ifshewerevexedandalarmed——butMarialookedallserenityandsatisfaction，andJuliawellknewthatonthisgroundMariacouldnotbehappybutatherexpense。
　　Withhastyindignation，therefore，andatremulousvoice，shesaidtohim，“YoudonotseemafraidofnotkeepingyourcountenancewhenIcomeinwithabasketofprovisions——thoughonemighthavesupposed——butitisonlyasAgathathatIwastobesooverpowering!“
　　Shestopped——HenryCrawfordlookedratherfoolish，andasifhedidnotknowwhattosay。TomBertrambeganagain——
　　“MissCrawfordmustbeAmelia。ShewillbeanexcellentAmelia。“
　　“Donotbeafraidof_my_wantingthecharacter，“
　　criedJulia，withangryquickness：“Iam_not_tobeAgatha，andIamsureIwilldonothingelse；andastoAmelia，itisofallpartsintheworldthemostdisgustingtome。
　　Iquitedetesther。Anodious，little，pert，unnatural，impudentgirl。Ihavealwaysprotestedagainstcomedy，andthisiscomedyinitsworstform。“Andsosaying，shewalkedhastilyoutoftheroom，leavingawkwardfeelingstomorethanone，butexcitingsmallcompassioninanyexceptFanny，whohadbeenaquietauditorofthewhole，andwhocouldnotthinkofherasundertheagitationsof_jealousy_withoutgreatpity。
　　Ashortsilencesucceededherleavingthem；butherbrothersoonreturnedtobusinessandLovers’Vows，andwaseagerlylookingovertheplay，withMr。Yates’shelp，toascertainwhatscenerywouldbenecessary——whileMariaandHenryCrawfordconversedtogetherinanunder-voice，andthedeclarationwithwhichshebeganof，“IamsureIwouldgiveuptheparttoJuliamostwillingly，butthatthoughIshallprobablydoitveryill，Ifeelpersuaded_she_woulddoitworse，“wasdoubtlessreceivingallthecomplimentsitcalledfor。
　　Whenthishadlastedsometime，thedivisionofthepartywascompletedbyTomBertramandMr。Yateswalkingofftogethertoconsultfartherintheroomnowbeginningtobecalled_the__Theatre_，andMissBertram’sresolvingtogodowntotheParsonageherselfwiththeofferofAmeliatoMissCrawford；andFannyremainedalone。
　　Thefirstuseshemadeofhersolitudewastotakeupthevolumewhichhadbeenleftonthetable，andbegintoacquaintherselfwiththeplayofwhichshehadheardsomuch。Hercuriositywasallawake，andsheranthroughitwithaneagernesswhichwassuspendedonlybyintervalsofastonishment，thatitcouldbechoseninthepresentinstance，thatitcouldbeproposedandacceptedinaprivatetheatre!AgathaandAmeliaappearedtoherintheirdifferentwayssototallyimproperforhomerepresentation——thesituationofone，andthelanguageoftheother，sounfittobeexpressedbyanywomanofmodesty，thatshecouldhardlysupposehercousinscouldbeawareofwhattheywereengagingin；
　　andlongedtohavethemrousedassoonaspossiblebytheremonstrancewhichEdmundwouldcertainlymake。
　　MissCrawfordacceptedthepartveryreadily；andsoonafterMissBertram’sreturnfromtheParsonage，Mr。Rushwortharrived，andanothercharacterwasconsequentlycast。
　　HehadtheofferofCountCasselandAnhalt，andatfirstdidnotknowwhichtochuse，andwantedMissBertramtodirecthim；butuponbeingmadetounderstandthedifferentstyleofthecharacters，andwhichwaswhich，andrecollectingthathehadonceseentheplayinLondon，andhadthoughtAnhaltaverystupidfellow，hesoondecidedfortheCount。MissBertramapprovedthedecision，forthelesshehadtolearnthebetter；andthoughshecouldnotsympathiseinhiswishthattheCountandAgathamightbetoacttogether，norwaitverypatientlywhilehewasslowlyturningovertheleaveswiththehopeofstilldiscoveringsuchascene，sheverykindlytookhispartinhand，andcurtailedeveryspeechthatadmittedbeingshortened；besidespointingoutthenecessityofhisbeingverymuchdressed，andchusinghiscolours。
　　Mr。Rushworthlikedtheideaofhisfineryverywell，thoughaffectingtodespiseit；andwastoomuchengagedwithwhathisownappearancewouldbetothinkoftheothers，ordrawanyofthoseconclusions，orfeelanyofthatdispleasurewhichMariahadbeenhalfpreparedfor。
　　ThusmuchwassettledbeforeEdmund，whohadbeenoutallthemorning，knewanythingofthematter；butwhenheenteredthedrawing-roombeforedinner，thebuzzofdiscussionwashighbetweenTom，Maria，andMr。Yates；
　　andMr。Rushworthsteppedforwardwithgreatalacritytotellhimtheagreeablenews。
　　“Wehavegotaplay，“saidhe。“ItistobeLovers’
　　Vows；andIamtobeCountCassel，andamtocomeinfirstwithabluedressandapinksatincloak，andafterwardsamtohaveanotherfinefancysuit，bywayofashooting-dress。IdonotknowhowIshalllikeit。“
　　Fanny’seyesfollowedEdmund，andherheartbeatforhimassheheardthisspeech，andsawhislook，andfeltwhathissensationsmustbe。
　　“Lovers’Vows!“inatoneofthegreatestamazement，washisonlyreplytoMr。Rushworth，andheturnedtowardshisbrotherandsistersasifhardlydoubtingacontradiction。
　　“Yes，“criedMr。Yates。“Afterallourdebatingsanddifficulties，wefindthereisnothingthatwillsuitusaltogethersowell，nothingsounexceptionable，asLovers’Vows。Thewonderisthatitshouldnothavebeenthoughtofbefore。Mystupiditywasabominable，forherewehavealltheadvantageofwhatIsawatEcclesford；
　　anditissousefultohaveanythingofamodel!
