Itrequiredalongertime，however，thanMrs。Norriswasinclinedtoallow，toreconcileFannytothenoveltyofMansfieldPark，andtheseparationfromeverybodyshehadbeenusedto。Herfeelingswereveryacute，andtoolittleunderstoodtobeproperlyattendedto。
　　Nobodymeanttobeunkind，butnobodyputthemselvesoutoftheirwaytosecurehercomfort。
　　TheholidayallowedtotheMissBertramsthenextday，onpurposetoaffordleisureforgettingacquaintedwith，andentertainingtheiryoungcousin，producedlittleunion。
　　Theycouldnotbutholdhercheaponfindingthatshehadbuttwosashes，andhadneverlearnedFrench；andwhentheyperceivedhertobelittlestruckwiththeduettheyweresogoodastoplay，theycoulddonomorethanmakeheragenerouspresentofsomeoftheirleastvaluedtoys，andleavehertoherself，whiletheyadjournedtowhatevermightbethefavouriteholidaysportofthemoment，makingartificialflowersorwastinggoldpaper。
　　Fanny，whethernearorfromhercousins，whetherintheschoolroom，thedrawing-room，ortheshrubbery，wasequallyforlorn，findingsomethingtofearineverypersonandplace。ShewasdisheartenedbyLadyBertram’ssilence，awedbySirThomas’sgravelooks，andquiteovercomebyMrs。Norris’sadmonitions。
　　Hereldercousinsmortifiedherbyreflectionsonhersize，andabashedherbynoticinghershyness：MissLeewonderedatherignorance，andthemaid-servantssneeredatherclothes；andwhentothesesorrowswasaddedtheideaofthebrothersandsistersamongwhomshehadalwaysbeenimportantasplayfellow，instructress，andnurse，thedespondencethatsunkherlittleheartwassevere。
　　Thegrandeurofthehouseastonished，butcouldnotconsoleher。
　　Theroomsweretoolargeforhertomoveinwithease：
　　whatevershetouchedsheexpectedtoinjure，andshecreptaboutinconstantterrorofsomethingorother；
　　oftenretreatingtowardsherownchambertocry；
　　andthelittlegirlwhowasspokenofinthedrawing-roomwhensheleftitatnightasseemingsodesirablysensibleofherpeculiargoodfortune，endedeveryday’ssorrowsbysobbingherselftosleep。Aweekhadpassedinthisway，andnosuspicionofitconveyedbyherquietpassivemanner，whenshewasfoundonemorningbyhercousinEdmund，theyoungestofthesons，sittingcryingontheatticstairs。
　　“Mydearlittlecousin，“saidhe，withallthegentlenessofanexcellentnature，“whatcanbethematter？“Andsittingdownbyher，hewasatgreatpainstoovercomehershameinbeingsosurprised，andpersuadehertospeakopenly。
　　“Wassheill？orwasanybodyangrywithher？orhadshequarrelledwithMariaandJulia？orwasshepuzzledaboutanythinginherlessonthathecouldexplain？
　　Didshe，inshort，wantanythinghecouldpossiblygether，ordoforher？Foralongwhilenoanswercouldbeobtainedbeyonda“no，no——notatall——no，thankyou“；
　　buthestillpersevered；andnosoonerhadhebeguntoreverttoherownhome，thanherincreasedsobsexplainedtohimwherethegrievancelay。Hetriedtoconsoleher。
　　“YouaresorrytoleaveMama，mydearlittleFanny，“
　　saidhe，“whichshowsyoutobeaverygoodgirl；butyoumustrememberthatyouarewithrelationsandfriends，whoallloveyou，andwishtomakeyouhappy。Letuswalkoutinthepark，andyoushalltellmeallaboutyourbrothersandsisters。“
　　Onpursuingthesubject，hefoundthat，dearasallthesebrothersandsistersgenerallywere，therewasoneamongthemwhoranmoreinherthoughtsthantherest。
