andthedoubtsandhesitationsofherambitionwereequallygotover——andequallywithoutapparentreason。
　　Itcouldonlybeimputedtoincreasingattachment。
　　Hisgoodandherbadfeelingsyieldedtolove，andsuchlovemustunitethem。HewastogototownassoonassomebusinessrelativetoThorntonLaceywerecompleted——
　　perhapswithinafortnight；hetalkedofgoing，helovedtotalkofit；andwhenoncewithheragain，Fannycouldnotdoubttherest。Heracceptancemustbeascertainashisoffer；andyettherewerebadfeelingsstillremainingwhichmadetheprospectofitmostsorrowfultoher，independently，shebelieved，independentlyofself。
　　Intheirverylastconversation，MissCrawford，inspiteofsomeamiablesensations，andmuchpersonalkindness，hadstillbeenMissCrawford；stillshewnamindledastrayandbewildered，andwithoutanysuspicionofbeingso；
　　darkened，yetfancyingitselflight。Shemightlove，butshedidnotdeserveEdmundbyanyothersentiment。
　　Fannybelievedtherewasscarcelyasecondfeelingincommonbetweenthem；andshemaybeforgivenbyoldersagesforlookingonthechanceofMissCrawford’sfutureimprovementasnearlydesperate，forthinkingthatifEdmund’sinfluenceinthisseasonoflovehadalreadydonesolittleinclearingherjudgment，andregulatinghernotions，hisworthwouldbefinallywastedonhereveninyearsofmatrimony。
　　Experiencemighthavehopedmoreforanyyoungpeoplesocircumstanced，andimpartialitywouldnothavedeniedtoMissCrawford’snaturethatparticipationofthegeneralnatureofwomenwhichwouldleadhertoadopttheopinionsofthemanshelovedandrespectedasherown。ButassuchwereFanny’spersuasions，shesufferedverymuchfromthem，andcouldneverspeakofMissCrawfordwithoutpain。
　　SirThomas，meanwhile，wentonwithhisownhopesandhisownobservations，stillfeelingaright，byallhisknowledgeofhumannature，toexpecttoseetheeffectofthelossofpowerandconsequenceonhisniece’sspirits，andthepastattentionsoftheloverproducingacravingfortheirreturn；andhewassoonafterwardsabletoaccountforhisnotyetcompletelyandindubitablyseeingallthis，bytheprospectofanothervisitor，whoseapproachhecouldallowtobequiteenoughtosupportthespiritshewaswatching。Williamhadobtainedatendays’
　　leaveofabsence，tobegiventoNorthamptonshire，andwascoming，thehappiestoflieutenants，becausethelatestmade，toshewhishappinessanddescribehisuniform。
　　Hecame；andhewouldhavebeendelightedtoshewhisuniformtheretoo，hadnotcruelcustomprohibiteditsappearanceexceptonduty。SotheuniformremainedatPortsmouth，andEdmundconjecturedthatbeforeFannyhadanychanceofseeingit，allitsownfreshnessandallthefreshnessofitswearer’sfeelingsmustbewornaway。Itwouldbesunkintoabadgeofdisgrace；forwhatcanbemoreunbecoming，ormoreworthless，thantheuniformofalieutenant，whohasbeenalieutenantayearortwo，andseesothersmadecommandersbeforehim？SoreasonedEdmund，tillhisfathermadehimtheconfidantofaschemewhichplacedFanny’schanceofseeingthesecondlieutenantofH。M。S。Thrushinallhisgloryinanotherlight。
　　ThisschemewasthatsheshouldaccompanyherbrotherbacktoPortsmouth，andspendalittletimewithherownfamily。IthadoccurredtoSirThomas，inoneofhisdignifiedmusings，asarightanddesirablemeasure；
　　butbeforeheabsolutelymadeuphismind，heconsultedhisson。Edmundconsiderediteveryway，andsawnothingbutwhatwasright。Thethingwasgoodinitself，andcouldnotbedoneatabettertime；andhehadnodoubtofitbeinghighlyagreeabletoFanny。ThiswasenoughtodetermineSirThomas；andadecisive“thensoitshallbe“
　　closedthatstageofthebusiness；SirThomasretiringfromitwithsomefeelingsofsatisfaction，andviewsofgoodoverandabovewhathehadcommunicatedtohisson；
　　forhisprimemotiveinsendingherawayhadverylittletodowiththeproprietyofherseeingherparentsagain，andnothingatallwithanyideaofmakingherhappy。
　　Hecertainlywishedhertogowillingly，butheascertainlywishedhertobeheartilysickofhomebeforehervisitended；
　　andthatalittleabstinencefromtheeleganciesandluxuriesofMansfieldParkwouldbringhermindintoasoberstate，andinclinehertoajusterestimateofthevalueofthathomeofgreaterpermanence，andequalcomfort，ofwhichshehadtheoffer。
　　Itwasamedicinalprojectuponhisniece’sunderstanding，whichhemustconsiderasatpresentdiseased。
　　Aresidenceofeightornineyearsintheabodeofwealthandplentyhadalittledisorderedherpowersofcomparingandjudging。Herfather’shousewould，inallprobability，teachherthevalueofagoodincome；andhetrustedthatshewouldbethewiserandhappierwoman，allherlife，fortheexperimenthehaddevised。
