“Ifanyonefacultyofournaturemaybecalled_more_
　　wonderfulthantherest，Idothinkitismemory。
　　Thereseemssomethingmorespeakinglyincomprehensibleinthepowers，thefailures，theinequalitiesofmemory，thaninanyotherofourintelligences。
　　Thememoryissometimessoretentive，soserviceable，soobedient；atothers，sobewilderedandsoweak；
　　andatothersagain，sotyrannic，sobeyondcontrol!
　　Weare，tobesure，amiracleeveryway；butourpowersofrecollectingandofforgettingdoseempeculiarlypastfindingout。“
　　MissCrawford，untouchedandinattentive，hadnothingtosay；andFanny，perceivingit，broughtbackherownmindtowhatshethoughtmustinterest。
　　“Itmayseemimpertinentin_me_topraise，butImustadmirethetasteMrs。Granthasshewninallthis。
　　Thereissuchaquietsimplicityintheplanofthewalk!
　　Nottoomuchattempted!“
　　“Yes，“repliedMissCrawfordcarelessly，“itdoesverywellforaplaceofthissort。Onedoesnotthinkofextent_here_；andbetweenourselves，tillIcametoMansfield，Ihadnotimaginedacountryparsoneveraspiredtoashrubbery，oranythingofthekind。“
　　“Iamsogladtoseetheevergreensthrive!“saidFanny，inreply。“Myuncle’sgardeneralwayssaysthesoilhereisbetterthanhisown，andsoitappearsfromthegrowthofthelaurelsandevergreensingeneral。Theevergreen!
　　Howbeautiful，howwelcome，howwonderfultheevergreen!
　　Whenonethinksofit，howastonishingavarietyofnature!
　　Insomecountriesweknowthetreethatshedsitsleafisthevariety，butthatdoesnotmakeitlessamazingthatthesamesoilandthesamesunshouldnurtureplantsdifferinginthefirstruleandlawoftheirexistence。
　　Youwillthinkmerhapsodising；butwhenIamoutofdoors，especiallywhenIamsittingoutofdoors，Iamveryapttogetintothissortofwonderingstrain。Onecannotfixone’seyesonthecommonestnaturalproductionwithoutfindingfoodforaramblingfancy。“
　　“Tosaythetruth，“repliedMissCrawford，“IamsomethinglikethefamousDogeatthecourtofLewisXIV。；
　　andmaydeclarethatIseenowonderinthisshrubberyequaltoseeingmyselfinit。Ifanybodyhadtoldmeayearagothatthisplacewouldbemyhome，thatIshouldbespendingmonthaftermonthhere，asI
　　havedone，Icertainlyshouldnothavebelievedthem。
　　Ihavenowbeenherenearlyfivemonths；and，moreover，thequietestfivemonthsIeverpassed。“
　　“_Too_quietforyou，Ibelieve。“
　　“Ishouldhavethoughtso_theoretically_myself，but，“
　　andhereyesbrightenedasshespoke，“takeitallandall，Ineverspentsohappyasummer。Butthen，“
　　withamorethoughtfulairandloweredvoice，“thereisnosayingwhatitmayleadto。“
　　Fanny’sheartbeatquick，andshefeltquiteunequaltosurmisingorsolicitinganythingmore。MissCrawford，however，withrenewedanimation，soonwenton——
　　“IamconsciousofbeingfarbetterreconciledtoacountryresidencethanIhadeverexpectedtobe。Icanevensupposeitpleasanttospend_half_theyearinthecountry，undercertaincircumstances，verypleasant。Anelegant，moderate-sizedhouseinthecentreoffamilyconnexions；
　　continualengagementsamongthem；commandingthefirstsocietyintheneighbourhood；lookedupto，perhaps，asleadingitevenmorethanthoseoflargerfortune，andturningfromthecheerfulroundofsuchamusementstonothingworsethana_tete-a-tete_withthepersononefeelsmostagreeableintheworld。Thereisnothingfrightfulinsuchapicture，isthere，MissPrice？OneneednotenvythenewMrs。Rushworthwithsuchahomeas_that_。“
　　“EnvyMrs。Rushworth!“wasallthatFannyattemptedtosay。
　　“Come，come，itwouldbeveryun-handsomeinustobesevereonMrs。Rushworth，forIlookforwardtoourowingheragreatmanygay，brilliant，happyhours。IexpectweshallbeallverymuchatSothertonanotheryear。
　　SuchamatchasMissBertramhasmadeisapublicblessing；
　　forthefirstpleasuresofMr。Rushworth’swifemustbetofillherhouse，andgivethebestballsinthecountry。“
　　Fannywassilent，andMissCrawfordrelapsedintothoughtfulness，tillsuddenlylookingupattheendofafewminutes，sheexclaimed，“Ah!hereheis。“
　　ItwasnotMr。Rushworth，however，butEdmund，whothenappearedwalkingtowardsthemwithMrs。Grant。
