend，hedoesverylittleeitherfortheirgoodorhisown。“
　　Mr。Crawfordbowedhisacquiescence。
　　“Irepeatagain，“addedSirThomas，“thatThorntonLaceyistheonlyhouseintheneighbourhoodinwhichIshould_not_behappytowaitonMr。Crawfordasoccupier。“
　　Mr。Crawfordbowedhisthanks。
　　“SirThomas，“saidEdmund，“undoubtedlyunderstandsthedutyofaparishpriest。Wemusthopehissonmayprovethat_he_knowsittoo。“
　　WhatevereffectSirThomas’slittleharanguemightreallyproduceonMr。Crawford，itraisedsomeawkwardsensationsintwooftheothers，twoofhismostattentivelisteners——
　　MissCrawfordandFanny。Oneofwhom，havingneverbeforeunderstoodthatThorntonwassosoonandsocompletelytobehishome，wasponderingwithdowncasteyesonwhatitwouldbe_not_toseeEdmundeveryday；andtheother，startledfromtheagreeablefanciesshehadbeenpreviouslyindulgingonthestrengthofherbrother’sdescription，nolongerable，inthepictureshehadbeenformingofafutureThornton，toshutoutthechurch，sinktheclergyman，andseeonlytherespectable，elegant，modernised，andoccasionalresidenceofamanofindependentfortune，wasconsideringSirThomas，withdecidedill-will，asthedestroyerofallthis，andsufferingthemorefromthatinvoluntaryforbearancewhichhischaracterandmannercommanded，andfromnotdaringtorelieveherselfbyasingleattemptatthrowingridiculeonhiscause。
　　Alltheagreeableof_her_speculationwasoverforthathour。
　　Itwastimetohavedonewithcards，ifsermonsprevailed；
　　andshewasgladtofinditnecessarytocometoaconclusion，andbeabletorefreshherspiritsbyachangeofplaceandneighbour。
　　Thechiefofthepartywerenowcollectedirregularlyroundthefire，andwaitingthefinalbreak-up。WilliamandFannywerethemostdetached。Theyremainedtogetherattheotherwisedesertedcard-table，talkingverycomfortably，andnotthinkingoftherest，tillsomeoftherestbegantothinkofthem。HenryCrawford’schairwasthefirsttobegivenadirectiontowardsthem，andhesatsilentlyobservingthemforafewminutes；
　　himself，inthemeanwhile，observedbySirThomas，whowasstandinginchatwithDr。Grant。
　　“Thisistheassemblynight，“saidWilliam。“IfIwereatPortsmouthIshouldbeatit，perhaps。“
　　“ButyoudonotwishyourselfatPortsmouth，William？“
　　“No，Fanny，thatIdonot。IshallhaveenoughofPortsmouthandofdancingtoo，whenIcannothaveyou。AndIdonotknowthattherewouldbeanygoodingoingtotheassembly，forImightnotgetapartner。ThePortsmouthgirlsturnuptheirnosesatanybodywhohasnotacommission。
　　Onemightaswellbenothingasamidshipman。
　　One_is_nothing，indeed。YouremembertheGregorys；
　　theyaregrownupamazingfinegirls，buttheywillhardlyspeakto_me_，becauseLucyiscourtedbyalieutenant。“
　　“Oh!shame，shame!Butnevermindit，William“herowncheeksinaglowofindignationasshespoke。“Itisnotworthminding。Itisnoreflectionon_you_；itisnomorethanwhatthegreatestadmiralshaveallexperienced，moreorless，intheirtime。Youmustthinkofthat，youmusttrytomakeupyourmindtoitasoneofthehardshipswhichfalltoeverysailor’sshare，likebadweatherandhardliving，onlywiththisadvantage，thattherewillbeanendtoit，thattherewillcomeatimewhenyouwillhavenothingofthatsorttoendure。
　　Whenyouarealieutenant!onlythink，William，whenyouarealieutenant，howlittleyouwillcareforanynonsenseofthiskind。“
　　“IbegintothinkIshallneverbealieutenant，Fanny。
　　Everybodygetsmadebutme。“
　　“Oh!mydearWilliam，donottalkso；donotbesodesponding。
　　Myunclesaysnothing，butIamsurehewilldoeverythinginhispowertogetyoumade。Heknows，aswellasyoudo，ofwhatconsequenceitis。“
　　Shewascheckedbythesightofherunclemuchnearertothemthanshehadanysuspicionof，andeachfounditnecessarytotalkofsomethingelse。
　　“Areyoufondofdancing，Fanny？“
　　“Yes，very；onlyIamsoontired。“
　　“Ishouldliketogotoaballwithyouandseeyoudance。HaveyouneveranyballsatNorthampton？
　　Ishouldliketoseeyoudance，andI’ddancewithyouifyou_would_，fornobodywouldknowwhoIwashere，andIshouldliketobeyourpartneroncemore。
