ThedayatSotherton，withallitsimperfections，affordedtheMissBertramsmuchmoreagreeablefeelingsthanwerederivedfromthelettersfromAntigua，whichsoonafterwardsreachedMansfield。ItwasmuchpleasantertothinkofHenryCrawfordthanoftheirfather；
　　andtothinkoftheirfatherinEnglandagainwithinacertainperiod，whichtheselettersobligedthemtodo，wasamostunwelcomeexercise。
　　Novemberwastheblackmonthfixedforhisreturn。
　　SirThomaswroteofitwithasmuchdecisionasexperienceandanxietycouldauthorise。HisbusinesswassonearlyconcludedastojustifyhiminproposingtotakehispassageintheSeptemberpacket，andheconsequentlylookedforwardwiththehopeofbeingwithhisbelovedfamilyagainearlyinNovember。
　　MariawasmoretobepitiedthanJulia；fortoherthefatherbroughtahusband，andthereturnofthefriendmostsolicitousforherhappinesswouldunitehertothelover，onwhomshehadchosenthathappinessshoulddepend。
　　Itwasagloomyprospect，andallshecoulddowastothrowamistoverit，andhopewhenthemistclearedawaysheshouldseesomethingelse。Itwouldhardlybe_early_inNovember，thereweregenerallydelays，abadpassageor_something_；thatfavouring_something_
　　whicheverybodywhoshutstheireyeswhiletheylook，ortheirunderstandingswhiletheyreason，feelsthecomfortof。ItwouldprobablybethemiddleofNovemberatleast；themiddleofNovemberwasthreemonthsoff。
　　Threemonthscomprisedthirteenweeks。Muchmighthappeninthirteenweeks。
　　SirThomaswouldhavebeendeeplymortifiedbyasuspicionofhalfthathisdaughtersfeltonthesubjectofhisreturn，andwouldhardlyhavefoundconsolationinaknowledgeoftheinterestitexcitedinthebreastofanotheryounglady。
　　MissCrawford，onwalkingupwithherbrothertospendtheeveningatMansfieldPark，heardthegoodnews；
　　andthoughseemingtohavenoconcernintheaffairbeyondpoliteness，andtohaveventedallherfeelingsinaquietcongratulation，hearditwithanattentionnotsoeasilysatisfied。Mrs。Norrisgavetheparticularsoftheletters，andthesubjectwasdropt；butaftertea，asMissCrawfordwasstandingatanopenwindowwithEdmundandFannylookingoutonatwilightscene，whiletheMissBertrams，Mr。Rushworth，andHenryCrawfordwereallbusywithcandlesatthepianoforte，shesuddenlyreviveditbyturningroundtowardsthegroup，andsaying，“HowhappyMr。Rushworthlooks!HeisthinkingofNovember。“
　　EdmundlookedroundatMr。Rushworthtoo，buthadnothingtosay。
　　“Yourfather’sreturnwillbeaveryinterestingevent。“
　　“Itwill，indeed，aftersuchanabsence；anabsencenotonlylong，butincludingsomanydangers。“
　　“Itwillbetheforerunneralsoofotherinterestingevents：
　　yoursister’smarriage，andyourtakingorders。“
　　“Yes。“
　　“Don’tbeaffronted，“saidshe，laughing，“butitdoesputmeinmindofsomeoftheoldheathenheroes，who，afterperforminggreatexploitsinaforeignland，offeredsacrificestothegodsontheirsafereturn。“
　　“Thereisnosacrificeinthecase，“repliedEdmund，withaserioussmile，andglancingatthepianoforteagain；
　　“itisentirelyherowndoing。“
　　“OhyesIknowitis。Iwasmerelyjoking。Shehasdonenomorethanwhateveryyoungwomanwoulddo；
　　andIhavenodoubtofherbeingextremelyhappy。
　　Myothersacrifice，ofcourse，youdonotunderstand。“
　　“Mytakingorders，Iassureyou，isquiteasvoluntaryasMaria’smarrying。“
　　“Itisfortunatethatyourinclinationandyourfather’sconvenienceshouldaccordsowell。Thereisaverygoodlivingkeptforyou，Iunderstand，hereabouts。“
　　“Whichyousupposehasbiassedme？“
　　“But_that_Iamsureithasnot，“criedFanny。
　　“Thankyouforyourgoodword，Fanny，butitismorethanIwouldaffirmmyself。Onthecontrary，theknowingthattherewassuchaprovisionformeprobablydidbiasme。NorcanIthinkitwrongthatitshould。
　　Therewasnonaturaldisinclinationtobeovercome，andIseenoreasonwhyamanshouldmakeaworseclergymanforknowingthathewillhaveacompetenceearlyinlife。
　　Iwasinsafehands。IhopeIshouldnothavebeeninfluencedmyselfinawrongway，andIamsuremyfatherwastooconscientioustohaveallowedit。IhavenodoubtthatIwasbiased，butIthinkitwasblamelessly。“
　　“Itisthesamesortofthing，“saidFanny，afterashortpause，“asforthesonofanadmiraltogointothenavy，orthesonofageneraltobeinthearmy，andnobodyseesanythingwronginthat。Nobodywondersthattheyshouldpreferthelinewheretheirfriendscanservethembest，orsuspectsthemtobelessinearnestinitthantheyappear。“