　　ItwasWilliamwhomshetalkedofmost，andwantedmosttosee。William，theeldest，ayearolderthanherself，herconstantcompanionandfriend；heradvocatewithhermotherofwhomhewasthedarlingineverydistress。
　　“Williamdidnotlikesheshouldcomeaway；hehadtoldherheshouldmissherverymuchindeed。““ButWilliamwillwritetoyou，Idaresay。““Yes，hehadpromisedhewould，buthehadtold_her_towritefirst。““Andwhenshallyoudoit？“Shehungherheadandansweredhesitatingly，“shedidnotknow；shehadnotanypaper。“
　　“Ifthatbeallyourdifficulty，Iwillfurnishyouwithpaperandeveryothermaterial，andyoumaywriteyourletterwheneveryouchoose。WoulditmakeyouhappytowritetoWilliam？“
　　“Yes，very。“
　　“Thenletitbedonenow。Comewithmeintothebreakfast-room，weshallfindeverythingthere，andbesureofhavingtheroomtoourselves。“
　　“But，cousin，willitgotothepost？“
　　“Yes，dependuponmeitshall：itshallgowiththeotherletters；and，asyourunclewillfrankit，itwillcostWilliamnothing。“
　　“Myuncle!“repeatedFanny，withafrightenedlook。
　　“Yes，whenyouhavewrittentheletter，Iwilltakeittomyfathertofrank。“
　　Fannythoughtitaboldmeasure，butofferednofurtherresistance；andtheywenttogetherintothebreakfast-room，whereEdmundpreparedherpaper，andruledherlineswithallthegoodwillthatherbrothercouldhimselfhavefelt，andprobablywithsomewhatmoreexactness。
　　Hecontinuedwithherthewholetimeofherwriting，toassistherwithhispenknifeorhisorthography，aseitherwerewanted；andaddedtotheseattentions，whichshefeltverymuch，akindnesstoherbrotherwhichdelightedherbeyondalltherest。HewrotewithhisownhandhislovetohiscousinWilliam，andsenthimhalfaguineaundertheseal。Fanny’sfeelingsontheoccasionweresuchasshebelievedherselfincapableofexpressing；
　　buthercountenanceandafewartlesswordsfullyconveyedalltheirgratitudeanddelight，andhercousinbegantofindheraninterestingobject。Hetalkedtohermore，and，fromallthatshesaid，wasconvincedofherhavinganaffectionateheart，andastrongdesireofdoingright；andhecouldperceivehertobefartherentitledtoattentionbygreatsensibilityofhersituation，andgreattimidity。Hehadneverknowinglygivenherpain，buthenowfeltthatsherequiredmorepositivekindness；
　　andwiththatviewendeavoured，inthefirstplace，tolessenherfearsofthemall，andgaveherespeciallyagreatdealofgoodadviceastoplayingwithMariaandJulia，andbeingasmerryaspossible。
　　FromthisdayFannygrewmorecomfortable。Shefeltthatshehadafriend，andthekindnessofhercousinEdmundgaveherbetterspiritswitheverybodyelse。
　　Theplacebecamelessstrange，andthepeoplelessformidable；
　　andifthereweresomeamongstthemwhomshecouldnotceasetofear，shebeganatleasttoknowtheirways，andtocatchthebestmannerofconformingtothem。
　　Thelittlerusticitiesandawkwardnesseswhichhadatfirstmadegrievousinroadsonthetranquillityofall，andnotleastofherself，necessarilyworeaway，andshewasnolongermateriallyafraidtoappearbeforeheruncle，nordidherauntNorris’svoicemakeherstartverymuch。
　　Tohercousinsshebecameoccasionallyanacceptablecompanion。
　　Thoughunworthy，frominferiorityofageandstrength，tobetheirconstantassociate，theirpleasuresandschemesweresometimesofanaturetomakeathirdveryuseful，especiallywhenthatthirdwasofanobliging，yieldingtemper；andtheycouldnotbutown，whentheirauntinquiredintoherfaults，ortheirbrotherEdmundurgedherclaimstotheirkindness，that“Fannywasgood-naturedenough。“
