ThepromiseddeparturewasallthatFannycouldthinkofwithmuchsatisfaction。Heruncle’skindexpressions，however，andforbearingmanner，weresensiblyfelt；
　　andwhensheconsideredhowmuchofthetruthwasunknowntohim，shebelievedshehadnorighttowonderatthelineofconducthepursued。He，whohadmarriedadaughtertoMr。Rushworth：romanticdelicacywascertainlynottobeexpectedfromhim。Shemustdoherduty，andtrustthattimemightmakeherdutyeasierthanitnowwas。
　　Shecouldnot，thoughonlyeighteen，supposeMr。Crawford’sattachmentwouldholdoutforever；shecouldnotbutimaginethatsteady，unceasingdiscouragementfromherselfwouldputanendtoitintime。Howmuchtimeshemight，inherownfancy，allotforitsdominion，isanotherconcern。Itwouldnotbefairtoinquireintoayounglady’sexactestimateofherownperfections。
　　Inspiteofhisintendedsilence，SirThomasfoundhimselfoncemoreobligedtomentionthesubjecttohisniece，toprepareherbrieflyforitsbeingimpartedtoheraunts；
　　ameasurewhichhewouldstillhaveavoided，ifpossible，butwhichbecamenecessaryfromthetotallyoppositefeelingsofMr。Crawfordastoanysecrecyofproceeding。
　　Hehadnoideaofconcealment。ItwasallknownattheParsonage，wherehelovedtotalkoverthefuturewithbothhissisters，anditwouldberathergratifyingtohimtohaveenlightenedwitnessesoftheprogressofhissuccess。WhenSirThomasunderstoodthis，hefeltthenecessityofmakinghisownwifeandsister-in-lawacquaintedwiththebusinesswithoutdelay；though，onFanny’saccount，healmostdreadedtheeffectofthecommunicationtoMrs。NorrisasmuchasFannyherself。
　　Hedeprecatedhermistakenbutwell-meaningzeal。
　　SirThomas，indeed，was，bythistime，notveryfarfromclassingMrs。Norrisasoneofthosewell-meaningpeoplewhoarealwaysdoingmistakenandverydisagreeablethings。
　　Mrs。Norris，however，relievedhim。Hepressedforthestrictestforbearanceandsilencetowardstheirniece；shenotonlypromised，butdidobserveit。
　　Sheonlylookedherincreasedill-will。Angryshewas：
　　bitterlyangry；butshewasmoreangrywithFannyforhavingreceivedsuchanofferthanforrefusingit。
　　ItwasaninjuryandaffronttoJulia，whooughttohavebeenMr。Crawford’schoice；and，independentlyofthat，shedislikedFanny，becauseshehadneglectedher；
　　andshewouldhavegrudgedsuchanelevationtoonewhomshehadbeenalwaystryingtodepress。
　　SirThomasgavehermorecreditfordiscretionontheoccasionthanshedeserved；andFannycouldhaveblessedherforallowingheronlytoseeherdispleasure，andnottohearit。
　　LadyBertramtookitdifferently。Shehadbeenabeauty，andaprosperousbeauty，allherlife；andbeautyandwealthwereallthatexcitedherrespect。ToknowFannytobesoughtinmarriagebyamanoffortune，raisedher，therefore，verymuchinheropinion。
　　ByconvincingherthatFanny_was_verypretty，whichshehadbeendoubtingaboutbefore，andthatshewouldbeadvantageouslymarried，itmadeherfeelasortofcreditincallingherniece。
　　“Well，Fanny，“saidshe，assoonastheywerealonetogetherafterwards，andshereallyhadknownsomethinglikeimpatiencetobealonewithher，andhercountenance，asshespoke，hadextraordinaryanimation；“Well，Fanny，Ihavehadaveryagreeablesurprisethismorning。Imustjustspeakofit_once_，ItoldSirThomasImust_once_，andthenIshallhavedone。Igiveyoujoy，mydearniece。“
　　Andlookingathercomplacently，sheadded，“Humph，wecertainlyareahandsomefamily!“
　　Fannycoloured，anddoubtedatfirstwhattosay；
　　when，hopingtoassailheronhervulnerableside，shepresentlyanswered——
　　“Mydearaunt，_you_cannotwishmetododifferentlyfromwhatIhavedone，Iamsure。_You_cannotwishmetomarry；
　　foryouwouldmissme，shouldnotyou？Yes，Iamsureyouwouldmissmetoomuchforthat。“
　　“No，mydear，Ishouldnotthinkofmissingyou，whensuchanofferasthiscomesinyourway。
　　Icoulddoverywellwithoutyou，ifyouweremarriedtoamanofsuchgoodestateasMr。Crawford。Andyoumustbeaware，Fanny，thatitiseveryyoungwoman’sdutytoacceptsuchaveryunexceptionableofferasthis。“
