“Well，LadyBertram，“saidMrs。Norris，movingtogo，“Icanonlysaythatmysoledesireistobeofusetoyourfamily：andso，ifSirThomasshouldeverspeakagainaboutmytakingFanny，youwillbeabletosaythatmyhealthandspiritsputitquiteoutofthequestion；
　　besidesthat，Ireallyshouldnothaveabedtogiveher，forImustkeepaspareroomforafriend。“
　　LadyBertramrepeatedenoughofthisconversationtoherhusbandtoconvincehimhowmuchhehadmistakenhissister-in-law’sviews；andshewasfromthatmomentperfectlysafefromallexpectation，ortheslightestallusiontoitfromhim。Hecouldnotbutwonderatherrefusingtodoanythingforaniecewhomshehadbeensoforwardtoadopt；but，asshetookearlycaretomakehim，aswellasLadyBertram，understandthatwhatevershepossessedwasdesignedfortheirfamily，hesoongrewreconciledtoadistinctionwhich，atthesametimethatitwasadvantageousandcomplimentarytothem，wouldenablehimbettertoprovideforFannyhimself。
　　Fannysoonlearnthowunnecessaryhadbeenherfearsofaremoval；
　　andherspontaneous，untaughtfelicityonthediscovery，conveyedsomeconsolationtoEdmundforhisdisappointmentinwhathehadexpectedtobesoessentiallyserviceabletoher。Mrs。NorristookpossessionoftheWhiteHouse，theGrantsarrivedattheParsonage，andtheseeventsover，everythingatMansfieldwentonforsometimeasusual。
　　TheGrantsshowingadispositiontobefriendlyandsociable，gavegreatsatisfactioninthemainamongtheirnewacquaintance。
　　Theyhadtheirfaults，andMrs。Norrissoonfoundthemout。
　　TheDoctorwasveryfondofeating，andwouldhaveagooddinnereveryday；andMrs。Grant，insteadofcontrivingtogratifyhimatlittleexpense，gavehercookashighwagesastheydidatMansfieldPark，andwasscarcelyeverseeninheroffices。Mrs。Norriscouldnotspeakwithanytemperofsuchgrievances，norofthequantityofbutterandeggsthatwereregularlyconsumedinthehouse。
　　“Nobodylovedplentyandhospitalitymorethanherself；
　　nobodymorehatedpitifuldoings；theParsonage，shebelieved，hadneverbeenwantingincomfortsofanysort，hadneverborneabadcharacterin_her__time_，butthiswasawayofgoingonthatshecouldnotunderstand。
　　Afineladyinacountryparsonagewasquiteoutofplace。
　　_Her_store-room，shethought，mighthavebeengoodenoughforMrs。Granttogointo。Inquirewhereshewould，shecouldnotfindoutthatMrs。Granthadeverhadmorethanfivethousandpounds。“
　　LadyBertramlistenedwithoutmuchinteresttothissortofinvective。Shecouldnotenterintothewrongsofaneconomist，butshefeltalltheinjuriesofbeautyinMrs。Grant’sbeingsowellsettledinlifewithoutbeinghandsome，andexpressedherastonishmentonthatpointalmostasoften，thoughnotsodiffusely，asMrs。Norrisdiscussedtheother。
　　Theseopinionshadbeenhardlycanvassedayearbeforeanothereventaroseofsuchimportanceinthefamily，asmightfairlyclaimsomeplaceinthethoughtsandconversationoftheladies。SirThomasfounditexpedienttogotoAntiguahimself，forthebetterarrangementofhisaffairs，andhetookhiseldestsonwithhim，inthehopeofdetachinghimfromsomebadconnexionsathome。TheyleftEnglandwiththeprobabilityofbeingnearlyatwelvemonthabsent。
　　Thenecessityofthemeasureinapecuniarylight，andthehopeofitsutilitytohisson，reconciledSirThomastotheeffortofquittingtherestofhisfamily，andofleavinghisdaughterstothedirectionofothersattheirpresentmostinterestingtimeoflife。
