“Shehasgotit，“saidLadyBertram；“shehashaditeversinceshecamebackfromyourhousethesecondtime。“
　　“What!“criedEdmund；“hasshebeenwalkingaswellascuttingroses；walkingacrossthehotparktoyourhouse，anddoingittwice，ma’am？Nowonderherheadaches。“
　　Mrs。NorriswastalkingtoJulia，anddidnothear。
　　“Iwasafraiditwouldbetoomuchforher，“saidLadyBertram；
　　“butwhentherosesweregathered，yourauntwishedtohavethem，andthenyouknowtheymustbetakenhome。“
　　“Butwerethererosesenoughtoobligehertogotwice？“
　　“No；buttheyweretobeputintothespareroomtodry；
　　and，unluckily，Fannyforgottolockthedooroftheroomandbringawaythekey，soshewasobligedtogoagain。“
　　Edmundgotupandwalkedabouttheroom，saying，“AndcouldnobodybeemployedonsuchanerrandbutFanny？Uponmyword，ma’am，ithasbeenaveryill-managedbusiness。“
　　“IamsureIdonotknowhowitwastohavebeendonebetter，“
　　criedMrs。Norris，unabletobelongerdeaf；“unlessIhadgonemyself，indeed；butIcannotbeintwoplacesatonce；
　　andIwastalkingtoMr。Greenatthatverytimeaboutyourmother’sdairymaid，by_her_desire，andhadpromisedJohnGroomtowritetoMrs。Jefferiesabouthisson，andthepoorfellowwaswaitingformehalfanhour。
　　Ithinknobodycanjustlyaccusemeofsparingmyselfuponanyoccasion，butreallyIcannotdoeverythingatonce。
　　AndasforFanny’sjuststeppingdowntomyhouseforme——
　　itisnotmuchaboveaquarterofamile——IcannotthinkI
　　wasunreasonabletoaskit。HowoftendoIpaceitthreetimesaday，earlyandlate，ay，andinallweatherstoo，andsaynothingaboutit？“
　　“IwishFannyhadhalfyourstrength，ma’am。“
　　“IfFannywouldbemoreregularinherexercise，shewouldnotbeknockedupsosoon。Shehasnotbeenoutonhorsebacknowthislongwhile，andIampersuadedthat，whenshedoesnotride，sheoughttowalk。Ifshehadbeenridingbefore，Ishouldnothaveaskeditofher。
　　ButIthoughtitwouldratherdohergoodafterbeingstoopingamongtheroses；forthereisnothingsorefreshingasawalkafterafatigueofthatkind；
　　andthoughthesunwasstrong，itwasnotsoveryhot。
　　Betweenourselves，Edmund，“noddingsignificantlyathismother，“itwascuttingtheroses，anddawdlingaboutintheflower-garden，thatdidthemischief。“
　　“Iamafraiditwas，indeed，“saidthemorecandidLadyBertram，whohadoverheardher；“Iamverymuchafraidshecaughttheheadachethere，fortheheatwasenoughtokillanybody。ItwasasmuchasIcouldbearmyself。
　　SittingandcallingtoPug，andtryingtokeephimfromtheflower-beds，wasalmosttoomuchforme。“
　　Edmundsaidnomoretoeitherlady；butgoingquietlytoanothertable，onwhichthesupper-trayyetremained，broughtaglassofMadeiratoFanny，andobligedhertodrinkthegreaterpart。Shewishedtobeabletodeclineit；
　　butthetears，whichavarietyoffeelingscreated，madeiteasiertoswallowthantospeak。
　　VexedasEdmundwaswithhismotherandaunt，hewasstillmoreangrywithhimself。Hisownforgetfulnessofherwasworsethananythingwhichtheyhaddone。Nothingofthiswouldhavehappenedhadshebeenproperlyconsidered；
　　butshehadbeenleftfourdaystogetherwithoutanychoiceofcompanionsorexercise，andwithoutanyexcuseforavoidingwhateverherunreasonableauntsmightrequire。
　　Hewasashamedtothinkthatforfourdaystogethershehadnothadthepowerofriding，andveryseriouslyresolved，howeverunwillinghemustbetocheckapleasureofMissCrawford’s，thatitshouldneverhappenagain。
　　FannywenttobedwithherheartasfullasonthefirsteveningofherarrivalatthePark。Thestateofherspiritshadprobablyhaditsshareinherindisposition；
　　forshehadbeenfeelingneglected，andbeenstrugglingagainstdiscontentandenvyforsomedayspast。
　　Assheleantonthesofa，towhichshehadretreatedthatshemightnotbeseen，thepainofhermindhadbeenmuchbeyondthatinherhead；andthesuddenchangewhichEdmund’skindnesshadthenoccasioned，madeherhardlyknowhowtosupportherself。
　　Fanny’sridesrecommencedtheverynextday；andasitwasapleasantfresh-feelingmorning，lesshotthantheweatherhadlatelybeen，Edmundtrustedthatherlosses，bothofhealthandpleasure，wouldbesoonmadegood。
　　WhileshewasgoneMr。Rushwortharrived，escortinghismother，whocametobecivilandtoshewhercivilityespecially，inurgingtheexecutionoftheplanforvisitingSotherton，whichhadbeenstartedafortnightbefore，andwhich，inconsequenceofhersubsequentabsencefromhome，hadsincelaindormant。Mrs。Norrisandhernieceswereallwellpleasedwithitsrevival，andanearlydaywasnamedandagreedto，providedMr。Crawfordshouldbedisengaged：
