SirThomaswasindeedthelifeoftheparty，whoathissuggestionnowseatedthemselvesroundthefire。
　　Hehadthebestrighttobethetalker；andthedelightofhissensationsinbeingagaininhisownhouse，inthecentreofhisfamily，aftersuchaseparation，madehimcommunicativeandchattyinaveryunusualdegree；
　　andhewasreadytogiveeveryinformationastohisvoyage，andanswereveryquestionofhistwosonsalmostbeforeitwasput。HisbusinessinAntiguahadlatterlybeenprosperouslyrapid，andhecamedirectlyfromLiverpool，havinghadanopportunityofmakinghispassagethitherinaprivatevessel，insteadofwaitingforthepacket；
　　andallthelittleparticularsofhisproceedingsandevents，hisarrivalsanddepartures，weremostpromptlydelivered，ashesatbyLadyBertramandlookedwithheartfeltsatisfactiononthefacesaroundhim——interruptinghimselfmorethanonce，however，toremarkonhisgoodfortuneinfindingthemallathome——comingunexpectedlyashedid——
　　allcollectedtogetherexactlyashecouldhavewished，butdarednotdependon。Mr。Rushworthwasnotforgotten：
　　amostfriendlyreceptionandwarmthofhand-shakinghadalreadymethim，andwithpointedattentionhewasnowincludedintheobjectsmostintimatelyconnectedwithMansfield。TherewasnothingdisagreeableinMr。Rushworth’sappearance，andSirThomaswaslikinghimalready。
　　Bynotoneofthecirclewashelistenedtowithsuchunbroken，unalloyedenjoymentasbyhiswife，whowasreallyextremelyhappytoseehim，andwhosefeelingsweresowarmedbyhissuddenarrivalastoplaceherneareragitationthanshehadbeenforthelasttwentyyears。
　　Shehadbeen_almost_flutteredforafewminutes，andstillremainedsosensiblyanimatedastoputawayherwork，movePugfromherside，andgiveallherattentionandalltherestofhersofatoherhusband。
　　Shehadnoanxietiesforanybodytocloud_her_pleasure：
　　herowntimehadbeenirreproachablyspentduringhisabsence：
　　shehaddoneagreatdealofcarpet-work，andmademanyyardsoffringe；andshewouldhaveansweredasfreelyforthegoodconductandusefulpursuitsofalltheyoungpeopleasforherown。Itwassoagreeabletohertoseehimagain，andhearhimtalk，tohaveherearamusedandherwholecomprehensionfilledbyhisnarratives，thatshebeganparticularlytofeelhowdreadfullyshemusthavemissedhim，andhowimpossibleitwouldhavebeenforhertobearalengthenedabsence。
　　Mrs。Norriswasbynomeanstobecomparedinhappinesstohersister。Notthat_she_wasincommodedbymanyfearsofSirThomas’sdisapprobationwhenthepresentstateofhishouseshouldbeknown，forherjudgmenthadbeensoblindedthat，exceptbytheinstinctivecautionwithwhichshehadwhiskedawayMr。Rushworth’spinksatincloakasherbrother-in-lawentered，shecouldhardlybesaidtoshewanysignofalarm；
　　butshewasvexedbythe_manner_ofhisreturn。
　　Ithadlefthernothingtodo。Insteadofbeingsentforoutoftheroom，andseeinghimfirst，andhavingtospreadthehappynewsthroughthehouse，SirThomas，withaveryreasonabledependence，perhaps，onthenervesofhiswifeandchildren，hadsoughtnoconfidantbutthebutler，andhadbeenfollowinghimalmostinstantaneouslyintothedrawing-room。Mrs。Norrisfeltherselfdefraudedofanofficeonwhichshehadalwaysdepended，whetherhisarrivalorhisdeathweretobethethingunfolded；
　　andwasnowtryingtobeinabustlewithouthavinganythingtobustleabout，andlabouringtobeimportantwherenothingwaswantedbuttranquillityandsilence。
　　WouldSirThomashaveconsentedtoeat，shemighthavegonetothehousekeeperwithtroublesomedirections，andinsultedthefootmenwithinjunctionsofdespatch；butSirThomasresolutelydeclinedalldinner：hewouldtakenothing，nothingtillteacame——hewouldratherwaitfortea。
　　StillMrs。Norriswasatintervalsurgingsomethingdifferent；
　　andinthemostinterestingmomentofhispassagetoEngland，whenthealarmofaFrenchprivateerwasattheheight，sheburstthroughhisrecitalwiththeproposalofsoup。
　　“Sure，mydearSirThomas，abasinofsoupwouldbeamuchbetterthingforyouthantea。Dohaveabasinofsoup。“
　　SirThomascouldnotbeprovoked。“Stillthesameanxietyforeverybody’scomfort，mydearMrs。Norris，“
　　washisanswer。“ButindeedIwouldratherhavenothingbuttea。“
　　“Well，then，LadyBertram，supposeyouspeakforteadirectly；supposeyouhurryBaddeleyalittle；
　　heseemsbehindhandto-night。“Shecarriedthispoint，andSirThomas’snarrativeproceeded。