　　“MysisterandMr。Bertram。Iamsogladyoureldestcousinisgone，thathemaybeMr。Bertramagain。ThereissomethinginthesoundofMr。_Edmund_Bertramsoformal，sopitiful，soyounger-brother-like，thatIdetestit。“
　　“Howdifferentlywefeel!“criedFanny。“Tome，thesoundof_Mr。_Bertramissocoldandnothing-meaning，soentirelywithoutwarmthorcharacter!Itjuststandsforagentleman，andthat’sall。ButthereisnoblenessinthenameofEdmund。Itisanameofheroismandrenown；
　　ofkings，princes，andknights；andseemstobreathethespiritofchivalryandwarmaffections。“
　　“Igrantyouthenameisgoodinitself，and_Lord_Edmundor_Sir_Edmundsounddelightfully；butsinkitunderthechill，theannihilationofaMr。，andMr。EdmundisnomorethanMr。JohnorMr。Thomas。Well，shallwejoinanddisappointthemofhalftheirlectureuponsittingdownoutofdoorsatthistimeofyear，bybeingupbeforetheycanbegin？“
　　Edmundmetthemwithparticularpleasure。Itwasthefirsttimeofhisseeingthemtogethersincethebeginningofthatbetteracquaintancewhichhehadbeenhearingofwithgreatsatisfaction。Afriendshipbetweentwosoverydeartohimwasexactlywhathecouldhavewished：
　　andtothecreditofthelover’sunderstanding，beitstated，thathedidnotbyanymeansconsiderFannyastheonly，orevenasthegreatergainerbysuchafriendship。
　　“Well，“saidMissCrawford，“anddoyounotscoldusforourimprudence？Whatdoyouthinkwehavebeensittingdownforbuttobetalkedtoaboutit，andentreatedandsupplicatednevertodosoagain？“
　　“PerhapsImighthavescolded，“saidEdmund，“ifeitherofyouhadbeensittingdownalone；butwhileyoudowrongtogether，Icanoverlookagreatdeal。“
　　“Theycannothavebeensittinglong，“criedMrs。Grant，“forwhenIwentupformyshawlIsawthemfromthestaircasewindow，andthentheywerewalking。“
　　“Andreally，“addedEdmund，“thedayissomild，thatyoursittingdownforafewminutescanbehardlythoughtimprudent。Ourweathermustnotalwaysbejudgedbythecalendar。WemaysometimestakegreaterlibertiesinNovemberthaninMay。“
　　“Uponmyword，“criedMissCrawford，“youaretwoofthemostdisappointingandunfeelingkindfriendsIevermetwith!
　　Thereisnogivingyouamoment’suneasiness。Youdonotknowhowmuchwehavebeensuffering，norwhatchillswehavefelt!ButIhavelongthoughtMr。Bertramoneoftheworstsubjectstoworkon，inanylittlemanoeuvreagainstcommonsense，thatawomancouldbeplaguedwith。
　　Ihadverylittlehopeof_him_fromthefirst；butyou，Mrs。Grant，mysister，myownsister，IthinkIhadarighttoalarmyoualittle。“
　　“Donotflatteryourself，mydearestMary。Youhavenotthesmallestchanceofmovingme。Ihavemyalarms，buttheyarequiteinadifferentquarter；andifIcouldhavealteredtheweather，youwouldhavehadagoodsharpeastwindblowingonyouthewholetime——forherearesomeofmyplantswhichRobert_will_leaveoutbecausethenightsaresomild，andIknowtheendofitwillbe，thatweshallhaveasuddenchangeofweather，ahardfrostsettinginallatonce，takingeverybodyatleastRobert
　　bysurprise，andIshallloseeveryone；andwhatisworse，cookhasjustbeentellingmethattheturkey，whichI
　　particularlywishednottobedressedtillSunday，becauseIknowhowmuchmoreDr。GrantwouldenjoyitonSundayafterthefatiguesoftheday，willnotkeepbeyondto-morrow。Thesearesomethinglikegrievances，andmakemethinktheweathermostunseasonablyclose。“
　　“Thesweetsofhousekeepinginacountryvillage!“
　　saidMissCrawfordarchly。“Commendmetothenurserymanandthepoulterer。“
　　“Mydearchild，commendDr。GranttothedeaneryofWestminsterorSt。Paul’s，andIshouldbeasgladofyournurserymanandpoultererasyoucouldbe。ButwehavenosuchpeopleinMansfield。Whatwouldyouhavemedo？“
　　“Oh!youcandonothingbutwhatyoudoalready：
　　beplaguedveryoften，andneverloseyourtemper。“
　　“Thankyou；butthereisnoescapingtheselittlevexations，Mary，livewherewemay；andwhenyouaresettledintownandIcometoseeyou，IdaresayIshallfindyouwithyours，inspiteofthenurserymanandthepoulterer，perhapsontheirveryaccount。Theirremotenessandunpunctuality，ortheirexorbitantchargesandfrauds，willbedrawingforthbitterlamentations。“
　　“Imeantobetoorichtolamentortofeelanythingofthesort。AlargeincomeisthebestrecipeforhappinessIeverheardof。Itcertainlymaysecureallthemyrtleandturkeypartofit。“