　　Thiswasalmosttheonlyruleofconduct，theonlypieceofadvice，whichFannyhadeverreceivedfromherauntinthecourseofeightyearsandahalf。Itsilencedher。
　　Shefelthowunprofitablecontentionwouldbe。
　　Ifheraunt’sfeelingswereagainsther，nothingcouldbehopedfromattackingherunderstanding。LadyBertramwasquitetalkative。
　　“Iwilltellyouwhat，Fanny，“saidshe，“Iamsurehefellinlovewithyouattheball；Iamsurethemischiefwasdonethatevening。Youdidlookremarkablywell。
　　Everybodysaidso。SirThomassaidso。AndyouknowyouhadChapmantohelpyoutodress。IamverygladIsentChapmantoyou。IshalltellSirThomasthatI
　　amsureitwasdonethatevening。“Andstillpursuingthesamecheerfulthoughts，shesoonafterwardsadded，“Andwilltellyouwhat，Fanny，whichismorethanIdidforMaria：thenexttimePughasalitteryoushallhaveapuppy。“
　　Edmundhadgreatthingstohearonhisreturn。Manysurpriseswereawaitinghim。Thefirstthatoccurredwasnotleastininterest：theappearanceofHenryCrawfordandhissisterwalkingtogetherthroughthevillageasherodeintoit。
　　Hehadconcluded——hehadmeantthemtobefardistant。
　　HisabsencehadbeenextendedbeyondafortnightpurposelytoavoidMissCrawford。HewasreturningtoMansfieldwithspiritsreadytofeedonmelancholyremembrances，andtenderassociations，whenherownfairselfwasbeforehim，leaningonherbrother’sarm，andhefoundhimselfreceivingawelcome，unquestionablyfriendly，fromthewomanwhom，twomomentsbefore，hehadbeenthinkingofasseventymilesoff，andasfarther，muchfarther，fromhimininclinationthananydistancecouldexpress。
　　Herreceptionofhimwasofasortwhichhecouldnothavehopedfor，hadheexpectedtoseeher。Comingashedidfromsuchapurportfulfilledashadtakenhimaway，hewouldhaveexpectedanythingratherthanalookofsatisfaction，andwordsofsimple，pleasantmeaning。
　　Itwasenoughtosethisheartinaglow，andtobringhimhomeinthepropereststateforfeelingthefullvalueoftheotherjoyfulsurprisesathand。
　　William’spromotion，withallitsparticulars，hewassoonmasterof；andwithsuchasecretprovisionofcomfortwithinhisownbreasttohelpthejoy，hefoundinitasourceofmostgratifyingsensationandunvaryingcheerfulnessalldinner-time。
　　Afterdinner，whenheandhisfatherwerealone，hehadFanny’shistory；andthenallthegreateventsofthelastfortnight，andthepresentsituationofmattersatMansfieldwereknowntohim。
　　Fannysuspectedwhatwasgoingon。Theysatsomuchlongerthanusualinthedining-parlour，thatshewassuretheymustbetalkingofher；andwhenteaatlastbroughtthemaway，andshewastobeseenbyEdmundagain，shefeltdreadfullyguilty。Hecametoher，satdownbyher，tookherhand，andpresseditkindly；andatthatmomentshethoughtthat，butfortheoccupationandthescenewhichthetea-thingsafforded，shemusthavebetrayedheremotioninsomeunpardonableexcess。
　　Hewasnotintending，however，bysuchaction，tobeconveyingtoherthatunqualifiedapprobationandencouragementwhichherhopesdrewfromit。
　　Itwasdesignedonlytoexpresshisparticipationinallthatinterestedher，andtotellherthathehadbeenhearingwhatquickenedeveryfeelingofaffection。Hewas，infact，entirelyonhisfather’ssideofthequestion。
　　Hissurprisewasnotsogreatashisfather’satherrefusingCrawford，because，sofarfromsupposinghertoconsiderhimwithanythinglikeapreference，hehadalwaysbelievedittoberatherthereverse，andcouldimaginehertobetakenperfectlyunprepared，butSirThomascouldnotregardtheconnexionasmoredesirablethanhedid。Ithadeveryrecommendationtohim；
　　andwhilehonouringherforwhatshehaddoneundertheinfluenceofherpresentindifference，honouringherinratherstrongertermsthanSirThomascouldquiteecho，hewasmostearnestinhoping，andsanguineinbelieving，thatitwouldbeamatchatlast，andthat，unitedbymutualaffection，itwouldappearthattheirdispositionswereasexactlyfittedtomakethemblessedineachother，ashewasnowbeginningseriouslytoconsiderthem。
　　Crawfordhadbeentooprecipitate。Hehadnotgivenhertimetoattachherself。Hehadbegunatthewrongend。