andthen，creepingslowlyuptheprincipalstaircase，pursuedbytheceaselesscountry-dance，feverishwithhopesandfears，soupandnegus，sore-footedandfatigued，restlessandagitated，yetfeeling，inspiteofeverything，thataballwasindeeddelightful。
　　Inthussendingheraway，SirThomasperhapsmightnotbethinkingmerelyofherhealth。ItmightoccurtohimthatMr。Crawfordhadbeensittingbyherlongenough，orhemightmeantorecommendherasawifebyshewingherpersuadableness。
　　Theballwasover，andthebreakfastwassoonovertoo；
　　thelastkisswasgiven，andWilliamwasgone。
　　Mr。Crawfordhad，asheforetold，beenverypunctual，andshortandpleasanthadbeenthemeal。
　　AfterseeingWilliamtothelastmoment，Fannywalkedbacktothebreakfast-roomwithaverysaddenedhearttogrieveoverthemelancholychange；andthereherunclekindlylefthertocryinpeace，conceiving，perhaps，thatthedesertedchairofeachyoungmanmightexercisehertenderenthusiasm，andthattheremainingcoldporkbonesandmustardinWilliam’splatemightbutdivideherfeelingswiththebrokenegg-shellsinMr。Crawford’s。
　　Shesatandcried_con__amore_asheruncleintended，butitwas_con__amore_fraternalandnoother。
　　Williamwasgone，andshenowfeltasifshehadwastedhalfhisvisitinidlecaresandselfishsolicitudesunconnectedwithhim。
　　Fanny’sdispositionwassuchthatshecouldnevereventhinkofherauntNorrisinthemeagrenessandcheerlessnessofherownsmallhouse，withoutreproachingherselfforsomelittlewantofattentiontoherwhentheyhadbeenlasttogether；muchlesscouldherfeelingsacquitherofhavingdoneandsaidandthoughteverythingbyWilliamthatwasduetohimforawholefortnight。
　　Itwasaheavy，melancholyday。Soonafterthesecondbreakfast，Edmundbadethemgood-byeforaweek，andmountedhishorseforPeterborough，andthenallweregone。
　　Nothingremainedoflastnightbutremembrances，whichshehadnobodytosharein。ShetalkedtoherauntBertram——
　　shemusttalktosomebodyoftheball；butheraunthadseensolittleofwhathadpassed，andhadsolittlecuriosity，thatitwasheavywork。LadyBertramwasnotcertainofanybody’sdressoranybody’splaceatsupperbutherown。
　　“ShecouldnotrecollectwhatitwasthatshehadheardaboutoneoftheMissMaddoxes，orwhatitwasthatLadyPrescotthadnoticedinFanny：shewasnotsurewhetherColonelHarrisonhadbeentalkingofMr。CrawfordorofWilliamwhenhesaidhewasthefinestyoungmanintheroom——
　　somebodyhadwhisperedsomethingtoher；shehadforgottoaskSirThomaswhatitcouldbe。“Andthesewereherlongestspeechesandclearestcommunications：therestwasonlyalanguid“Yes，yes；verywell；didyou？didhe？
　　Ididnotsee_that_；Ishouldnotknowonefromtheother。“
　　Thiswasverybad。ItwasonlybetterthanMrs。Norris’ssharpanswerswouldhavebeen；butshebeinggonehomewithallthesupernumeraryjelliestonurseasickmaid，therewaspeaceandgood-humourintheirlittleparty，thoughitcouldnotboastmuchbeside。
　　Theeveningwasheavyliketheday。“Icannotthinkwhatisthematterwithme，“saidLadyBertram，whenthetea-thingswereremoved。“Ifeelquitestupid。
　　Itmustbesittingupsolatelastnight。Fanny，youmustdosomethingtokeepmeawake。Icannotwork。
　　Fetchthecards；Ifeelsoverystupid。“
　　Thecardswerebrought，andFannyplayedatcribbagewithheraunttillbedtime；andasSirThomaswasreadingtohimself，nosoundswereheardintheroomforthenexttwohoursbeyondthereckoningsofthegame——“And_that_
　　makesthirty-one；fourinhandandeightincrib。
　　Youaretodeal，ma’am；shallIdealforyou？“Fannythoughtandthoughtagainofthedifferencewhichtwenty-fourhourshadmadeinthatroom，andallthatpartofthehouse。
　　Lastnightithadbeenhopeandsmiles，bustleandmotion，noiseandbrilliancy，inthedrawing-room，andoutofthedrawing-room，andeverywhere。Nowitwaslanguor，andallbutsolitude。
　　Agoodnight’srestimprovedherspirits。ShecouldthinkofWilliamthenextdaymorecheerfully；andasthemorningaffordedheranopportunityoftalkingoverThursdaynightwithMrs。GrantandMissCrawford，inaveryhandsomestyle，withalltheheighteningsofimagination，andallthelaughsofplayfulnesswhicharesoessentialtotheshadeofadepartedball，shecouldafterwardsbringhermindwithoutmucheffortintoitseverydaystate，andeasilyconformtothetranquillityofthepresentquietweek。
　　Theywereindeedasmallerpartythanshehadeverknownthereforawholedaytogether，and_he_wasgoneonwhomthecomfortandcheerfulnessofeveryfamilymeetingandeverymealchieflydepended。Butthismustbelearnedtobeendured。Hewouldsoonbealwaysgone；
　　andshewasthankfulthatshecouldnowsitinthesameroomwithheruncle，hearhisvoice，receivehisquestions，andevenanswerthem，withoutsuchwretchedfeelingsasshehadformerlyknown。