　　HecouldnotthinkLadyBertramquiteequaltosupplyhisplacewiththem，orrather，toperformwhatshouldhavebeenherown；but，inMrs。Norris’swatchfulattention，andinEdmund’sjudgment，hehadsufficientconfidencetomakehimgowithoutfearsfortheirconduct。
　　LadyBertramdidnotatallliketohaveherhusbandleaveher；
　　butshewasnotdisturbedbyanyalarmforhissafety，orsolicitudeforhiscomfort，beingoneofthosepersonswhothinknothingcanbedangerous，ordifficult，orfatiguingtoanybodybutthemselves。
　　TheMissBertramsweremuchtobepitiedontheoccasion：
　　notfortheirsorrow，butfortheirwantofit。
　　Theirfatherwasnoobjectoflovetothem；hehadneverseemedthefriendoftheirpleasures，andhisabsencewasunhappilymostwelcome。Theywererelievedbyitfromallrestraint；andwithoutaimingatonegratificationthatwouldprobablyhavebeenforbiddenbySirThomas，theyfeltthemselvesimmediatelyattheirowndisposal，andtohaveeveryindulgencewithintheirreach。
　　Fanny’srelief，andherconsciousnessofit，werequiteequaltohercousins’；butamoretendernaturesuggestedthatherfeelingswereungrateful，andshereallygrievedbecauseshecouldnotgrieve。“SirThomas，whohaddonesomuchforherandherbrothers，andwhowasgoneperhapsnevertoreturn!thatsheshouldseehimgowithoutatear!itwasashamefulinsensibility。“
　　Hehadsaidtoher，moreover，ontheverylastmorning，thathehopedshemightseeWilliamagaininthecourseoftheensuingwinter，andhadchargedhertowriteandinvitehimtoMansfieldassoonasthesquadrontowhichhebelongedshouldbeknowntobeinEngland。
　　“Thiswassothoughtfulandkind!“andwouldheonlyhavesmileduponher，andcalledher“mydearFanny，“
　　whilehesaidit，everyformerfrownorcoldaddressmighthavebeenforgotten。Buthehadendedhisspeechinawaytosinkherinsadmortification，byadding，“IfWilliamdoescometoMansfield，Ihopeyoumaybeabletoconvincehimthatthemanyyearswhichhavepassedsinceyoupartedhavenotbeenspentonyoursideentirelywithoutimprovement；though，Ifear，hemustfindhissisteratsixteeninsomerespectstoomuchlikehissisteratten。“
　　Shecriedbitterlyoverthisreflectionwhenherunclewasgone；andhercousins，onseeingherwithredeyes，setherdownasahypocrite。
　　TomBertramhadoflatespentsolittleofhistimeathomethathecouldbeonlynominallymissed；andLadyBertramwassoonastonishedtofindhowverywelltheydidevenwithouthisfather，howwellEdmundcouldsupplyhisplaceincarving，talkingtothesteward，writingtotheattorney，settlingwiththeservants，andequallysavingherfromallpossiblefatigueorexertionineveryparticularbutthatofdirectingherletters。
　　Theearliestintelligenceofthetravellers’safearrivalatAntigua，afterafavourablevoyage，wasreceived；
　　thoughnotbeforeMrs。Norrishadbeenindulginginverydreadfulfears，andtryingtomakeEdmundparticipatethemwhenevershecouldgethimalone；andasshedependedonbeingthefirstpersonmadeacquaintedwithanyfatalcatastrophe，shehadalreadyarrangedthemannerofbreakingittoalltheothers，whenSirThomas’sassurancesoftheirbothbeingaliveandwellmadeitnecessarytolaybyheragitationandaffectionatepreparatoryspeechesforawhile。
　　Thewintercameandpassedwithouttheirbeingcalledfor；theaccountscontinuedperfectlygood；
