andwhilethisbranchofthesubjectwasunderdiscussion，Maria，whowantedneitherpridenorresolution，waspreparingtoencounterhershareofitwithtolerablecalmness。
　　Toherhesoonturned，repeatingmuchofwhathehadalreadysaid，withonlyasoftenedairandstrongerexpressionsofregret。Butwhatavailedhisexpressionsorhisair？Hewasgoing，and，ifnotvoluntarilygoing，voluntarilyintendingtostayaway；for，exceptingwhatmightbeduetohisuncle，hisengagementswereallself-imposed。
　　Hemighttalkofnecessity，butsheknewhisindependence。
　　Thehandwhichhadsopressedherstohisheart!thehandandtheheartwerealikemotionlessandpassivenow!
　　Herspiritsupportedher，buttheagonyofhermindwassevere。
　　Shehadnotlongtoendurewhatarosefromlisteningtolanguagewhichhisactionscontradicted，ortoburythetumultofherfeelingsundertherestraintofsociety；
　　forgeneralcivilitiessooncalledhisnoticefromher，andthefarewellvisit，asitthenbecameopenlyacknowledged，wasaveryshortone。Hewasgone——hehadtouchedherhandforthelasttime，hehadmadehispartingbow，andshemightseekdirectlyallthatsolitudecoulddoforher。HenryCrawfordwasgone，gonefromthehouse，andwithintwohoursafterwardsfromtheparish；
　　andsoendedallthehopeshisselfishvanityhadraisedinMariaandJuliaBertram。
　　Juliacouldrejoicethathewasgone。Hispresencewasbeginningtobeodioustoher；andifMariagainedhimnot，shewasnowcoolenoughtodispensewithanyotherrevenge。
　　Shedidnotwantexposuretobeaddedtodesertion。
　　HenryCrawfordgone，shecouldevenpityhersister。
　　WithapurerspiritdidFannyrejoiceintheintelligence。
　　Shehearditatdinner，andfeltitablessing。
　　Byalltheothersitwasmentionedwithregret；
　　andhismeritshonouredwithduegradationoffeeling——
　　fromthesincerityofEdmund’stoopartialregard，totheunconcernofhismotherspeakingentirelybyrote。
　　Mrs。Norrisbegantolookabouther，andwonderthathisfallinginlovewithJuliahadcometonothing；
　　andcouldalmostfearthatshehadbeenremissherselfinforwardingit；butwithsomanytocarefor，howwasitpossibleforeven_her_activitytokeeppacewithherwishes？
　　Anotherdayortwo，andMr。Yateswasgonelikewise。
　　In_his_departureSirThomasfeltthechiefinterest：
　　wantingtobealonewithhisfamily，thepresenceofastrangersuperiortoMr。Yatesmusthavebeenirksome；
　　butofhim，triflingandconfident，idleandexpensive，itwaseverywayvexatious。Inhimselfhewaswearisome，butasthefriendofTomandtheadmirerofJuliahebecameoffensive。SirThomashadbeenquiteindifferenttoMr。Crawford’sgoingorstaying：buthisgoodwishesforMr。Yates’shavingapleasantjourney，ashewalkedwithhimtothehall-door，weregivenwithgenuinesatisfaction。Mr。YateshadstaidtoseethedestructionofeverytheatricalpreparationatMansfield，theremovalofeverythingappertainingtotheplay：
　　heleftthehouseinallthesobernessofitsgeneralcharacter；andSirThomashoped，inseeinghimoutofit，toberidoftheworstobjectconnectedwiththescheme，andthelastthatmustbeinevitablyremindinghimofitsexistence。
　　Mrs。Norriscontrivedtoremoveonearticlefromhissightthatmighthavedistressedhim。Thecurtain，overwhichshehadpresidedwithsuchtalentandsuchsuccess，wentoffwithhertohercottage，whereshehappenedtobeparticularlyinwantofgreenbaize。
　　Chapter21CHAPTERXXI
　　SirThomas’sreturnmadeastrikingchangeinthewaysofthefamily，independentofLovers’Vows。Underhisgovernment，Mansfieldwasanalteredplace。Somemembersoftheirsocietysentaway，andthespiritsofmanyotherssaddened——
　　itwasallsamenessandgloomcomparedwiththepast——
　　asombrefamilypartyrarelyenlivened。TherewaslittleintercoursewiththeParsonage。SirThomas，drawingbackfromintimaciesingeneral，wasparticularlydisinclined，atthistime，foranyengagementsbutinonequarter。
