“Youintendtobeveryrich？“saidEdmund，withalookwhich，toFanny’seye，hadagreatdealofseriousmeaning。
　　“Tobesure。Donotyou？Donotweall？“
　　“Icannotintendanythingwhichitmustbesocompletelybeyondmypowertocommand。MissCrawfordmaychuseherdegreeofwealth。Shehasonlytofixonhernumberofthousandsayear，andtherecanbenodoubtoftheircoming。
　　Myintentionsareonlynottobepoor。“
　　“Bymoderationandeconomy，andbringingdownyourwantstoyourincome，andallthat。Iunderstandyou——andaveryproperplanitisforapersonatyourtimeoflife，withsuchlimitedmeansandindifferentconnexions。
　　Whatcan_you_wantbutadecentmaintenance？Youhavenotmuchtimebeforeyou；andyourrelationsareinnosituationtodoanythingforyou，ortomortifyyoubythecontrastoftheirownwealthandconsequence。
　　Behonestandpoor，byallmeans——butIshallnotenvyyou；IdonotmuchthinkIshallevenrespectyou。
　　Ihaveamuchgreaterrespectforthosethatarehonestandrich。“
　　“Yourdegreeofrespectforhonesty，richorpoor，ispreciselywhatIhavenomannerofconcernwith。
　　Idonotmeantobepoor。PovertyisexactlywhatIhavedeterminedagainst。Honesty，inthesomethingbetween，inthemiddlestateofworldlycircumstances，isallthatI
　　amanxiousforyournotlookingdownon。“
　　“ButIdolookdownuponit，ifitmighthavebeenhigher。
　　Imustlookdownuponanythingcontentedwithobscuritywhenitmightrisetodistinction。“
　　“Buthowmayitrise？Howmaymyhonestyatleastrisetoanydistinction？“
　　Thiswasnotsoveryeasyaquestiontoanswer，andoccasionedan“Oh!“ofsomelengthfromthefairladybeforeshecouldadd，“Yououghttobeinparliament，oryoushouldhavegoneintothearmytenyearsago。“
　　“_That_isnotmuchtothepurposenow；andastomybeinginparliament，IbelieveImustwaittillthereisanespecialassemblyfortherepresentationofyoungersonswhohavelittletoliveon。No，MissCrawford，“headded，inamoreserioustone，“there_are_distinctionswhichI
　　shouldbemiserableifIthoughtmyselfwithoutanychance——
　　absolutelywithoutchanceorpossibilityofobtaining——
　　buttheyareofadifferentcharacter。“
　　Alookofconsciousnessashespoke，andwhatseemedaconsciousnessofmanneronMissCrawford’ssideasshemadesomelaughinganswer，wassorrowfullfoodforFanny’sobservation；andfindingherselfquiteunabletoattendassheoughttoMrs。Grant，bywhosesideshewasnowfollowingtheothers，shehadnearlyresolvedongoinghomeimmediately，andonlywaitedforcouragetosayso，whenthesoundofthegreatclockatMansfieldPark，strikingthree，madeherfeelthatshehadreallybeenmuchlongerabsentthanusual，andbroughtthepreviousself-inquiryofwhethersheshouldtakeleaveornotjustthen，andhow，toaveryspeedyissue。
　　Withundoubtingdecisionshedirectlybeganheradieus；
　　andEdmundbeganatthesametimetorecollectthathismotherhadbeeninquiringforher，andthathehadwalkeddowntotheParsonageonpurposetobringherback。
　　Fanny’shurryincreased；andwithoutintheleastexpectingEdmund’sattendance，shewouldhavehastenedawayalone；
　　butthegeneralpacewasquickened，andtheyallaccompaniedherintothehouse，throughwhichitwasnecessarytopass。
　　Dr。Grantwasinthevestibule，andastheystopttospeaktohimshefound，fromEdmund’smanner，thathe_did_meantogowithher。Hetoowastakingleave。
　　Shecouldnotbutbethankful。Inthemomentofparting，EdmundwasinvitedbyDr。Granttoeathismuttonwithhimthenextday；andFannyhadbarelytimeforanunpleasantfeelingontheoccasion，whenMrs。Grant，withsuddenrecollection，turnedtoherandaskedforthepleasureofhercompanytoo。Thiswassonewanattention，soperfectlynewacircumstanceintheeventsofFanny’slife，thatshewasallsurpriseandembarrassment；
　　andwhilestammeringouthergreatobligation，andher“butshedidnotsupposeitwouldbeinherpower，“
