Ihavenojealousyofanyindividual。ItistheinfluenceofthefashionableworldaltogetherthatIamjealousof。
　　ItisthehabitsofwealththatIfear。Herideasarenothigherthanherownfortunemaywarrant，buttheyarebeyondwhatourincomesunitedcouldauthorise。
　　Thereiscomfort，however，evenhere。Icouldbetterbeartoloseherbecausenotrichenough，thanbecauseofmyprofession。Thatwouldonlyproveheraffectionnotequaltosacrifices，which，infact，Iamscarcelyjustifiedinasking；and，ifIamrefused，that，Ithink，willbethehonestmotive。Herprejudices，Itrust，arenotsostrongastheywere。Youhavemythoughtsexactlyastheyarise，mydearFanny；perhapstheyaresometimescontradictory，butitwillnotbealessfaithfulpictureofmymind。Havingoncebegun，itisapleasuretometotellyouallIfeel。Icannotgiveherup。
　　Connectedaswealreadyare，and，Ihope，aretobe，togiveupMaryCrawfordwouldbetogiveupthesocietyofsomeofthosemostdeartome；tobanishmyselffromtheveryhousesandfriendswhom，underanyotherdistress，Ishouldturntoforconsolation。ThelossofMaryImustconsiderascomprehendingthelossofCrawfordandofFanny。
　　Wereitadecidedthing，anactualrefusal，IhopeI
　　shouldknowhowtobearit，andhowtoendeavourtoweakenherholdonmyheart，andinthecourseofafewyears——
　　butIamwritingnonsense。WereIrefused，Imustbearit；
　　andtillIam，Icanneverceasetotryforher。
　　Thisisthetruth。Theonlyquestionis_how_？Whatmaybethelikeliestmeans？IhavesometimesthoughtofgoingtoLondonagainafterEaster，andsometimesresolvedondoingnothingtillshereturnstoMansfield。Evennow，shespeakswithpleasureofbeinginMansfieldinJune；
　　butJuneisatagreatdistance，andIbelieveIshallwritetoher。Ihavenearlydeterminedonexplainingmyselfbyletter。Tobeatanearlycertaintyisamaterialobject。Mypresentstateismiserablyirksome。
　　Consideringeverything，Ithinkaletterwillbedecidedlythebestmethodofexplanation。IshallbeabletowritemuchthatIcouldnotsay，andshallbegivinghertimeforreflectionbeforesheresolvesonheranswer，andIamlessafraidoftheresultofreflectionthanofanimmediatehastyimpulse；IthinkIam。
　　MygreatestdangerwouldlieinherconsultingMrs。Fraser，andIatadistanceunabletohelpmyowncause。
　　Aletterexposestoalltheevilofconsultation，andwherethemindisanythingshortofperfectdecision，anadvisermay，inanunluckymoment，leadittodowhatitmayafterwardsregret。Imustthinkthismatteroveralittle。Thislongletter，fullofmyownconcernsalone，willbeenoughtotireeventhefriendshipofaFanny。
　　ThelasttimeIsawCrawfordwasatMrs。Fraser’sparty。
　　IammoreandmoresatisfiedwithallthatIseeandhearofhim。Thereisnotashadowofwavering。Hethoroughlyknowshisownmind，andactsuptohisresolutions：
　　aninestimablequality。Icouldnotseehimandmyeldestsisterinthesameroomwithoutrecollectingwhatyouoncetoldme，andIacknowledgethattheydidnotmeetasfriends。Therewasmarkedcoolnessonherside。
　　Theyscarcelyspoke。Isawhimdrawbacksurprised，andIwassorrythatMrs。RushworthshouldresentanyformersupposedslighttoMissBertram。YouwillwishtohearmyopinionofMaria’sdegreeofcomfortasawife。
　　Thereisnoappearanceofunhappiness。Ihopetheygetonprettywelltogether。IdinedtwiceinWimpoleStreet，andmighthavebeenthereoftener，butitismortifyingtobewithRushworthasabrother。JuliaseemstoenjoyLondonexceedingly。Ihadlittleenjoymentthere，buthavelesshere。Wearenotalivelyparty。Youareverymuchwanted。ImissyoumorethanIcanexpress。
　　Mymotherdesiresherbestlove，andhopestohearfromyousoon。Shetalksofyoualmosteveryhour，andIamsorrytofindhowmanyweeksmoresheislikelytobewithoutyou。Myfathermeanstofetchyouhimself，butitwillnotbetillafterEaster，whenhehasbusinessintown。YouarehappyatPortsmouth，Ihope，butthismustnotbeayearlyvisit。Iwantyouathome，thatImayhaveyouropinionaboutThorntonLacey。
　　IhavelittleheartforextensiveimprovementstillIknowthatitwilleverhaveamistress。IthinkI
　　shallcertainlywrite。ItisquitesettledthattheGrantsgotoBath；theyleaveMansfieldonMonday。
　　Iamgladofit。Iamnotcomfortableenoughtobefitforanybody；butyourauntseemstofeeloutofluckthatsuchanarticleofMansfieldnewsshouldfalltomypeninsteadofhers——Yoursever，mydearestFanny。“
　　“Ineverwill，no，Icertainlyneverwillwishforaletteragain，“wasFanny’ssecretdeclarationasshefinishedthis。“Whatdotheybringbutdisappointmentandsorrow？NottillafterEaster!HowshallIbearit？
　　Andmypooraunttalkingofmeeveryhour!“
