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1As the horse continued in name, as well as fact, the property of Edmund, Mrs. Norris could tolerate its being for
2Fanny's use; and had Lady Bertram ever thought about her own objection again, he might have been excused in her eyes for
3not waiting till Sir Thomas's return in September, for when September came Sir Thomas was still abroad, and without any
4near prospect of finishing his business. Unfavourable circumstances had suddenly arisen at a moment when he was
5beginning to turn all his thoughts towards England; and the very great uncertainty in which everything was then involved
6determined him on sending home his son, and waiting the final arrangement by himself. Tom arrived safely, bringing an
7excellent account of his father's health; but to very little purpose, as far as Mrs. Norris was concerned. Sir Thomas's
8sending away his son seemed to her so like a parent's care, under the influence of a foreboding of evil to himself, that
9she could not help feeling dreadful presentiments; and as the long evenings of autumn came on, was so terribly haunted
10by these ideas, in the sad solitariness of her cottage, as to be obliged to take daily refuge in the dining-room of the
11Park. The return of winter engagements, however, was not without its effect; and in the course of their progress, her
12mind became so pleasantly occupied in superintending the fortunes of her eldest niece, as tolerably to quiet her nerves.
13"If poor Sir Thomas were fated never to return, it would be peculiarly consoling to see their dear Maria well married,"
14she very often thought; always when they were in the company of men of fortune, and particularly on the introduction of
15a young man who had recently succeeded to one of the largest estates and finest places in the country. Mr. Rushworth was
16from the first struck with the beauty of Miss Bertram, and, being inclined to marry, soon fancied himself in love. He
17was a heavy young man, with not more than common sense; but as there was nothing disagreeable in his figure or address,
18the young lady was well pleased with her conquest. Being now in her twenty-first year, Maria Bertram was beginning to
19think matrimony a duty; and as a marriage with Mr. Rushworth would give her the enjoyment of a larger income than her
20father's, as well as ensure her the house in town, which was now a prime object, it became, by the same rule of moral
21obligation, her evident duty to marry Mr. Rushworth if she could. Mrs. Norris was most zealous in promoting the match,
22by every suggestion and contrivance likely to enhance its desirableness to either party; and, among other means, by
23seeking an intimacy with the gentleman's mother, who at present lived with him, and to whom she even forced Lady Bertram
24to go through ten miles of indifferent road to pay a morning visit. It was not long before a good understanding took
25place between this lady and herself. Mrs. Rushworth acknowledged herself very desirous that her son should marry, and
26declared that of all the young ladies she had ever seen, Miss Bertram seemed, by her amiable qualities and
27accomplishments, the best adapted to make him happy. Mrs. Norris accepted the compliment, and admired the nice
28discernment of character which could so well distinguish merit. Maria was indeed the pride and delight of them
29all--perfectly faultless--an angel; and, of course, so surrounded by admirers, must be difficult in her choice: but yet,
30as far as Mrs. Norris could allow herself to decide on so short an acquaintance, Mr. Rushworth appeared precisely the
31young man to deserve and attach her. After dancing with each other at a proper number of balls, the young people
32justified these opinions, and an engagement, with a due reference to the absent Sir Thomas, was entered into, much to
33the satisfaction of their respective families, and of the general lookers-on of the neighbourhood, who had, for many
34weeks past, felt the expediency of Mr. Rushworth's marrying Miss Bertram. It was some months before Sir Thomas's consent
35could be received; but, in the meanwhile, as no one felt a doubt of his most cordial pleasure in the connexion, the
36intercourse of the two families was carried on without restraint, and no other attempt made at secrecy than Mrs.
37Norris's talking of it everywhere as a matter not to be talked of at present. Edmund was the only one of the family who
38could see a fault in the business; but no representation of his aunt's could induce him to find Mr. Rushworth a
39desirable companion. He could allow his sister to be the best judge of her own happiness, but he was not pleased that
40her happiness should centre in a large income; nor could he refrain from often saying to himself, in Mr. Rushworth's
41company--"If this man had not twelve thousand a year, he would be a very stupid fellow." Sir Thomas, however, was truly
42happy in the prospect of an alliance so unquestionably advantageous, and of which he heard nothing but the perfectly
43good and agreeable. It was a connexion exactly of the right sort--in the same county, and the same interest--and his
44most hearty concurrence was conveyed as soon as possible. He only conditioned that the marriage should not take place
45before his return, which he was again looking eagerly forward to. He wrote in April, and had strong hopes of settling
46everything to his entire satisfaction, and leaving Antigua before the end of the summer. Such was the state of affairs
47in the month of July; and Fanny had just reached her eighteenth year, when the society of the village received an
48addition in the brother and sister of Mrs. Grant, a Mr. and Miss Crawford, the children of her mother by a second
49marriage. They were young people of fortune. The son had a good estate in Norfolk, the daughter twenty thousand pounds.
50As children, their sister had been always very fond of them; but, as her own marriage had been soon followed by the
51death of their common parent, which left them to the care of a brother of their father, of whom Mrs. Grant knew nothing,
52she had scarcely seen them since. In their uncle's house they had found a kind home. Admiral and Mrs. Crawford, though
53agreeing in nothing else, were united in affection for these children, or, at least, were no farther adverse in their
54feelings than that each had their favourite, to whom they showed the greatest fondness of the two. The Admiral delighted
55in the boy, Mrs. Crawford doted on the girl; and it was the lady's death which now obliged her protegee, after some
56months' further trial at her uncle's house, to find another home. Admiral Crawford was a man of vicious conduct, who
57chose, instead of retaining his niece, to bring his mistress under his own roof; and to this Mrs. Grant was indebted for
58her sister's proposal of coming to her, a measure quite as welcome on one side as it could be expedient on the other;
59for Mrs. Grant, having by this time run through the usual resources of ladies residing in the country without a family
60of children--having more than filled her favourite sitting-room with pretty furniture, and made a choice collection of
61plants and poultry--was very much in want of some variety at home. The arrival, therefore, of a sister whom she had
62always loved, and now hoped to retain with her as long as she remained single, was highly agreeable; and her chief
63anxiety was lest Mansfield should not satisfy the habits of a young woman who had been mostly used to London. Miss
64Crawford was not entirely free from similar apprehensions, though they arose principally from doubts of her sister's
65style of living and tone of society; and it was not till after she had tried in vain to persuade her brother to settle
66with her at his own country house, that she could resolve to hazard herself among her other relations. To anything like
67a permanence of abode, or limitation of society, Henry Crawford had, unluckily, a great dislike: he could not
68accommodate his sister in an article of such importance; but he escorted her, with the utmost kindness, into
69Northamptonshire, and as readily engaged to fetch her away again, at half an hour's notice, whenever she were weary of
70the place.
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