　　theyoungladiesdidnotforgetthatstipulation，andthoughMrs。Norriswouldwillinglyhaveansweredforhisbeingso，theywouldneitherauthorisethelibertynorruntherisk；
　　andatlast，onahintfromMissBertram，Mr。RushworthdiscoveredthattheproperestthingtobedonewasforhimtowalkdowntotheParsonagedirectly，andcallonMr。Crawford，andinquirewhetherWednesdaywouldsuithimornot。
　　BeforehisreturnMrs。GrantandMissCrawfordcamein。
　　Havingbeenoutsometime，andtakenadifferentroutetothehouse，theyhadnotmethim。Comfortablehopes，however，weregiventhathewouldfindMr。Crawfordathome。TheSothertonschemewasmentionedofcourse。
　　Itwashardlypossible，indeed，thatanythingelseshouldbetalkedof，forMrs。Norriswasinhighspiritsaboutit；
　　andMrs。Rushworth，awell-meaning，civil，prosing，pompouswoman，whothoughtnothingofconsequence，butasitrelatedtoherownandherson’sconcerns，hadnotyetgivenoverpressingLadyBertramtobeoftheparty。
　　LadyBertramconstantlydeclinedit；butherplacidmannerofrefusalmadeMrs。Rushworthstillthinkshewishedtocome，tillMrs。Norris’smorenumerouswordsandloudertoneconvincedherofthetruth。
　　“Thefatiguewouldbetoomuchformysister，agreatdealtoomuch，Iassureyou，mydearMrs。Rushworth。
　　Tenmilesthere，andtenback，youknow。Youmustexcusemysisteronthisoccasion，andacceptofourtwodeargirlsandmyselfwithouther。Sothertonistheonlyplacethatcouldgivehera_wish_togosofar，butitcannotbe，indeed。ShewillhaveacompanioninFannyPrice，youknow，soitwillalldoverywell；
　　andasforEdmund，asheisnotheretospeakforhimself，Iwillanswerforhisbeingmosthappytojointheparty。
　　Hecangoonhorseback，youknow。“
　　Mrs。RushworthbeingobligedtoyieldtoLadyBertram’sstayingathome，couldonlybesorry。“Thelossofherladyship’scompanywouldbeagreatdrawback，andsheshouldhavebeenextremelyhappytohaveseentheyoungladytoo，MissPrice，whohadneverbeenatSothertonyet，anditwasapitysheshouldnotseetheplace。“
　　“Youareverykind，youareallkindness，mydearmadam，“
　　criedMrs。Norris；“butastoFanny，shewillhaveopportunitiesinplentyofseeingSotherton。Shehastimeenoughbeforeher；andhergoingnowisquiteoutofthequestion。LadyBertramcouldnotpossiblyspareher。“
　　“Ohno!IcannotdowithoutFanny。“
　　Mrs。Rushworthproceedednext，undertheconvictionthateverybodymustbewantingtoseeSotherton，toincludeMissCrawfordintheinvitation；andthoughMrs。Grant，whohadnotbeenatthetroubleofvisitingMrs。Rushworth，onhercomingintotheneighbourhood，civillydeclineditonherownaccount，shewasgladtosecureanypleasureforhersister；andMary，properlypressedandpersuaded，wasnotlonginacceptinghershareofthecivility。
　　Mr。RushworthcamebackfromtheParsonagesuccessful；
　　andEdmundmadehisappearancejustintimetolearnwhathadbeensettledforWednesday，toattendMrs。Rushworthtohercarriage，andwalkhalf-waydowntheparkwiththetwootherladies。
　　Onhisreturntothebreakfast-room，hefoundMrs。NorristryingtomakeuphermindastowhetherMissCrawford’sbeingofthepartyweredesirableornot，orwhetherherbrother’sbarouchewouldnotbefullwithouther。
　　TheMissBertramslaughedattheidea，assuringherthatthebarouchewouldholdfourperfectlywell，independentofthebox，onwhich_one_mightgowithhim。
　　“Butwhyisitnecessary，“saidEdmund，“thatCrawford’scarriage，orhis_only_，shouldbeemployed？Whyisnousetobemadeofmymother’schaise？Icouldnot，whentheschemewasfirstmentionedtheotherday，understandwhyavisitfromthefamilywerenottobemadeinthecarriageofthefamily。“
　　“What!“criedJulia：“goboxedupthreeinapostchaiseinthisweather，whenwemayhaveseatsinabarouche!
　　No，mydearEdmund，thatwillnotquitedo。“
　　“Besides，“saidMaria，“IknowthatMr。Crawforddependsupontakingus。Afterwhatpassedatfirst，hewouldclaimitasapromise。“
　　“And，mydearEdmund，“addedMrs。Norris，“takingout_two_
　　carriageswhen_one_willdo，wouldbetroublefornothing；
　　and，betweenourselves，coachmanisnotveryfondoftheroadsbetweenthisandSotherton：healwayscomplainsbitterlyofthenarrowlanesscratchinghiscarriage，andyouknowoneshouldnotliketohavedearSirThomas，whenhecomeshome，findallthevarnishscratchedoff。“
　　“ThatwouldnotbeaveryhandsomereasonforusingMr。Crawford’s，“saidMaria；“butthetruthis，thatWilcoxisastupidoldfellow，anddoesnotknowhowtodrive。
　　IwillanswerforitthatweshallfindnoinconveniencefromnarrowroadsonWednesday。“