　　andMrs。Norris，inpromotinggaietiesforhernieces，assistingtheirtoilets，displayingtheiraccomplishments，andlookingaboutfortheirfuturehusbands，hadsomuchtodoas，inadditiontoallherownhouseholdcares，someinterferenceinthoseofhersister，andMrs。Grant’swastefuldoingstooverlook，leftherverylittleoccasiontobeoccupiedinfearsfortheabsent。
　　TheMissBertramswerenowfullyestablishedamongthebellesoftheneighbourhood；andastheyjoinedtobeautyandbrilliantacquirementsamannernaturallyeasy，andcarefullyformedtogeneralcivilityandobligingness，theypossesseditsfavouraswellasitsadmiration。
　　Theirvanitywasinsuchgoodorderthattheyseemedtobequitefreefromit，andgavethemselvesnoairs；
　　whilethepraisesattendingsuchbehaviour，securedandbroughtroundbytheiraunt，servedtostrengthentheminbelievingtheyhadnofaults。
　　LadyBertramdidnotgointopublicwithherdaughters。
　　Shewastooindolenteventoacceptamother’sgratificationinwitnessingtheirsuccessandenjoymentattheexpenseofanypersonaltrouble，andthechargewasmadeovertohersister，whodesirednothingbetterthanapostofsuchhonourablerepresentation，andverythoroughlyrelishedthemeansitaffordedherofmixinginsocietywithouthavinghorsestohire。
　　Fannyhadnoshareinthefestivitiesoftheseason；
　　butsheenjoyedbeingavowedlyusefulasheraunt’scompanionwhentheycalledawaytherestofthefamily；and，asMissLeehadleftMansfield，shenaturallybecameeverythingtoLadyBertramduringthenightofaballoraparty。
　　Shetalkedtoher，listenedtoher，readtoher；
　　andthetranquillityofsuchevenings，herperfectsecurityinsucha_tete-a-tete_fromanysoundofunkindness，wasunspeakablywelcometoamindwhichhadseldomknownapauseinitsalarmsorembarrassments。Astohercousins’gaieties，shelovedtohearanaccountofthem，especiallyoftheballs，andwhomEdmundhaddancedwith；
　　butthoughttoolowlyofherownsituationtoimaginesheshouldeverbeadmittedtothesame，andlistened，therefore，withoutanideaofanynearerconcerninthem。
　　Uponthewhole，itwasacomfortablewintertoher；
　　forthoughitbroughtnoWilliamtoEngland，thenever-failinghopeofhisarrivalwasworthmuch。
　　Theensuingspringdeprivedherofhervaluedfriend，theoldgreypony；andforsometimeshewasindangeroffeelingthelossinherhealthaswellasinheraffections；
　　forinspiteoftheacknowledgedimportanceofherridingonhorse-back，nomeasuresweretakenformountingheragain，“because，“asitwasobservedbyheraunts，“shemightrideoneofhercousin’shorsesatanytimewhentheydidnotwantthem，“andastheMissBertramsregularlywantedtheirhorseseveryfineday，andhadnoideaofcarryingtheirobligingmannerstothesacrificeofanyrealpleasure，thattime，ofcourse，nevercame。
　　TheytooktheircheerfulridesinthefinemorningsofAprilandMay；andFannyeithersatathomethewholedaywithoneaunt，orwalkedbeyondherstrengthattheinstigationoftheother：LadyBertramholdingexercisetobeasunnecessaryforeverybodyasitwasunpleasanttoherself；andMrs。Norris，whowaswalkingallday，thinkingeverybodyoughttowalkasmuch。Edmundwasabsentatthistime，ortheevilwouldhavebeenearlierremedied。
　　Whenhereturned，tounderstandhowFannywassituated，andperceiveditsilleffects，thereseemedwithhimbutonethingtobedone；andthat“Fannymusthaveahorse“
　　wastheresolutedeclarationwithwhichheopposedwhatevercouldbeurgedbythesupinenessofhismother，ortheeconomyofhisaunt，tomakeitappearunimportant。