　　Atlengththerewasapause。Hisimmediatecommunicationswereexhausted，anditseemedenoughtobelookingjoyfullyaroundhim，nowatone，nowatanotherofthebelovedcircle；
　　butthepausewasnotlong：intheelationofherspiritsLadyBertrambecametalkative，andwhatwerethesensationsofherchildrenuponhearinghersay，“Howdoyouthinktheyoungpeoplehavebeenamusingthemselveslately，SirThomas？Theyhavebeenacting。
　　Wehavebeenallalivewithacting。“
　　“Indeed!andwhathaveyoubeenacting？“
　　“Oh!they’lltellyouallaboutit。“
　　“The_all_willsoonbetold，“criedTomhastily，andwithaffectedunconcern；“butitisnotworthwhiletoboremyfatherwithitnow。Youwillhearenoughofitto-morrow，sir。Wehavejustbeentrying，bywayofdoingsomething，andamusingmymother，justwithinthelastweek，togetupafewscenes，ameretrifle。WehavehadsuchincessantrainsalmostsinceOctoberbegan，thatwehavebeennearlyconfinedtothehousefordaystogether。Ihavehardlytakenoutagunsincethe3rd。Tolerablesportthefirstthreedays，buttherehasbeennoattemptinganythingsince。
　　ThefirstdayIwentoverMansfieldWood，andEdmundtookthecopsesbeyondEaston，andwebroughthomesixbracebetweenus，andmighteachhavekilledsixtimesasmany，butwerespectyourpheasants，sir，Iassureyou，asmuchasyoucoulddesire。Idonotthinkyouwillfindyourwoodsbyanymeansworsestockedthantheywere。
　　_I_neversawMansfieldWoodsofullofpheasantsinmylifeasthisyear。Ihopeyouwilltakeaday’ssportthereyourself，sir，soon。“
　　Forthepresentthedangerwasover，andFanny’ssickfeelingssubsided；butwhenteawassoonafterwardsbroughtin，andSirThomas，gettingup，saidthathefoundthathecouldnotbeanylongerinthehousewithoutjustlookingintohisowndearroom，everyagitationwasreturning。Hewasgonebeforeanythinghadbeensaidtopreparehimforthechangehemustfindthere；
　　andapauseofalarmfollowedhisdisappearance。
　　Edmundwasthefirsttospeak——
　　“Somethingmustbedone，“saidhe。
　　“Itistimetothinkofourvisitors，“saidMaria，stillfeelingherhandpressedtoHenryCrawford’sheart，andcaringlittleforanythingelse。“WheredidyouleaveMissCrawford，Fanny？“
　　Fannytoldoftheirdeparture，anddeliveredtheirmessage。
　　“ThenpoorYatesisallalone，“criedTom。“Iwillgoandfetchhim。Hewillbenobadassistantwhenitallcomesout。“
　　Tothetheatrehewent，andreacheditjustintimetowitnessthefirstmeetingofhisfatherandhisfriend。
　　SirThomashadbeenagooddealsurprisedtofindcandlesburninginhisroom；andoncastinghiseyeroundit，toseeothersymptomsofrecenthabitationandageneralairofconfusioninthefurniture。Theremovalofthebookcasefrombeforethebilliard-roomdoorstruckhimespecially，buthehadscarcelymorethantimetofeelastonishedatallthis，beforethereweresoundsfromthebilliard-roomtoastonishhimstillfarther。
　　Someonewastalkingthereinaveryloudaccent；hedidnotknowthevoice——morethantalking——almosthallooing。
　　Hesteppedtothedoor，rejoicingatthatmomentinhavingthemeansofimmediatecommunication，and，openingit，foundhimselfonthestageofatheatre，andopposedtoarantingyoungman，whoappearedlikelytoknockhimdownbackwards。AttheverymomentofYatesperceivingSirThomas，andgivingperhapstheverybeststarthehadevergiveninthewholecourseofhisrehearsals，TomBertramenteredattheotherendoftheroom；
　　andneverhadhefoundgreaterdifficultyinkeepinghiscountenance。Hisfather’slooksofsolemnityandamazementonthishisfirstappearanceonanystage，andthegradualmetamorphosisoftheimpassionedBaronWildenheimintothewell-bredandeasyMr。Yates，makinghisbowandapologytoSirThomasBertram，wassuchanexhibition，suchapieceoftrueacting，ashewouldnothavelostuponanyaccount。Itwouldbethelast——
　　inallprobability——thelastsceneonthatstage；buthewassuretherecouldnotbeafiner。Thehousewouldclosewiththegreatesteclat。
　　Therewaslittletime，however，fortheindulgenceofanyimagesofmerriment。Itwasnecessaryforhimtostepforward，too，andassisttheintroduction，andwithmanyawkwardsensationshedidhisbest。
　　SirThomasreceivedMr。Yateswithalltheappearanceofcordialitywhichwasduetohisowncharacter，butwasreallyasfarfrompleasedwiththenecessityoftheacquaintanceaswiththemannerofitscommencement。
　　Mr。Yates’sfamilyandconnexionsweresufficientlyknowntohimtorenderhisintroductionasthe“particularfriend，“