Mrs。NorriscouldnothelpthinkingthatsomesteadyoldthingmightbefoundamongthenumbersbelongingtotheParkthatwoulddovastlywell；orthatonemightbeborrowedofthesteward；orthatperhapsDr。Grantmightnowandthenlendthemtheponyhesenttothepost。
　　Shecouldnotbutconsideritasabsolutelyunnecessary，andevenimproper，thatFannyshouldhavearegularlady’shorseofherown，inthestyleofhercousins。
　　ShewassureSirThomashadneverintendedit：andshemustsaythat，tobemakingsuchapurchaseinhisabsence，andaddingtothegreatexpensesofhisstable，atatimewhenalargepartofhisincomewasunsettled，seemedtoherveryunjustifiable。“Fannymusthaveahorse，“wasEdmund’sonlyreply。Mrs。Norriscouldnotseeitinthesamelight。LadyBertramdid：
　　sheentirelyagreedwithhersonastothenecessityofit，andastoitsbeingconsiderednecessarybyhisfather；
　　sheonlypleadedagainsttherebeinganyhurry；sheonlywantedhimtowaittillSirThomas’sreturn，andthenSirThomasmightsettleitallhimself。HewouldbeathomeinSeptember，andwherewouldbetheharmofonlywaitingtillSeptember？
　　ThoughEdmundwasmuchmoredispleasedwithhisauntthanwithhismother，asevincingleastregardforherniece，hecouldnothelppayingmoreattentiontowhatshesaid；
　　andatlengthdeterminedonamethodofproceedingwhichwouldobviatetheriskofhisfather’sthinkinghehaddonetoomuch，andatthesametimeprocureforFannytheimmediatemeansofexercise，whichhecouldnotbearsheshouldbewithout。Hehadthreehorsesofhisown，butnotonethatwouldcarryawoman。Twoofthemwerehunters；thethird，ausefulroad-horse：thisthirdheresolvedtoexchangeforonethathiscousinmightride；
　　heknewwheresuchaonewastobemetwith；andhavingoncemadeuphismind，thewholebusinesswassooncompleted。
　　Thenewmareprovedatreasure；withaverylittletroubleshebecameexactlycalculatedforthepurpose，andFannywasthenputinalmostfullpossessionofher。
　　Shehadnotsupposedbeforethatanythingcouldeversuitherliketheoldgreypony；butherdelightinEdmund’smarewasfarbeyondanyformerpleasureofthesort；
　　andtheadditionitwaseverreceivingintheconsiderationofthatkindnessfromwhichherpleasuresprung，wasbeyondallherwordstoexpress。Sheregardedhercousinasanexampleofeverythinggoodandgreat，aspossessingworthwhichnoonebutherselfcouldeverappreciate，andasentitledtosuchgratitudefromherasnofeelingscouldbestrongenoughtopay。
　　Hersentimentstowardshimwerecompoundedofallthatwasrespectful，grateful，confiding，andtender。
　　Asthehorsecontinuedinname，aswellasfact，thepropertyofEdmund，Mrs。NorriscouldtolerateitsbeingforFanny’suse；andhadLadyBertrameverthoughtaboutherownobjectionagain，hemighthavebeenexcusedinhereyesfornotwaitingtillSirThomas’sreturninSeptember，forwhenSeptembercameSirThomaswasstillabroad，andwithoutanynearprospectoffinishinghisbusiness。
　　UnfavourablecircumstanceshadsuddenlyarisenatamomentwhenhewasbeginningtoturnallhisthoughtstowardsEngland；
　　andtheverygreatuncertaintyinwhicheverythingwastheninvolveddeterminedhimonsendinghomehisson，andwaitingthefinalarrangementbyhimselfTomarrivedsafely，bringinganexcellentaccountofhisfather’shealth；
　　buttoverylittlepurpose，asfarasMrs。Norriswasconcerned。SirThomas’ssendingawayhissonseemedtohersolikeaparent’scare，undertheinfluenceofaforebodingofeviltohimself，thatshecouldnothelpfeelingdreadfulpresentiments；andasthelongeveningsofautumncameon，wassoterriblyhauntedbytheseideas，inthesadsolitarinessofhercottage，astobeobligedtotakedailyrefugeinthedining-roomofthePark。
　　Thereturnofwinterengagements，however，wasnotwithoutitseffect；andinthecourseoftheirprogress，hermindbecamesopleasantlyoccupiedinsuperintendingthefortunesofhereldestniece，astolerablytoquiethernerves。“IfpoorSirThomaswerefatednevertoreturn，itwouldbepeculiarlyconsolingtoseetheirdearMariawellmarried，“sheveryoftenthought；alwayswhentheywereinthecompanyofmenoffortune，andparticularlyontheintroductionofayoungmanwhohadrecentlysucceededtooneofthelargestestatesandfinestplacesinthecountry。
　　Mr。RushworthwasfromthefirststruckwiththebeautyofMissBertram，and，beinginclinedtomarry，soonfanciedhimselfinlove。Hewasaheavyyoungman，withnotmorethancommonsense；butastherewasnothingdisagreeableinhisfigureoraddress，theyoungladywaswellpleasedwithherconquest。Beingnowinhertwenty-firstyear，MariaBertramwasbeginningtothinkmatrimonyaduty；
　　andasamarriagewithMr。Rushworthwouldgivehertheenjoymentofalargerincomethanherfather’s，aswellasensureherthehouseintown，whichwasnowaprimeobject，itbecame，bythesameruleofmoralobligation，herevidentdutytomarryMr。Rushworthifshecould。