　　waslookingatEdmundforhisopinionandhelp。ButEdmund，delightedwithherhavingsuchanhappinessoffered，andascertainingwithhalfalook，andhalfasentence，thatshehadnoobjectionbutonheraunt’saccount，couldnotimaginethathismotherwouldmakeanydifficultyofsparingher，andthereforegavehisdecidedopenadvicethattheinvitationshouldbeaccepted；andthoughFannywouldnotventure，evenonhisencouragement，tosuchaflightofaudaciousindependence，itwassoonsettled，thatifnothingwereheardtothecontrary，Mrs。Grantmightexpecther。
　　“Andyouknowwhatyourdinnerwillbe，“
　　saidMrs。Grant，smiling——“theturkey，andIassureyouaveryfineone；for，mydear，“turningtoherhusband，“cookinsistsupontheturkey’sbeingdressedto-morrow。“
　　“Verywell，verywell，“criedDr。Grant，“allthebetter；
　　Iamgladtohearyouhaveanythingsogoodinthehouse。
　　ButMissPriceandMr。EdmundBertram，Idaresay，wouldtaketheirchance。Wenoneofuswanttohearthebilloffare。
　　Afriendlymeeting，andnotafinedinner，isallwehaveinview。Aturkey，oragoose，oralegofmutton，orwhateveryouandyourcookchusetogiveus。“
　　Thetwocousinswalkedhometogether；and，exceptintheimmediatediscussionofthisengagement，whichEdmundspokeofwiththewarmestsatisfaction，assoparticularlydesirableforherintheintimacywhichhesawwithsomuchpleasureestablished，itwasasilentwalk；
　　forhavingfinishedthatsubject，hegrewthoughtfulandindisposedforanyother。
　　“ButwhyshouldMrs。GrantaskFanny？“saidLadyBertram。
　　“HowcameshetothinkofaskingFanny？Fannyneverdinesthere，youknow，inthissortofway。Icannotspareher，andIamsureshedoesnotwanttogo。
　　Fanny，youdonotwanttogo，doyou？“
　　“Ifyouputsuchaquestiontoher，“criedEdmund，preventinghiscousin’sspeaking，“FannywillimmediatelysayNo；butIamsure，mydearmother，shewouldliketogo；
　　andIcanseenoreasonwhysheshouldnot。“
　　“IcannotimaginewhyMrs。Grantshouldthinkofaskingher？
　　Sheneverdidbefore。Sheusedtoaskyoursistersnowandthen，butsheneveraskedFanny。“
　　“Ifyoucannotdowithoutme，ma’am——“saidFanny，inaself-denyingtone。
　　“Butmymotherwillhavemyfatherwithheralltheevening。“
　　“Tobesure，soIshall。“
　　“Supposeyoutakemyfather’sopinion，ma’am。“
　　“That’swellthoughtof。SoIwill，Edmund。IwillaskSirThomas，assoonashecomesin，whetherIcandowithouther。“
　　“Asyouplease，ma’am，onthathead；butImeantmyfather’sopinionastothe_propriety_oftheinvitation’sbeingacceptedornot；andIthinkhewillconsideritarightthingbyMrs。Grant，aswellasbyFanny，thatbeingthe_first_invitationitshouldbeaccepted。“
　　“Idonotknow。Wewillaskhim。ButhewillbeverymuchsurprisedthatMrs。GrantshouldaskFannyatall。“
　　Therewasnothingmoretobesaid，orthatcouldbesaidtoanypurpose，tillSirThomaswerepresent；
　　butthesubjectinvolving，asitdid，herownevening’scomfortforthemorrow，wassomuchuppermostinLadyBertram’smind，thathalfanhourafterwards，onhislookinginforaminuteinhiswayfromhisplantationtohisdressing-room，shecalledhimbackagain，whenhehadalmostclosedthedoor，with“SirThomas，stopamoment——Ihavesomethingtosaytoyou。“
　　Hertoneofcalmlanguor，forshenevertookthetroubleofraisinghervoice，wasalwaysheardandattendedto；
　　andSirThomascameback。Herstorybegan；andFannyimmediatelyslippedoutoftheroom；fortohearherselfthesubjectofanydiscussionwithherunclewasmorethanhernervescouldbear。Shewasanxious，sheknew——
　　moreanxiousperhapsthansheoughttobe——forwhatwasitafterallwhethershewentorstaid？butifheruncleweretobeagreatwhileconsideringanddeciding，andwithverygravelooks，andthosegravelooksdirectedtoher，andatlastdecideagainsther，shemightnotbeabletoappearproperlysubmissiveandindifferent。
　　Hercause，meanwhile，wentonwell。Itbegan，onLadyBertram’spart，with——“Ihavesomethingtotellyouthatwillsurpriseyou。Mrs。GranthasaskedFannytodinner。“