andtheservicewasimpressivelyreadbyDr。Grant。
　　Nothingcouldbeobjectedtowhenitcameunderthediscussionoftheneighbourhood，exceptthatthecarriagewhichconveyedthebrideandbridegroomandJuliafromthechurch-doortoSothertonwasthesamechaisewhichMr。Rushworthhadusedforatwelvemonthbefore。
　　Ineverythingelsetheetiquetteofthedaymightstandthestrictestinvestigation。
　　Itwasdone，andtheyweregone。SirThomasfeltasananxiousfathermustfeel，andwasindeedexperiencingmuchoftheagitationwhichhiswifehadbeenapprehensiveofforherself，buthadfortunatelyescaped。Mrs。Norris，mosthappytoassistinthedutiesoftheday，byspendingitattheParktosupporthersister’sspirits，anddrinkingthehealthofMr。andMrs。Rushworthinasupernumeraryglassortwo，wasalljoyousdelight；
　　forshehadmadethematch；shehaddoneeverything；
　　andnoonewouldhavesupposed，fromherconfidenttriumph，thatshehadeverheardofconjugalinfelicityinherlife，orcouldhavethesmallestinsightintothedispositionoftheniecewhohadbeenbroughtupunderhereye。
　　Theplanoftheyoungcouplewastoproceed，afterafewdays，toBrighton，andtakeahousethereforsomeweeks。EverypublicplacewasnewtoMaria，andBrightonisalmostasgayinwinterasinsummer。
　　Whenthenoveltyofamusementtherewasover，itwouldbetimeforthewiderrangeofLondon。
　　JuliawastogowiththemtoBrighton。Sincerivalrybetweenthesistershadceased，theyhadbeengraduallyrecoveringmuchoftheirformergoodunderstanding；
　　andwereatleastsufficientlyfriendstomakeeachofthemexceedinglygladtobewiththeotheratsuchatime。
　　SomeothercompanionthanMr。Rushworthwasofthefirstconsequencetohislady；andJuliawasquiteaseagerfornoveltyandpleasureasMaria，thoughshemightnothavestruggledthroughsomuchtoobtainthem，andcouldbetterbearasubordinatesituation。
　　TheirdeparturemadeanothermaterialchangeatMansfield，achasmwhichrequiredsometimetofillup。Thefamilycirclebecamegreatlycontracted；andthoughtheMissBertramshadlatterlyaddedlittletoitsgaiety，theycouldnotbutbemissed。Eventheirmothermissedthem；
　　andhowmuchmoretheirtenderheartedcousin，whowanderedaboutthehouse，andthoughtofthem，andfeltforthem，withadegreeofaffectionateregretwhichtheyhadneverdonemuchtodeserve!
　　Fanny’sconsequenceincreasedonthedepartureofhercousins。Becoming，asshethendid，theonlyyoungwomaninthedrawing-room，theonlyoccupierofthatinterestingdivisionofafamilyinwhichshehadhithertoheldsohumbleathird，itwasimpossibleforhernottobemorelookedat，morethoughtofandattendedto，thanshehadeverbeenbefore；and“WhereisFanny？“
　　becamenouncommonquestion，evenwithoutherbeingwantedforanyone’sconvenience。
　　Notonlyathomedidhervalueincrease，butattheParsonagetoo。Inthathouse，whichshehadhardlyenteredtwiceayearsinceMr。Norris’sdeath，shebecameawelcome，aninvitedguest，andinthegloomanddirtofaNovemberday，mostacceptabletoMaryCrawford。
　　Hervisitsthere，beginningbychance，werecontinuedbysolicitation。Mrs。Grant，reallyeagertogetanychangeforhersister，could，bytheeasiestself-deceit，persuadeherselfthatshewasdoingthekindestthingbyFanny，andgivingherthemostimportantopportunitiesofimprovementinpressingherfrequentcalls。
　　Fanny，havingbeensentintothevillageonsomeerrandbyherauntNorris，wasovertakenbyaheavyshowerclosetotheParsonage；andbeingdescriedfromoneofthewindowsendeavouringtofindshelterunderthebranchesandlingeringleavesofanoakjustbeyondtheirpremises，wasforced，thoughnotwithoutsomemodestreluctanceonherpart，tocomein。Acivilservantshehadwithstood；
　　butwhenDr。Granthimselfwentoutwithanumbrella，therewasnothingtobedonebuttobeverymuchashamed，andtogetintothehouseasfastaspossible；andtopoorMissCrawford，whohadjustbeencontemplatingthedismalraininaverydespondingstateofmind，sighingovertheruinofallherplanofexerciseforthatmorning，andofeverychanceofseeingasinglecreaturebeyondthemselvesforthenexttwenty-fourhours，thesoundofalittlebustleatthefrontdoor，andthesightofMissPricedrippingwithwetinthevestibule，wasdelightful。
　　Thevalueofaneventonawetdayinthecountrywasmostforciblybroughtbeforeher。Shewasallaliveagaindirectly，andamongthemostactiveinbeingusefultoFanny，indetectinghertobewetterthanshewouldatfirstallow，andprovidingherwithdryclothes；andFanny，afterbeingobligedtosubmittoallthisattention，andtobeingassistedandwaitedonbymistressesandmaids，beingalsoobliged，onreturningdownstairs，tobefixedintheirdrawing-roomforanhourwhiletheraincontinued，theblessingofsomethingfreshtoseeandthinkofwasthusextendedtoMissCrawford，andmightcarryonherspiritstotheperiodofdressinganddinner。