　　TheRushworthsweretheonlyadditiontohisowndomesticcirclewhichhecouldsolicit。
　　Edmunddidnotwonderthatsuchshouldbehisfather’sfeelings，norcouldheregretanythingbuttheexclusionoftheGrants。
　　“Butthey，“heobservedtoFanny，“haveaclaim。Theyseemtobelongtous；theyseemtobepartofourselves。
　　Icouldwishmyfatherweremoresensibleoftheirverygreatattentiontomymotherandsisterswhilehewasaway。
　　Iamafraidtheymayfeelthemselvesneglected。
　　Butthetruthis，thatmyfatherhardlyknowsthem。
　　TheyhadnotbeenhereatwelvemonthwhenheleftEngland。
　　Ifheknewthembetter，hewouldvaluetheirsocietyasitdeserves；fortheyareinfactexactlythesortofpeoplehewouldlike。Wearesometimesalittleinwantofanimationamongourselves：mysistersseemoutofspirits，andTomiscertainlynotathisease。
　　Dr。andMrs。Grantwouldenlivenus，andmakeoureveningspassawaywithmoreenjoymenteventomyfather。“
　　“Doyouthinkso？“saidFanny：“inmyopinion，myunclewouldnotlike_any_addition。Ithinkhevaluestheveryquietnessyouspeakof，andthatthereposeofhisownfamilycircleisallhewants。
　　Anditdoesnotappeartomethatwearemoreseriousthanweusedtobe——Imeanbeforemyunclewentabroad。
　　AswellasIcanrecollect，itwasalwaysmuchthesame。
　　Therewasnevermuchlaughinginhispresence；or，ifthereisanydifference，itisnotmore，Ithink，thansuchanabsencehasatendencytoproduceatfirst。
　　Theremustbeasortofshyness；butIcannotrecollectthatoureveningsformerlywereevermerry，exceptwhenmyunclewasintown。Noyoungpeople’sare，Isuppose，whenthosetheylookuptoareathome“。
　　“Ibelieveyouareright，Fanny，“washisreply，afterashortconsideration。“Ibelieveoureveningsareratherreturnedtowhattheywere，thanassuminganewcharacter。
　　Thenoveltywasintheirbeinglively。Yet，howstrongtheimpressionthatonlyafewweekswillgive!
　　Ihavebeenfeelingasifwehadneverlivedsobefore。“
　　“IsupposeIamgraverthanotherpeople，“saidFanny。
　　“Theeveningsdonotappearlongtome。IlovetohearmyuncletalkoftheWestIndies。Icouldlistentohimforanhourtogether。Itentertains_me_morethanmanyotherthingshavedone；butthenIamunlikeotherpeople，Idaresay。“
　　“Whyshouldyoudaresay_that_？“smiling。“Doyouwanttobetoldthatyouareonlyunlikeotherpeopleinbeingmorewiseanddiscreet？Butwhendidyou，oranybody，evergetacomplimentfromme，Fanny？
　　Gotomyfatherifyouwanttobecomplimented。
　　Hewillsatisfyyou。Askyourunclewhathethinks，andyouwillhearcomplimentsenough：andthoughtheymaybechieflyonyourperson，youmustputupwithit，andtrusttohisseeingasmuchbeautyofmindintime。“
　　SuchlanguagewassonewtoFannythatitquiteembarrassedher。
　　“Yourunclethinksyouverypretty，dearFanny——
　　andthatisthelongandtheshortofthematter。
　　Anybodybutmyselfwouldhavemadesomethingmoreofit，andanybodybutyouwouldresentthatyouhadnotbeenthoughtveryprettybefore；butthetruthis，thatyouruncleneverdidadmireyoutillnow——andnowhedoes。
　　Yourcomplexionissoimproved!——andyouhavegainedsomuchcountenance!——andyourfigure——nay，Fanny，donotturnawayaboutit——itisbutanuncle。Ifyoucannotbearanuncle’sadmiration，whatistobecomeofyou？
　　Youmustreallybegintohardenyourselftotheideaofbeingworthlookingat。Youmusttrynottomindgrowingupintoaprettywoman。“
　　“Oh!don’ttalkso，don’ttalkso，“criedFanny，distressedbymorefeelingsthanhewasawareof；butseeingthatshewasdistressed，hehaddonewiththesubject，andonlyaddedmoreseriously——
　　“Youruncleisdisposedtobepleasedwithyouineveryrespect；andIonlywishyouwouldtalktohimmore。
　　Youareoneofthosewhoaretoosilentintheeveningcircle。“
　　“ButIdotalktohimmorethanIused。IamsureIdo。
　　Didnotyouhearmeaskhimabouttheslave-tradelastnight？“
　　“Idid——andwasinhopesthequestionwouldbefollowedupbyothers。Itwouldhavepleasedyouruncletobeinquiredoffarther。“