Thesurprisewasnowcomplete；for，inspiteofwhateverhisconsciousnessmightsuggest，asuspicionofhishavinganysuchviewshadneverenteredhissister’simagination；
　　andshelookedsotrulytheastonishmentshefelt，thathewasobligedtorepeatwhathehadsaid，andmorefullyandmoresolemnly。Theconvictionofhisdeterminationonceadmitted，itwasnotunwelcome。Therewasevenpleasurewiththesurprise。MarywasinastateofmindtorejoiceinaconnexionwiththeBertramfamily，andtobenotdispleasedwithherbrother’smarryingalittlebeneathhim。
　　“Yes，Mary，“wasHenry’sconcludingassurance。“Iamfairlycaught。YouknowwithwhatidledesignsIbegan；
　　butthisistheendofthem。Ihave，Iflattermyself，madenoinconsiderableprogressinheraffections；
　　butmyownareentirelyfixed。“
　　“Lucky，luckygirl!“criedMary，assoonasshecouldspeak；
　　“whatamatchforher!MydearestHenry，thismustbemy_first_feeling；butmy_second_，whichyoushallhaveassincerely，is，thatIapproveyourchoicefrommysoul，andforeseeyourhappinessasheartilyasI
　　wishanddesireit。Youwillhaveasweetlittlewife；
　　allgratitudeanddevotion。Exactlywhatyoudeserve。
　　Whatanamazingmatchforher!Mrs。Norrisoftentalksofherluck；whatwillshesaynow？Thedelightofallthefamily，indeed!Andshehassome_true_friendsinit!
　　How_they_willrejoice!Buttellmeallaboutit!
　　Talktomeforever。Whendidyoubegintothinkseriouslyabouther？“
　　Nothingcouldbemoreimpossiblethantoanswersuchaquestion，thoughnothingcouldbemoreagreeablethantohaveitasked。“Howthepleasingplaguehadstolenonhim“hecouldnotsay；andbeforehehadexpressedthesamesentimentwithalittlevariationofwordsthreetimesover，hissistereagerlyinterruptedhimwith，“Ah，mydearHenry，andthisiswhattookyoutoLondon!
　　Thiswasyourbusiness!YouchosetoconsulttheAdmiralbeforeyoumadeupyourmind。“
　　Butthishestoutlydenied。Heknewhisuncletoowelltoconsulthimonanymatrimonialscheme。TheAdmiralhatedmarriage，andthoughtitneverpardonableinayoungmanofindependentfortune。
　　“WhenFannyisknowntohim，“continuedHenry，“hewilldoatonher。SheisexactlythewomantodoawayeveryprejudiceofsuchamanastheAdmiral，forshehewoulddescribe，ifindeedhehasnowdelicacyoflanguageenoughtoembodyhisownideas。Buttillitisabsolutelysettled——
　　settledbeyondallinterference，heshallknownothingofthematter。No，Mary，youarequitemistaken。
　　Youhavenotdiscoveredmybusinessyet。“
　　“Well，well，Iamsatisfied。Iknownowtowhomitmustrelate，andaminnohurryfortherest。
　　FannyPrice!wonderful，quitewonderful!ThatMansfieldshouldhavedonesomuchfor——that_you_shouldhavefoundyourfateinMansfield!Butyouarequiteright；
　　youcouldnothavechosenbetter。Thereisnotabettergirlintheworld，andyoudonotwantforfortune；
　　andastoherconnexions，theyaremorethangood。
　　TheBertramsareundoubtedlysomeofthefirstpeopleinthiscountry。SheisniecetoSirThomasBertram；
　　thatwillbeenoughfortheworld。Butgoon，goon。
　　Tellmemore。Whatareyourplans？Doessheknowherownhappiness？“
　　“No。“
　　“Whatareyouwaitingfor？“
　　“For——forverylittlemorethanopportunity。Mary，sheisnotlikehercousins；butIthinkIshallnotaskinvain。“
　　“Ohno!youcannot。Wereyouevenlesspleasing——
　　supposinghernottoloveyoualreadyofwhich，however，Icanhavelittledoubt——youwouldbesafe。
　　Thegentlenessandgratitudeofherdispositionwouldsecureherallyourownimmediately。FrommysoulIdonotthinkshewouldmarryyou_without_love；thatis，ifthereisagirlintheworldcapableofbeinguninfluencedbyambition，Icansupposeither；butaskhertoloveyou，andshewillneverhavethehearttorefuse。“