　　Wehavecastalmosteverypart。“
　　“Butwhatdoyoudoforwomen？“saidEdmundgravely，andlookingatMaria。
　　Mariablushedinspiteofherselfassheanswered，“ItakethepartwhichLadyRavenshawwastohavedone，and“withaboldereye“MissCrawfordistobeAmelia。“
　　“Ishouldnothavethoughtitthesortofplaytobesoeasilyfilledup，with_us_，“repliedEdmund，turningawaytothefire，wheresathismother，aunt，andFanny，andseatinghimselfwithalookofgreatvexation。
　　Mr。Rushworthfollowedhimtosay，“Icomeinthreetimes，andhavetwo-and-fortyspeeches。That’ssomething，isnotit？ButIdonotmuchliketheideaofbeingsofine。
　　Ishallhardlyknowmyselfinabluedressandapinksatincloak。“
　　Edmundcouldnotanswerhim。InafewminutesMr。Bertramwascalledoutoftheroomtosatisfysomedoubtsofthecarpenter；andbeingaccompaniedbyMr。Yates，andfollowedsoonafterwardsbyMr。Rushworth，Edmundalmostimmediatelytooktheopportunityofsaying，“Icannot，beforeMr。Yates，speakwhatIfeelastothisplay，withoutreflectingonhisfriendsatEcclesford；
　　butImustnow，mydearMaria，tell_you_，thatI
　　thinkitexceedinglyunfitforprivaterepresentation，andthatIhopeyouwillgiveitup。Icannotbutsupposeyou_will_whenyouhavereaditcarefullyover。
　　Readonlythefirstactaloudtoeitheryourmotheroraunt，andseehowyoucanapproveit。Itwillnotbenecessarytosendyoutoyour_father’s_judgment，Iamconvinced。“
　　“Weseethingsverydifferently，“criedMaria。
　　“Iamperfectlyacquaintedwiththeplay，Iassureyou；
　　andwithaveryfewomissions，andsoforth，whichwillbemade，ofcourse，Icanseenothingobjectionableinit；
　　and_I_amnotthe_only_youngwomanyoufindwhothinksitveryfitforprivaterepresentation。“
　　“Iamsorryforit，“washisanswer；“butinthismatteritis_you_whoaretolead。_You_mustsettheexample。
　　Ifothershaveblundered，itisyourplacetoputthemright，andshewthemwhattruedelicacyis。
　　Inallpointsofdecorum_your_conductmustbelawtotherestoftheparty。“
　　Thispictureofherconsequencehadsomeeffect，fornoonelovedbettertoleadthanMaria；andwithfarmoregood-humoursheanswered，“Iammuchobligedtoyou，Edmund；
　　youmeanverywell，Iamsure：butIstillthinkyouseethingstoostrongly；andIreallycannotundertaketoharanguealltherestuponasubjectofthiskind。
　　_There_wouldbethegreatestindecorum，Ithink。“
　　“DoyouimaginethatIcouldhavesuchanideainmyhead？No；letyourconductbetheonlyharangue。
　　Saythat，onexaminingthepart，youfeelyourselfunequaltoit；thatyoufinditrequiringmoreexertionandconfidencethanyoucanbesupposedtohave。
　　Saythiswithfirmness，anditwillbequiteenough。
　　Allwhocandistinguishwillunderstandyourmotive。
　　Theplaywillbegivenup，andyourdelicacyhonouredasitought。“
　　“Donotactanythingimproper，mydear，“saidLadyBertram。
　　“SirThomaswouldnotlikeit——Fanny，ringthebell；