　　“No，mydearMissPrice，andforreasonsgood。Theprofession，eithernavyorarmy，isitsownjustification。Ithaseverythinginitsfavour：heroism，danger，bustle，fashion。
　　Soldiersandsailorsarealwaysacceptableinsociety。
　　Nobodycanwonderthatmenaresoldiersandsailors。“
　　“Butthemotivesofamanwhotakesorderswiththecertaintyofprefermentmaybefairlysuspected，youthink？“
　　saidEdmund。“Tobejustifiedinyoureyes，hemustdoitinthemostcompleteuncertaintyofanyprovision。“
　　“What!takeorderswithoutaliving!No；thatismadnessindeed；absolutemadness。“
　　“ShallIaskyouhowthechurchistobefilled，ifamanisneithertotakeorderswithalivingnorwithout？
　　No；foryoucertainlywouldnotknowwhattosay。
　　ButImustbegsomeadvantagetotheclergymanfromyourownargument。Ashecannotbeinfluencedbythosefeelingswhichyourankhighlyastemptationandrewardtothesoldierandsailorintheirchoiceofaprofession，asheroism，andnoise，andfashion，areallagainsthim，heoughttobelessliabletothesuspicionofwantingsincerityorgoodintentionsinthechoiceofhis。“
　　“Oh!nodoubtheisverysincereinpreferringanincomereadymade，tothetroubleofworkingforone；andhasthebestintentionsofdoingnothingalltherestofhisdaysbuteat，drink，andgrowfat。Itisindolence，Mr。Bertram，indeed。Indolenceandloveofease；awantofalllaudableambition，oftasteforgoodcompany，orofinclinationtotakethetroubleofbeingagreeable，whichmakemenclergymen。Aclergymanhasnothingtodobutbeslovenlyandselfish——readthenewspaper，watchtheweather，andquarrelwithhiswife。Hiscuratedoesallthework，andthebusinessofhisownlifeistodine。“
　　“Therearesuchclergymen，nodoubt，butIthinktheyarenotsocommonastojustifyMissCrawfordinesteemingittheirgeneralcharacter。IsuspectthatinthiscomprehensiveandmayIsaycommonplacecensure，youarenotjudgingfromyourself，butfromprejudicedpersons，whoseopinionsyouhavebeeninthehabitofhearing。
　　Itisimpossiblethatyourownobservationcanhavegivenyoumuchknowledgeoftheclergy。Youcanhavebeenpersonallyacquaintedwithveryfewofasetofmenyoucondemnsoconclusively。Youarespeakingwhatyouhavebeentoldatyouruncle’stable。“
　　“Ispeakwhatappearstomethegeneralopinion；
　　andwhereanopinionisgeneral，itisusuallycorrect。
　　Though_I_havenotseenmuchofthedomesticlivesofclergymen，itisseenbytoomanytoleaveanydeficiencyofinformation。“
　　“Whereanyonebodyofeducatedmen，ofwhateverdenomination，arecondemnedindiscriminately，theremustbeadeficiencyofinformation，orsmilingofsomethingelse。
　　Youruncle，andhisbrotheradmirals，perhapsknewlittleofclergymenbeyondthechaplainswhom，goodorbad，theywerealwayswishingaway。“
　　“PoorWilliam!HehasmetwithgreatkindnessfromthechaplainoftheAntwerp，“wasatenderapostropheofFanny’s，verymuchtothepurposeofherownfeelingsifnotoftheconversation。
　　“Ihavebeensolittleaddictedtotakemyopinionsfrommyuncle，“saidMissCrawford，“thatIcanhardlysuppose——
　　andsinceyoupushmesohard，Imustobserve，thatIamnotentirelywithoutthemeansofseeingwhatclergymenare，beingatthispresenttimetheguestofmyownbrother，Dr。Grant。AndthoughDr。Grantismostkindandobligingtome，andthoughheisreallyagentleman，and，Idaresay，agoodscholarandclever，andoftenpreachesgoodsermons，andisveryrespectable，_I_seehimtobeanindolent，selfish_bon__vivant_，whomusthavehispalateconsultedineverything；whowillnotstirafingerfortheconvenienceofanyone；andwho，moreover，ifthecookmakesablunder，isoutofhumourwithhisexcellentwife。Toownthetruth，HenryandIwerepartlydrivenoutthisveryeveningbyadisappointmentaboutagreengoose，whichhecouldnotgetthebetterof。Mypoorsisterwasforcedtostayandbearit。“
　　“Idonotwonderatyourdisapprobation，uponmyword。
　　Itisagreatdefectoftemper，madeworsebyaveryfaultyhabitofself-indulgence；andtoseeyoursistersufferingfromitmustbeexceedinglypainfultosuchfeelingsasyours。Fanny，itgoesagainstus。WecannotattempttodefendDr。Grant。“
　　“No，“repliedFanny，“butweneednotgiveuphisprofessionforallthat；because，whateverprofessionDr。Granthadchosen，hewouldhavetakena——notagoodtemperintoit；