　　HadFannybeenatalladdictedtoraptures，shemusthavehadastrongattackofthemwhenshefirstunderstoodwhatwasintended，whenherunclefirstmadehertheofferofvisitingtheparents，andbrothers，andsisters，fromwhomshehadbeendividedalmosthalfherlife；
　　ofreturningforacoupleofmonthstothescenesofherinfancy，withWilliamfortheprotectorandcompanionofherjourney，andthecertaintyofcontinuingtoseeWilliamtothelasthourofhisremainingonland。
　　Hadsheevergivenwaytoburstsofdelight，itmusthavebeenthen，forshewasdelighted，butherhappinesswasofaquiet，deep，heart-swellingsort；andthoughneveragreattalker，shewasalwaysmoreinclinedtosilencewhenfeelingmoststrongly。Atthemomentshecouldonlythankandaccept。Afterwards，whenfamiliarisedwiththevisionsofenjoymentsosuddenlyopened，shecouldspeakmorelargelytoWilliamandEdmundofwhatshefelt；
　　butstilltherewereemotionsoftendernessthatcouldnotbeclothedinwords。Theremembranceofallherearliestpleasures，andofwhatshehadsufferedinbeingtornfromthem，cameoverherwithrenewedstrength，anditseemedasiftobeathomeagainwouldhealeverypainthathadsincegrownoutoftheseparation。
　　Tobeinthecentreofsuchacircle，lovedbysomany，andmorelovedbyallthanshehadeverbeenbefore；
　　tofeelaffectionwithoutfearorrestraint；tofeelherselftheequalofthosewhosurroundedher；tobeatpeacefromallmentionoftheCrawfords，safefromeverylookwhichcouldbefanciedareproachontheiraccount。
　　Thiswasaprospecttobedweltonwithafondnessthatcouldbebuthalfacknowledged。
　　Edmund，too——tobetwomonthsfrom_him_andperhapsshemightbeallowedtomakeherabsencethree
　　mustdohergood。Atadistance，unassailedbyhislooksorhiskindness，andsafefromtheperpetualirritationofknowinghisheart，andstrivingtoavoidhisconfidence，sheshouldbeabletoreasonherselfintoapropererstate；
　　sheshouldbeabletothinkofhimasinLondon，andarrangingeverythingthere，withoutwretchedness。
　　WhatmighthavebeenhardtobearatMansfieldwastobecomeaslightevilatPortsmouth。
　　TheonlydrawbackwasthedoubtofherauntBertram’sbeingcomfortablewithouther。Shewasofusetonooneelse；
　　but_there_shemightbemissedtoadegreethatshedidnotliketothinkof；andthatpartofthearrangementwas，indeed，thehardestforSirThomastoaccomplish，andwhatonly_he_couldhaveaccomplishedatall。
　　ButhewasmasteratMansfieldPark。Whenhehadreallyresolvedonanymeasure，hecouldalwayscarryitthrough；
　　andnowbydintoflongtalkingonthesubject，explaininganddwellingonthedutyofFanny’ssometimesseeingherfamily，hedidinducehiswifetolethergo；
　　obtainingitratherfromsubmission，however，thanconviction，forLadyBertramwasconvincedofverylittlemorethanthatSirThomasthoughtFannyoughttogo，andthereforethatshemust。Inthecalmnessofherowndressing-room，intheimpartialflowofherownmeditations，unbiassedbyhisbewilderingstatements，shecouldnotacknowledgeanynecessityforFanny’severgoingnearafatherandmotherwhohaddonewithouthersolong，whileshewassousefultoherselfAndastothenotmissingher，whichunderMrs。Norris’sdiscussionwasthepointattemptedtobeproved，shesetherselfverysteadilyagainstadmittinganysuchthing。
　　SirThomashadappealedtoherreason，conscience，anddignity。
　　Hecalleditasacrifice，anddemandeditofhergoodnessandself-commandassuch。ButMrs。NorriswantedtopersuadeherthatFannycouldbeverywellspared——_she_beingreadytogiveupallherowntimetoherasrequested——
　　and，inshort，couldnotreallybewantedormissed。
　　“Thatmaybe，sister，“wasallLadyBertram’sreply。
　　“Idaresayyouareveryright；butIamsureIshallmissherverymuch。“
　　ThenextstepwastocommunicatewithPortsmouth。Fannywrotetoofferherself；andhermother’sanswer，thoughshort，wassokind——afewsimplelinesexpressedsonaturalandmotherlyajoyintheprospectofseeingherchildagain，astoconfirmallthedaughter’sviewsofhappinessinbeingwithher——convincingherthatsheshouldnowfindawarmandaffectionatefriendinthe“mama“whohadcertainlyshewnnoremarkablefondnessforherformerly；
　　butthisshecouldeasilysupposetohavebeenherownfaultorherownfancy。Shehadprobablyalienatedlovebythehelplessnessandfretfulnessofafearfultemper，orbeenunreasonableinwantingalargersharethananyoneamongsomanycoulddeserve。Now，whensheknewbetterhowtobeuseful，andhowtoforbear，andwhenhermothercouldbenolongeroccupiedbytheincessantdemandsofahousefulloflittlechildren，therewouldbeleisureandinclinationforeverycomfort，andtheyshouldsoonbewhatmotheranddaughteroughttobetoeachother。