Theintercourseofthetwofamilieswasatthisperiodmorenearlyrestoredtowhatithadbeenintheautumn，thananymemberoftheoldintimacyhadthoughteverlikelytobeagain。ThereturnofHenryCrawford，andthearrivalofWilliamPrice，hadmuchtodowithit，butmuchwasstillowingtoSirThomas’smorethantolerationoftheneighbourlyattemptsattheParsonage。Hismind，nowdisengagedfromthecareswhichhadpressedonhimatfirst，wasatleisuretofindtheGrantsandtheiryounginmatesreallyworthvisiting；andthoughinfinitelyaboveschemingorcontrivingforanythemostadvantageousmatrimonialestablishmentthatcouldbeamongtheapparentpossibilitiesofanyonemostdeartohim，anddisdainingevenasalittlenessthebeingquick-sightedonsuchpoints，hecouldnotavoidperceiving，inagrandandcarelessway，thatMr。Crawfordwassomewhatdistinguishinghisniece——
　　norperhapsrefrainthoughunconsciouslyfromgivingamorewillingassenttoinvitationsonthataccount。
　　Hisreadiness，however，inagreeingtodineattheParsonage，whenthegeneralinvitationwasatlasthazarded，aftermanydebatesandmanydoubtsastowhetheritwereworthwhile，“becauseSirThomasseemedsoillinclined，andLadyBertramwassoindolent!“proceededfromgood-breedingandgoodwillalone，andhadnothingtodowithMr。Crawford，butasbeingoneinanagreeablegroup：
　　foritwasinthecourseofthatveryvisitthathefirstbegantothinkthatanyoneinthehabitofsuchidleobservations_would__have__thought_thatMr。CrawfordwastheadmirerofFannyPrice。
　　Themeetingwasgenerallyfelttobeapleasantone，beingcomposedinagoodproportionofthosewhowouldtalkandthosewhowouldlisten；andthedinneritselfwaselegantandplentiful，accordingtotheusualstyleoftheGrants，andtoomuchaccordingtotheusualhabitsofalltoraiseanyemotionexceptinMrs。Norris，whocouldneverbeholdeitherthewidetableorthenumberofdishesonitwithpatience，andwhodidalwayscontrivetoexperiencesomeevilfromthepassingoftheservantsbehindherchair，andtobringawaysomefreshconvictionofitsbeingimpossibleamongsomanydishesbutthatsomemustbecold。
　　Intheeveningitwasfound，accordingtothepredeterminationofMrs。Grantandhersister，thataftermakingupthewhist-tabletherewouldremainsufficientforaroundgame，andeverybodybeingasperfectlycomplyingandwithoutachoiceasonsuchoccasionstheyalwaysare，speculationwasdecidedonalmostassoonaswhist；
　　andLadyBertramsoonfoundherselfinthecriticalsituationofbeingappliedtoforherownchoicebetweenthegames，andbeingrequiredeithertodrawacardforwhistornot。
　　Shehesitated。LuckilySirThomaswasathand。
　　“WhatshallIdo，SirThomas？Whistandspeculation；
　　whichwillamusememost？“
　　SirThomas，afteramoment’sthought，recommendedspeculation。
　　Hewasawhistplayerhimself，andperhapsmightfeelthatitwouldnotmuchamusehimtohaveherforapartner。
　　“Verywell，“washerladyship’scontentedanswer；
　　“thenspeculation，ifyouplease，Mrs。Grant。Iknownothingaboutit，butFannymustteachme。“
　　HereFannyinterposed，however，withanxiousprotestationsofherownequalignorance；shehadneverplayedthegamenorseenitplayedinherlife；andLadyBertramfeltamoment’sindecisionagain；butuponeverybody’sassuringherthatnothingcouldbesoeasy，thatitwastheeasiestgameonthecards，andHenryCrawford’ssteppingforwardwithamostearnestrequesttobeallowedtositbetweenherladyshipandMissPrice，andteachthemboth，itwassosettled；andSirThomas，Mrs。Norris，andDr。andMrs。Grantbeingseatedatthetableofprimeintellectualstateanddignity，theremainingsix，underMissCrawford’sdirection，werearrangedroundtheother。ItwasafinearrangementforHenryCrawford，whowasclosetoFanny，andwithhishandsfullofbusiness，havingtwopersons’cardstomanageaswellashisown；
　　forthoughitwasimpossibleforFannynottofeelherselfmistressoftherulesofthegameinthreeminutes，hehadyettoinspiritherplay，sharpenheravarice，andhardenherheart，which，especiallyinanycompetitionwithWilliam，wasaworkofsomedifficulty；andasforLadyBertram，hemustcontinueinchargeofallherfameandfortunethroughthewholeevening；andifquickenoughtokeepherfromlookingathercardswhenthedealbegan，mustdirectherinwhateverwastobedonewiththemtotheendofit。