　　Edmundwasuniformlykindhimself；andshehadnothingworsetoendureonthepartofTomthanthatsortofmerrimentwhichayoungmanofseventeenwillalwaysthinkfairwithachildoften。Hewasjustenteringintolife，fullofspirits，andwithalltheliberaldispositionsofaneldestson，whofeelsbornonlyforexpenseandenjoyment。Hiskindnesstohislittlecousinwasconsistentwithhissituationandrights：
　　hemadehersomeveryprettypresents，andlaughedather。
　　Asherappearanceandspiritsimproved，SirThomasandMrs。Norristhoughtwithgreatersatisfactionoftheirbenevolentplan；
　　anditwasprettysoondecidedbetweenthemthat，thoughfarfromclever，sheshowedatractabledisposition，andseemedlikelytogivethemlittletrouble。Ameanopinionofherabilitieswasnotconfinedto_them_。
　　Fannycouldread，work，andwrite，butshehadbeentaughtnothingmore；andashercousinsfoundherignorantofmanythingswithwhichtheyhadbeenlongfamiliar，theythoughtherprodigiouslystupid，andforthefirsttwoorthreeweekswerecontinuallybringingsomefreshreportofitintothedrawing-room。“Dearmama，onlythink，mycousincannotputthemapofEuropetogether——
　　ormycousincannottelltheprincipalriversinRussia——
　　or，sheneverheardofAsiaMinor——orshedoesnotknowthedifferencebetweenwater-coloursandcrayons!——
　　Howstrange!——Didyoueverhearanythingsostupid？“
　　“Mydear，“theirconsiderateauntwouldreply，“itisverybad，butyoumustnotexpecteverybodytobeasforwardandquickatlearningasyourself。“
　　“But，aunt，sheisreallysoveryignorant!——Doyouknow，weaskedherlastnightwhichwayshewouldgotogettoIreland；andshesaid，sheshouldcrosstotheIsleofWight。ShethinksofnothingbuttheIsleofWight，andshecallsit_the__Island_，asiftherewerenootherislandintheworld。IamsureIshouldhavebeenashamedofmyself，ifIhadnotknownbetterlongbeforeI
　　wassooldassheis。IcannotrememberthetimewhenI
　　didnotknowagreatdealthatshehasnottheleastnotionofyet。Howlongagoitis，aunt，sinceweusedtorepeatthechronologicalorderofthekingsofEngland，withthedatesoftheiraccession，andmostoftheprincipaleventsoftheirreigns!“
　　“Yes，“addedtheother；“andoftheRomanemperorsaslowasSeverus；besidesagreatdealoftheheathenmythology，andallthemetals，semi-metals，planets，anddistinguishedphilosophers。“
　　“Verytrueindeed，mydears，butyouareblessedwithwonderfulmemories，andyourpoorcousinhasprobablynoneatall。Thereisavastdealofdifferenceinmemories，aswellasineverythingelse，andthereforeyoumustmakeallowanceforyourcousin，andpityherdeficiency。
　　Andrememberthat，ifyouareeversoforwardandcleveryourselves，youshouldalwaysbemodest；for，muchasyouknowalready，thereisagreatdealmoreforyoutolearn。“
　　“Yes，Iknowthereis，tillIamseventeen。ButImusttellyouanotherthingofFanny，sooddandsostupid。
　　Doyouknow，shesaysshedoesnotwanttolearneithermusicordrawing。“
　　“Tobesure，mydear，thatisverystupidindeed，andshowsagreatwantofgeniusandemulation。
　　But，allthingsconsidered，Idonotknowwhetheritisnotaswellthatitshouldbeso，for，thoughyouknowowingtomeyourpapaandmamaaresogoodastobringherupwithyou，itisnotatallnecessarythatsheshouldbeasaccomplishedasyouare；——onthecontrary，itismuchmoredesirablethatthereshouldbeadifference。“