　　Thetwosistersweresokindtoher，andsopleasant，thatFannymighthaveenjoyedhervisitcouldshehavebelievedherselfnotintheway，andcouldshehaveforeseenthattheweatherwouldcertainlyclearattheendofthehour，andsaveherfromtheshameofhavingDr。Grant’scarriageandhorsesouttotakeherhome，withwhichshewasthreatened。Astoanxietyforanyalarmthatherabsenceinsuchweathermightoccasionathome，shehadnothingtosufferonthatscore；forasherbeingoutwasknownonlytohertwoaunts，shewasperfectlyawarethatnonewouldbefelt，andthatinwhatevercottageauntNorrismightchusetoestablishherduringtherain，herbeinginsuchcottagewouldbeindubitabletoauntBertram。
　　Itwasbeginningtolookbrighter，whenFanny，observingaharpintheroom，askedsomequestionsaboutit，whichsoonledtoanacknowledgmentofherwishingverymuchtohearit，andaconfession，whichcouldhardlybebelieved，ofherhavingneveryethearditsinceitsbeinginMansfield。ToFannyherselfitappearedaverysimpleandnaturalcircumstance。ShehadscarcelyeverbeenattheParsonagesincetheinstrument’sarrival，therehadbeennoreasonthatsheshould；butMissCrawford，callingtomindanearlyexpressedwishonthesubject，wasconcernedatherownneglect；and“ShallIplaytoyounow？“and“Whatwillyouhave？“werequestionsimmediatelyfollowingwiththereadiestgood-humour。
　　Sheplayedaccordingly；happytohaveanewlistener，andalistenerwhoseemedsomuchobliged，sofullofwonderattheperformance，andwhoshewedherselfnotwantingintaste。SheplayedtillFanny’seyes，strayingtothewindowontheweather’sbeingevidentlyfair，spokewhatshefeltmustbedone。
　　“Anotherquarterofanhour，“saidMissCrawford，“andweshallseehowitwillbe。Donotrunawaythefirstmomentofitsholdingup。Thosecloudslookalarming。“
　　“Buttheyarepassedover，“saidFanny。“Ihavebeenwatchingthem。Thisweatherisallfromthesouth。“
　　“Southornorth，IknowablackcloudwhenIseeit；
　　andyoumustnotsetforwardwhileitissothreatening。
　　Andbesides，Iwanttoplaysomethingmoretoyou——averyprettypiece——andyourcousinEdmund’sprimefavourite。
　　Youmuststayandhearyourcousin’sfavourite。“
　　Fannyfeltthatshemust；andthoughshehadnotwaitedforthatsentencetobethinkingofEdmund，suchamementomadeherparticularlyawaketohisidea，andshefanciedhimsittinginthatroomagainandagain，perhapsintheveryspotwhereshesatnow，listeningwithconstantdelighttothefavouriteair，played，asitappearedtoher，withsuperiortoneandexpression；
　　andthoughpleasedwithitherself，andgladtolikewhateverwaslikedbyhim，shewasmoresincerelyimpatienttogoawayattheconclusionofitthanshehadbeenbefore；
　　andonthisbeingevident，shewassokindlyaskedtocallagain，totaketheminherwalkwhenevershecould，tocomeandhearmoreoftheharp，thatshefeltitnecessarytobedone，ifnoobjectionaroseathome。
　　SuchwastheoriginofthesortofintimacywhichtookplacebetweenthemwithinthefirstfortnightaftertheMissBertrams’goingaway——anintimacyresultingprincipallyfromMissCrawford’sdesireofsomethingnew，andwhichhadlittlerealityinFanny’sfeelings。
　　Fannywenttohereverytwoorthreedays：itseemedakindoffascination：shecouldnotbeeasywithoutgoing，andyetitwaswithoutlovingher，withouteverthinkinglikeher，withoutanysenseofobligationforbeingsoughtafternowwhennobodyelsewastobehad；
　　andderivingnohigherpleasurefromherconversationthanoccasionalamusement，and_that_oftenattheexpenseofherjudgment，whenitwasraisedbypleasantryonpeopleorsubjectswhichshewishedtoberespected。
　　Shewent，however，andtheysaunteredabouttogethermanyanhalf-hourinMrs。Grant’sshrubbery，theweatherbeingunusuallymildforthetimeofyear，andventuringsometimeseventositdownononeofthebenchesnowcomparativelyunsheltered，remainingthereperhapstill，inthemidstofsometenderejaculationofFanny’sonthesweetsofsoprotractedanautumn，theywereforced，bythesuddenswellofacoldgustshakingdownthelastfewyellowleavesaboutthem，tojumpupandwalkforwarmth。
　　“Thisispretty，verypretty，“saidFanny，lookingaroundherastheywerethussittingtogetheroneday；“everytimeIcomeintothisshrubberyIammorestruckwithitsgrowthandbeauty。Threeyearsago，thiswasnothingbutaroughhedgerowalongtheuppersideofthefield，neverthoughtofasanything，orcapableofbecominganything；
　　andnowitisconvertedintoawalk，anditwouldbedifficulttosaywhethermostvaluableasaconvenienceoranornament；andperhaps，inanotherthreeyears，wemaybeforgetting——almostforgettingwhatitwasbefore。
　　Howwonderful，howverywonderfultheoperationsoftime，andthechangesofthehumanmind!“Andfollowingthelattertrainofthought，shesoonafterwardsadded：