　　Hewasinhighspirits，doingeverythingwithhappyease，andpreeminentinallthelivelyturns，quickresources，andplayfulimpudencethatcoulddohonourtothegame；
　　andtheroundtablewasaltogetheraverycomfortablecontrasttothesteadysobrietyandorderlysilenceoftheother。
　　TwicehadSirThomasinquiredintotheenjoymentandsuccessofhislady，butinvain；nopausewaslongenoughforthetimehismeasuredmannerneeded；andverylittleofherstatecouldbeknowntillMrs。Grantwasable，attheendofthefirstrubber，togotoherandpayhercompliments。
　　“Ihopeyourladyshipispleasedwiththegame。“
　　“Ohdear，yes!veryentertainingindeed。Averyoddgame。
　　Idonotknowwhatitisallabout。Iamnevertoseemycards；andMr。Crawforddoesalltherest。“
　　“Bertram，“saidCrawford，sometimeafterwards，takingtheopportunityofalittlelanguorinthegame，“Ihavenevertoldyouwhathappenedtomeyesterdayinmyridehome。“
　　Theyhadbeenhuntingtogether，andwereinthemidstofagoodrun，andatsomedistancefromMansfield，whenhishorsebeingfoundtohaveflungashoe，HenryCrawfordhadbeenobligedtogiveup，andmakethebestofhiswayback。
　　“ItoldyouIlostmywayafterpassingthatoldfarmhousewiththeyew-trees，becauseIcanneverbeartoask；
　　butIhavenottoldyouthat，withmyusualluck——forI
　　neverdowrongwithoutgainingbyit——IfoundmyselfinduetimeintheveryplacewhichIhadacuriositytosee。
　　Iwassuddenly，uponturningthecornerofasteepishdownyfield，inthemidstofaretiredlittlevillagebetweengentlyrisinghills；asmallstreambeforemetobeforded，achurchstandingonasortofknolltomyright——
　　whichchurchwasstrikinglylargeandhandsomefortheplace，andnotagentlemanorhalfagentleman’shousetobeseenexceptingone——tobepresumedtheParsonage——
　　withinastone’sthrowofthesaidknollandchurch。
　　Ifoundmyself，inshort，inThorntonLacey。“
　　“Itsoundslikeit，“saidEdmund；“butwhichwaydidyouturnafterpassingSewell’sfarm？“
　　“Ianswernosuchirrelevantandinsidiousquestions；
　　thoughwereItoanswerallthatyoucouldputinthecourseofanhour，youwouldneverbeabletoprovethatitwas_not_ThorntonLacey——forsuchitcertainlywas。“
　　“Youinquired，then？“
　　“No，Ineverinquire。ButI_told_amanmendingahedgethatitwasThorntonLacey，andheagreedtoit。“
　　“Youhaveagoodmemory。Ihadforgottenhavingevertoldyouhalfsomuchoftheplace。“
　　ThorntonLaceywasthenameofhisimpendingliving，asMissCrawfordwellknew；andherinterestinanegotiationforWilliamPrice’sknaveincreased。
　　“Well，“continuedEdmund，“andhowdidyoulikewhatyousaw？“
　　“Verymuchindeed。Youarealuckyfellow。Therewillbeworkforfivesummersatleastbeforetheplaceisliveable。“
　　“No，no，notsobadasthat。Thefarmyardmustbemoved，Igrantyou；butIamnotawareofanythingelse。
　　Thehouseisbynomeansbad，andwhentheyardisremoved，theremaybeaverytolerableapproachtoit。“
　　“Thefarmyardmustbeclearedawayentirely，andplanteduptoshutouttheblacksmith’sshop。Thehousemustbeturnedtofronttheeastinsteadofthenorth——
　　theentranceandprincipalrooms，Imean，mustbeonthatside，wheretheviewisreallyverypretty；Iamsureitmaybedone。And_there_mustbeyourapproach，throughwhatisatpresentthegarden。Youmustmakeanewgardenatwhatisnowthebackofthehouse；
　　whichwillbegivingitthebestaspectintheworld，slopingtothesouth-east。Thegroundseemspreciselyformedforit。Irodefiftyyardsupthelane，betweenthechurchandthehouse，inordertolookaboutme；
　　andsawhowitmightallbe。Nothingcanbeeasier。
　　Themeadowsbeyondwhat_will__be_thegarden，aswellaswhatnow_is_，sweepingroundfromthelaneIstoodintothenorth-east，thatis，totheprincipalroadthroughthevillage，mustbealllaidtogether，ofcourse；
　　veryprettymeadowstheyare，finelysprinkledwithtimber。
　　Theybelongtotheliving，Isuppose；ifnot，youmustpurchasethem。Thenthestream——somethingmustbedonewiththestream；butIcouldnotquitedeterminewhat。
　　Ihadtwoorthreeideas。“
　　“AndIhavetwoorthreeideasalso，“saidEdmund，“andoneofthemis，thatverylittleofyourplanforThorntonLaceywilleverbeputinpractice。
　　Imustbesatisfiedwithratherlessornamentandbeauty。