　　Assoonashereagernesscouldrestinsilence，hewasashappytotellasshecouldbetolisten；
　　andaconversationfollowedalmostasdeeplyinterestingtoherastohimself，thoughhehadinfactnothingtorelatebuthisownsensations，nothingtodwellonbutFanny’scharms。Fanny’sbeautyoffaceandfigure，Fanny’sgracesofmannerandgoodnessofheart，weretheexhaustlesstheme。Thegentleness，modesty，andsweetnessofhercharacterwerewarmlyexpatiatedon；thatsweetnesswhichmakessoessentialapartofeverywoman’sworthinthejudgmentofman，thatthoughhesometimesloveswhereitisnot，hecanneverbelieveitabsent。
　　Hertemperhehadgoodreasontodependonandtopraise。
　　Hehadoftenseenittried。Wasthereoneofthefamily，exceptingEdmund，whohadnotinsomewayorothercontinuallyexercisedherpatienceandforbearance？
　　Heraffectionswereevidentlystrong。Toseeherwithherbrother!Whatcouldmoredelightfullyprovethatthewarmthofherheartwasequaltoitsgentleness？
　　Whatcouldbemoreencouragingtoamanwhohadherloveinview？Then，herunderstandingwasbeyondeverysuspicion，quickandclear；andhermannerswerethemirrorofherownmodestandelegantmind。Norwasthisall。
　　HenryCrawfordhadtoomuchsensenottofeeltheworthofgoodprinciplesinawife，thoughhewastoolittleaccustomedtoseriousreflectiontoknowthembytheirpropername；
　　butwhenhetalkedofherhavingsuchasteadinessandregularityofconduct，suchahighnotionofhonour，andsuchanobservanceofdecorumasmightwarrantanymaninthefullestdependenceonherfaithandintegrity，heexpressedwhatwasinspiredbytheknowledgeofherbeingwellprincipledandreligious。
　　“Icouldsowhollyandabsolutelyconfideinher，“saidhe；
　　“and_that_iswhatIwant。“
　　Wellmighthissister，believingasshereallydidthathisopinionofFannyPricewasscarcelybeyondhermerits，rejoiceinherprospects。
　　“ThemoreIthinkofit，“shecried，“themoreamIconvincedthatyouaredoingquiteright；andthoughIshouldneverhaveselectedFannyPriceasthegirlmostlikelytoattachyou，Iamnowpersuadedsheistheveryonetomakeyouhappy。
　　Yourwickedprojectuponherpeaceturnsoutacleverthoughtindeed。Youwillbothfindyourgoodinit。“
　　“Itwasbad，verybadinmeagainstsuchacreature；
　　butIdidnotknowherthen；andsheshallhavenoreasontolamentthehourthatfirstputitintomyhead。
　　Iwillmakeherveryhappy，Mary；happierthanshehaseveryetbeenherself，oreverseenanybodyelse。IwillnottakeherfromNorthamptonshire。IshallletEveringham，andrentaplaceinthisneighbourhood；perhapsStanwixLodge。
　　Ishallletasevenyears’leaseofEveringham。
　　Iamsureofanexcellenttenantathalfaword。
　　Icouldnamethreepeoplenow，whowouldgivememyowntermsandthankme。“
　　“Ha!“criedMary；“settleinNorthamptonshire!
　　Thatispleasant!Thenweshallbealltogether。“
　　Whenshehadspokenit，sherecollectedherself，andwisheditunsaid；buttherewasnoneedofconfusion；
　　forherbrothersawheronlyasthesupposedinmateofMansfieldparsonage，andrepliedbuttoinviteherinthekindestmannertohisownhouse，andtoclaimthebestrightinher。
　　“Youmustgiveusmorethanhalfyourtime，“saidhe。
　　“IcannotadmitMrs。GranttohaveanequalclaimwithFannyandmyself，forweshallbothhavearightinyou。
　　Fannywillbesotrulyyoursister!“
　　Maryhadonlytobegratefulandgivegeneralassurances；
　　butshewasnowveryfullypurposedtobetheguestofneitherbrothernorsistermanymonthslonger。
　　“YouwilldivideyouryearbetweenLondonandNorthamptonshire？“
　　“Yes。“