　　Mrs。Norriswasmostzealousinpromotingthematch，byeverysuggestionandcontrivancelikelytoenhanceitsdesirablenesstoeitherparty；and，amongothermeans，byseekinganintimacywiththegentleman’smother，whoatpresentlivedwithhim，andtowhomsheevenforcedLadyBertramtogothroughtenmilesofindifferentroadtopayamorningvisit。Itwasnotlongbeforeagoodunderstandingtookplacebetweenthisladyandherself。
　　Mrs。Rushworthacknowledgedherselfverydesirousthathersonshouldmarry，anddeclaredthatofalltheyoungladiesshehadeverseen，MissBertramseemed，byheramiablequalitiesandaccomplishments，thebestadaptedtomakehimhappy。Mrs。Norrisacceptedthecompliment，andadmiredthenicediscernmentofcharacterwhichcouldsowelldistinguishmerit。Mariawasindeedtheprideanddelightofthemall——perfectlyfaultless——
　　anangel；and，ofcourse，sosurroundedbyadmirers，mustbedifficultinherchoice：butyet，asfarasMrs。Norriscouldallowherselftodecideonsoshortanacquaintance，Mr。Rushworthappearedpreciselytheyoungmantodeserveandattachher。
　　Afterdancingwitheachotheratapropernumberofballs，theyoungpeoplejustifiedtheseopinions，andanengagement，withaduereferencetotheabsentSirThomas，wasenteredinto，muchtothesatisfactionoftheirrespectivefamilies，andofthegenerallookers-onoftheneighbourhood，whohad，formanyweekspast，felttheexpediencyofMr。Rushworth’smarryingMissBertram。
　　ItwassomemonthsbeforeSirThomas’sconsentcouldbereceived；but，inthemeanwhile，asnoonefeltadoubtofhismostcordialpleasureintheconnexion，theintercourseofthetwofamilieswascarriedonwithoutrestraint，andnootherattemptmadeatsecrecythanMrs。Norris’stalkingofiteverywhereasamatternottobetalkedofatpresent。
　　Edmundwastheonlyoneofthefamilywhocouldseeafaultinthebusiness；butnorepresentationofhisaunt’scouldinducehimtofindMr。Rushworthadesirablecompanion。
　　Hecouldallowhissistertobethebestjudgeofherownhappiness，buthewasnotpleasedthatherhappinessshouldcentreinalargeincome；norcouldherefrainfromoftensayingtohimself，inMr。Rushworth’scompany——
　　“Ifthismanhadnottwelvethousandayear，hewouldbeaverystupidfellow。“
　　SirThomas，however，wastrulyhappyintheprospectofanalliancesounquestionablyadvantageous，andofwhichheheardnothingbuttheperfectlygoodandagreeable。
　　Itwasaconnexionexactlyoftherightsort——
　　inthesamecounty，andthesameinterest——andhismostheartyconcurrencewasconveyedassoonaspossible。
　　Heonlyconditionedthatthemarriageshouldnottakeplacebeforehisreturn，whichhewasagainlookingeagerlyforwardto。HewroteinApril，andhadstronghopesofsettlingeverythingtohisentiresatisfaction，andleavingAntiguabeforetheendofthesummer。
　　SuchwasthestateofaffairsinthemonthofJuly；
　　andFannyhadjustreachedhereighteenthyear，whenthesocietyofthevillagereceivedanadditioninthebrotherandsisterofMrs。Grant，aMr。andMissCrawford，thechildrenofhermotherbyasecondmarriage。
　　Theywereyoungpeopleoffortune。ThesonhadagoodestateinNorfolk，thedaughtertwentythousandpounds。
　　Aschildren，theirsisterhadbeenalwaysveryfondofthem；but，asherownmarriagehadbeensoonfollowedbythedeathoftheircommonparent，whichleftthemtothecareofabrotheroftheirfather，ofwhomMrs。Grantknewnothing，shehadscarcelyseenthemsince。
　　Intheiruncle’shousetheyhadfoundakindhome。
　　AdmiralandMrs。Crawford，thoughagreeinginnothingelse，wereunitedinaffectionforthesechildren，or，atleast，werenofartheradverseintheirfeelingsthanthateachhadtheirfavourite，towhomtheyshowedthegreatestfondnessofthetwo。TheAdmiraldelightedintheboy，Mrs。Crawforddotedonthegirl；anditwasthelady’sdeathwhichnowobligedher_protegee_，aftersomemonths’
　　furthertrialatheruncle’shouse，tofindanotherhome。
　　AdmiralCrawfordwasamanofviciousconduct，whochose，insteadofretaininghisniece，tobringhismistressunderhisownroof；andtothisMrs。Grantwasindebtedforhersister’sproposalofcomingtoher，ameasurequiteaswelcomeononesideasitcouldbeexpedientontheother；
　　forMrs。Grant，havingbythistimerunthroughtheusualresourcesofladiesresidinginthecountrywithoutafamilyofchildren——havingmorethanfilledherfavouritesitting-roomwithprettyfurniture，andmadeachoicecollectionofplantsandpoultry——wasverymuchinwantofsomevarietyathome。Thearrival，therefore，ofasisterwhomshehadalwaysloved，andnowhopedtoretainwithheraslongassheremainedsingle，washighlyagreeable；
　　andherchiefanxietywaslestMansfieldshouldnotsatisfythehabitsofayoungwomanwhohadbeenmostlyusedtoLondon。