　　“Wemissourtwoyoungmen，“wasSirThomas’sobservationonboththefirstandsecondday，astheyformedtheirveryreducedcircleafterdinner；andinconsiderationofFanny’sswimmingeyes，nothingmorewassaidonthefirstdaythantodrinktheirgoodhealth；
　　butontheseconditledtosomethingfarther。
　　Williamwaskindlycommendedandhispromotionhopedfor。
　　“Andthereisnoreasontosuppose，“addedSirThomas，“butthathisvisitstousmaynowbetolerablyfrequent。
　　AstoEdmund，wemustlearntodowithouthim。
　　Thiswillbethelastwinterofhisbelongingtous，ashehasdone。“
　　“Yes，“saidLadyBertram，“butIwishhewasnotgoingaway。
　　Theyareallgoingaway，Ithink。Iwishtheywouldstayathome。“
　　ThiswishwaslevelledprincipallyatJulia，whohadjustappliedforpermissiontogototownwithMaria；
　　andasSirThomasthoughtitbestforeachdaughterthatthepermissionshouldbegranted，LadyBertram，thoughinherowngood-natureshewouldnothavepreventedit，waslamentingthechangeitmadeintheprospectofJulia’sreturn，whichwouldotherwisehavetakenplaceaboutthistime。
　　AgreatdealofgoodsensefollowedonSirThomas’sside，tendingtoreconcilehiswifetothearrangement。
　　Everythingthataconsiderateparent_ought_tofeelwasadvancedforheruse；andeverythingthatanaffectionatemother_must_feelinpromotingherchildren’senjoymentwasattributedtohernature。LadyBertramagreedtoitallwithacalm“Yes“；andattheendofaquarterofanhour’ssilentconsiderationspontaneouslyobserved，“SirThomas，Ihavebeenthinking——andIamverygladwetookFannyaswedid，fornowtheothersareawaywefeelthegoodofit。“
　　SirThomasimmediatelyimprovedthiscomplimentbyadding，“Verytrue。WeshewFannywhatagoodgirlwethinkherbypraisinghertoherface，sheisnowaveryvaluablecompanion。Ifwehavebeenkindto_her_，sheisnowquiteasnecessaryto_us_。“
　　“Yes，“saidLadyBertrampresently；“anditisacomforttothinkthatweshallalwayshave_her_。“
　　SirThomaspaused，halfsmiled，glancedathisniece，andthengravelyreplied，“Shewillneverleaveus，Ihope，tillinvitedtosomeotherhomethatmayreasonablypromisehergreaterhappinessthansheknowshere。“
　　“And_that_isnotverylikelytobe，SirThomas。
　　Whoshouldinviteher？MariamightbeverygladtoseeheratSothertonnowandthen，butshewouldnotthinkofaskinghertolivethere；andIamsuresheisbetteroffhere；
　　andbesides，Icannotdowithouther。“
　　TheweekwhichpassedsoquietlyandpeaceablyatthegreathouseinMansfieldhadaverydifferentcharacterattheParsonage。Totheyounglady，atleast，ineachfamily，itbroughtverydifferentfeelings。WhatwastranquillityandcomforttoFannywastediousnessandvexationtoMary。
　　Somethingarosefromdifferenceofdispositionandhabit：
　　onesoeasilysatisfied，theothersounusedtoendure；
　　butstillmoremightbeimputedtodifferenceofcircumstances。Insomepointsofinteresttheywereexactlyopposedtoeachother。ToFanny’smind，Edmund’sabsencewasreally，initscauseanditstendency，arelief。ToMaryitwaseverywaypainful。Shefeltthewantofhissocietyeveryday，almosteveryhour，andwastoomuchinwantofittoderiveanythingbutirritationfromconsideringtheobjectforwhichhewent。
　　Hecouldnothavedevisedanythingmorelikelytoraisehisconsequencethanthisweek’sabsence，occurringasitdidattheverytimeofherbrother’sgoingaway，ofWilliamPrice’sgoingtoo，andcompletingthesortofgeneralbreak-upofapartywhichhadbeensoanimated。
　　Shefeltitkeenly。Theywerenowamiserabletrio，confinedwithindoorsbyaseriesofrainandsnow，withnothingtodoandnovarietytohopefor。AngryasshewaswithEdmundforadheringtohisownnotions，andactingonthemindefianceofherandshehadbeensoangrythattheyhadhardlypartedfriendsattheball，shecouldnothelpthinkingofhimcontinuallywhenabsent，dwellingonhismeritandaffection，andlongingagainforthealmostdailymeetingstheylatelyhad。Hisabsencewasunnecessarilylong。Heshouldnothaveplannedsuchanabsence——heshouldnothavelefthomeforaweek，whenherowndeparturefromMansfieldwassonear。
　　Thenshebegantoblameherself。Shewishedshehadnotspokensowarmlyintheirlastconversation。Shewasafraidshehadusedsomestrong，somecontemptuousexpressionsinspeakingoftheclergy，andthatshouldnothavebeen。
　　Itwasill-bred；itwaswrong。Shewishedsuchwordsunsaidwithallherheart。
　　Hervexationdidnotendwiththeweek。Allthiswasbad，butshehadstillmoretofeelwhenFridaycameroundagainandbroughtnoEdmund；whenSaturdaycameandstillnoEdmund；andwhen，throughtheslightcommunicationwiththeotherfamilywhichSundayproduced，shelearnedthathehadactuallywrittenhometodeferhisreturn，havingpromisedtoremainsomedayslongerwithhisfriend。
　　Ifshehadfeltimpatienceandregretbefore——ifshehadbeensorryforwhatshesaid，andfeareditstoostrongeffectonhim——shenowfeltandfeareditalltenfoldmore。