　　Weusedtojumpabouttogethermanyatime，didnotwe？
　　whenthehand-organwasinthestreet？Iamaprettygooddancerinmyway，butIdaresayyouareabetter。“
　　Andturningtohisuncle，whowasnowclosetothem，“IsnotFannyaverygooddancer，sir？“
　　Fanny，indismayatsuchanunprecedentedquestion，didnotknowwhichwaytolook，orhowtobepreparedfortheanswer。Someverygravereproof，oratleastthecoldestexpressionofindifference，mustbecomingtodistressherbrother，andsinkhertotheground。
　　But，onthecontrary，itwasnoworsethan，“IamsorrytosaythatIamunabletoansweryourquestion。
　　IhaveneverseenFannydancesinceshewasalittlegirl；
　　butItrustweshallboththinksheacquitsherselflikeagentlewomanwhenwedoseeher，which，perhaps，wemayhaveanopportunityofdoingerelong。“
　　“Ihavehadthepleasureofseeingyoursisterdance，Mr。Price，“saidHenryCrawford，leaningforward，“andwillengagetoanswereveryinquirywhichyoucanmakeonthesubject，toyourentiresatisfaction。
　　ButIbelieve“seeingFannylookeddistressed“itmustbeatsomeothertime。Thereis_one_personincompanywhodoesnotliketohaveMissPricespokenof。“
　　Trueenough，hehadonceseenFannydance；anditwasequallytruethathewouldnowhaveansweredforherglidingaboutwithquiet，lightelegance，andinadmirabletime；
　　but，infact，hecouldnotforthelifeofhimrecallwhatherdancinghadbeen，andrathertookitforgrantedthatshehadbeenpresentthanrememberedanythingabouther。
　　Hepassed，however，foranadmirerofherdancing；
　　andSirThomas，bynomeansdispleased，prolongedtheconversationondancingingeneral，andwassowellengagedindescribingtheballsofAntigua，andlisteningtowhathisnephewcouldrelateofthedifferentmodesofdancingwhichhadfallenwithinhisobservation，thathehadnotheardhiscarriageannounced，andwasfirstcalledtotheknowledgeofitbythebustleofMrs。Norris。
　　“Come，Fanny，Fanny，whatareyouabout？Wearegoing。
　　Donotyouseeyourauntisgoing？Quick，quick!IcannotbeartokeepgoodoldWilcoxwaiting。Youshouldalwaysrememberthecoachmanandhorses。MydearSirThomas，wehavesettleditthatthecarriageshouldcomebackforyou，andEdmundandWilliam。“
　　SirThomascouldnotdissent，asithadbeenhisownarrangement，previouslycommunicatedtohiswifeandsister；but_that_seemedforgottenbyMrs。Norris，whomustfancythatshesettleditallherself。
　　Fanny’slastfeelinginthevisitwasdisappointment：
　　fortheshawlwhichEdmundwasquietlytakingfromtheservanttobringandputroundhershoulderswasseizedbyMr。Crawford’squickerhand，andshewasobligedtobeindebtedtohismoreprominentattention。
　　William’sdesireofseeingFannydancemademorethanamomentaryimpressiononhisuncle。Thehopeofanopportunity，whichSirThomashadthengiven，wasnotgiventobethoughtofnomore。Heremainedsteadilyinclinedtogratifysoamiableafeeling；togratifyanybodyelsewhomightwishtoseeFannydance，andtogivepleasuretotheyoungpeopleingeneral；andhavingthoughtthematterover，andtakenhisresolutioninquietindependence，theresultofitappearedthenextmorningatbreakfast，when，afterrecallingandcommendingwhathisnephewhadsaid，headded，“Idonotlike，William，thatyoushouldleaveNorthamptonshirewithoutthisindulgence。
　　Itwouldgivemepleasuretoseeyoubothdance。
　　YouspokeoftheballsatNorthampton。Yourcousinshaveoccasionallyattendedthem；buttheywouldnotaltogethersuitusnow。Thefatiguewouldbetoomuchforyouraunt。
　　IbelievewemustnotthinkofaNorthamptonball。
　　Adanceathomewouldbemoreeligible；andif——“
　　“Ah，mydearSirThomas!“interruptedMrs。Norris，“Iknewwhatwascoming。Iknewwhatyouweregoingtosay。IfdearJuliawereathome，ordearestMrs。RushworthatSotherton，toaffordareason，anoccasionforsuchathing，youwouldbetemptedtogivetheyoungpeopleadanceatMansfield。
　　Iknowyouwould。If_they_wereathometogracetheball，aballyouwouldhavethisveryChristmas。
　　Thankyouruncle，William，thankyouruncle!“