　　Fannycheckedthetendencyofthesethoughtsaswellasshecould，butshewaswithinhalfaminuteofstartingtheideathatSirThomaswasquiteunkind，bothtoherauntandtoherself。Asforthemainsubjectoftheletter，therewasnothinginthattosootheirritation。ShewasalmostvexedintodispleasureandangeragainstEdmund。
　　“Thereisnogoodinthisdelay，“saidshe。“Whyisnotitsettled？Heisblinded，andnothingwillopenhiseyes；
　　nothingcan，afterhavinghadtruthsbeforehimsolonginvain。Hewillmarryher，andbepoorandmiserable。
　　Godgrantthatherinfluencedonotmakehimceasetoberespectable!“Shelookedovertheletteragain。
　　“’Soveryfondofme!’’tisnonsenseall。Shelovesnobodybutherselfandherbrother。Herfriendsleadingherastrayforyears!Sheisquiteaslikelytohaveled_them_astray。Theyhaveall，perhaps，beencorruptingoneanother；butiftheyaresomuchfonderofherthansheisofthem，sheisthelesslikelytohavebeenhurt，exceptbytheirflattery。’Theonlywomanintheworldwhomhecouldeverthinkofasawife。’Ifirmlybelieveit。Itisanattachmenttogovernhiswholelife。
　　Acceptedorrefused，hisheartisweddedtoherforever。
　　’ThelossofMaryImustconsiderascomprehendingthelossofCrawfordandFanny。’Edmund，youdonotknowme。
　　Thefamilieswouldneverbeconnectedifyoudidnotconnectthem!Oh!write，write。Finishitatonce。
　　Lettherebeanendofthissuspense。Fix，commit，condemnyourself。“
　　Suchsensations，however，weretoonearakintoresentmenttobelongguidingFanny’ssoliloquies。
　　Shewassoonmoresoftenedandsorrowful。Hiswarmregard，hiskindexpressions，hisconfidentialtreatment，touchedherstrongly。Hewasonlytoogoodtoeverybody。
　　Itwasaletter，inshort，whichshewouldnotbuthavehadfortheworld，andwhichcouldneverbevaluedenough。
　　Thiswastheendofit。
　　Everybodyatalladdictedtoletter-writing，withouthavingmuchtosay，whichwillincludealargeproportionofthefemaleworldatleast，mustfeelwithLadyBertramthatshewasoutofluckinhavingsuchacapitalpieceofMansfieldnewsasthecertaintyoftheGrantsgoingtoBath，occuratatimewhenshecouldmakenoadvantageofit，andwilladmitthatitmusthavebeenverymortifyingtohertoseeitfalltotheshareofherthanklessson，andtreatedasconciselyaspossibleattheendofalongletter，insteadofhavingittospreadoverthelargestpartofapageofherown。ForthoughLadyBertramrathershoneintheepistolaryline，havingearlyinhermarriage，fromthewantofotheremployment，andthecircumstanceofSirThomas’sbeinginParliament，gotintothewayofmakingandkeepingcorrespondents，andformedforherselfaverycreditable，common-place，amplifyingstyle，sothataverylittlematterwasenoughforher：shecouldnotdoentirelywithoutany；shemusthavesomethingtowriteabout，eventoherniece；andbeingsosoontoloseallthebenefitofDr。Grant’sgoutysymptomsandMrs。Grant’smorningcalls，itwasveryharduponhertobedeprivedofoneofthelastepistolaryusesshecouldputthemto。
　　Therewasarichamends，however，preparingforher。
　　LadyBertram’shourofgoodluckcame。WithinafewdaysfromthereceiptofEdmund’sletter，Fannyhadonefromheraunt，beginningthus——
　　“MyDearFanny，——Itakeupmypentocommunicatesomeveryalarmingintelligence，whichImakenodoubtwillgiveyoumuchconcern“。
　　ThiswasagreatdealbetterthantohavetotakeupthepentoacquaintherwithalltheparticularsoftheGrants’
　　intendedjourney，forthepresentintelligencewasofanaturetopromiseoccupationforthepenformanydaystocome，beingnolessthanthedangerousillnessofhereldestson，ofwhichtheyhadreceivednoticebyexpressafewhoursbefore。
　　TomhadgonefromLondonwithapartyofyoungmentoNewmarket，whereaneglectedfallandagooddealofdrinkinghadbroughtonafever；andwhenthepartybrokeup，beingunabletomove，hadbeenleftbyhimselfatthehouseofoneoftheseyoungmentothecomfortsofsicknessandsolitude，andtheattendanceonlyofservants。
　　Insteadofbeingsoonwellenoughtofollowhisfriends，ashehadthenhoped，hisdisorderincreasedconsiderably，anditwasnotlongbeforehethoughtsoillofhimselfastobeasreadyashisphysiciantohavealetterdespatchedtoMansfield。
　　“Thisdistressingintelligence，asyoumaysuppose，“
　　observedherladyship，aftergivingthesubstanceofit，“hasagitatedusexceedingly，andwecannotpreventourselvesfrombeinggreatlyalarmedandapprehensiveforthepoorinvalid，whosestateSirThomasfearsmaybeverycritical；andEdmundkindlyproposesattendinghisbrotherimmediately，butIamhappytoaddthatSirThomaswillnotleavemeonthisdistressingoccasion，asitwouldbetootryingforme。WeshallgreatlymissEdmundinoursmallcircle，butItrustandhopehewillfindthepoorinvalidinalessalarmingstatethanmightbeapprehended，andthathewillbeabletobringhimtoMansfieldshortly，whichSirThomasproposesshouldbedone，andthinksbestoneveryaccount，andI