Therehadbeensomethingremarkablyamiableabouther。
　　FannyinthoseearlydayshadpreferredhertoSusan；
　　andwhenthenewsofherdeathhadatlastreachedMansfield，hadforashorttimebeenquiteafflicted。ThesightofBetseybroughttheimageoflittleMarybackagain，butshewouldnothavepainedhermotherbyalludingtoherfortheworld。Whileconsideringherwiththeseideas，Betsey，atasmalldistance，washoldingoutsomethingtocatchhereyes，meaningtoscreenitatthesametimefromSusan’s。
　　“Whathaveyougotthere，mylove？“saidFanny；
　　“comeandshewittome。“
　　Itwasasilverknife。UpjumpedSusan，claimingitasherown，andtryingtogetitaway；butthechildrantohermother’sprotection，andSusancouldonlyreproach，whichshedidverywarmly，andevidentlyhopingtointerestFannyonherside。“Itwasveryhardthatshewasnottohaveher_own_knife；itwasherownknife；
　　littlesisterMaryhadleftittoheruponherdeathbed，andsheoughttohavehadittokeepherselflongago。
　　Butmamakeptitfromher，andwasalwayslettingBetseygetholdofit；andtheendofitwouldbethatBetseywouldspoilit，andgetitforherown，thoughmamahad_promised_herthatBetseyshouldnothaveitinherownhands。“
　　Fannywasquiteshocked。Everyfeelingofduty，honour，andtendernesswaswoundedbyhersister’sspeechandhermother’sreply。
　　“Now，Susan，“criedMrs。Price，inacomplainingvoice，“now，howcanyoubesocross？Youarealwaysquarrellingaboutthatknife。Iwishyouwouldnotbesoquarrelsome。
　　PoorlittleBetsey；howcrossSusanistoyou!Butyoushouldnothavetakenitout，mydear，whenIsentyoutothedrawer。YouknowItoldyounottotouchit，becauseSusanissocrossaboutit。Imusthideitanothertime，Betsey。PoorMarylittlethoughtitwouldbesuchaboneofcontentionwhenshegaveitmetokeep，onlytwohoursbeforeshedied。Poorlittlesoul!shecouldbutjustspeaktobeheard，andshesaidsoprettily，“LetsisterSusanhavemyknife，mama，whenIamdeadandburied。“
　　Poorlittledear!shewassofondofit，Fanny，thatshewouldhaveitlaybyherinbed，allthroughherillness。
　　Itwasthegiftofhergoodgodmother，oldMrs。AdmiralMaxwell，onlysixweeksbeforeshewastakenfordeath。
　　Poorlittlesweetcreature!Well，shewastakenawayfromeviltocome。MyownBetsey“fondlingher，“_you_havenottheluckofsuchagoodgodmother。
　　AuntNorrislivestoofarofftothinkofsuchlittlepeopleasyou。“
　　FannyhadindeednothingtoconveyfromauntNorris，butamessagetosayshehopedthathergod-daughterwasagoodgirl，andlearntherbook。Therehadbeenatonemomentaslightmurmurinthedrawing-roomatMansfieldParkaboutsendingheraprayer-book；
　　butnosecondsoundhadbeenheardofsuchapurpose。
　　Mrs。Norris，however，hadgonehomeandtakendowntwooldprayer-booksofherhusbandwiththatidea；but，uponexamination，theardourofgenerositywentoff。
　　Onewasfoundtohavetoosmallaprintforachild’seyes，andtheothertobetoocumbersomeforhertocarryabout。
　　Fanny，fatiguedandfatiguedagain，wasthankfultoacceptthefirstinvitationofgoingtobed；andbeforeBetseyhadfinishedhercryatbeingallowedtosituponlyonehourextraordinaryinhonourofsister，shewasoff，leavingallbelowinconfusionandnoiseagain；theboysbeggingfortoastedcheese，herfathercallingoutforhisrumandwater，andRebeccaneverwheresheoughttobe。
　　TherewasnothingtoraiseherspiritsintheconfinedandscantilyfurnishedchamberthatshewastosharewithSusan。Thesmallnessoftheroomsaboveandbelow，indeed，andthenarrownessofthepassageandstaircase，struckherbeyondherimagination。ShesoonlearnedtothinkwithrespectofherownlittleatticatMansfieldPark，inthathousereckonedtoosmallforanybody’scomfort。
　　Chapter39CHAPTERXXXIX
　　CouldSirThomashaveseenallhisniece’sfeelings，whenshewroteherfirstlettertoheraunt，hewouldnothavedespaired；forthoughagoodnight’srest，apleasantmorning，thehopeofsoonseeingWilliamagain，andthecomparativelyquietstateofthehouse，fromTomandCharlesbeinggonetoschool，Samonsomeprojectofhisown，andherfatheronhisusuallounges，enabledhertoexpressherselfcheerfullyonthesubjectofhome，therewerestill，toherownperfectconsciousness，manydrawbackssuppressed。Couldhehaveseenonlyhalfthatshefeltbeforetheendofaweek，hewouldhavethoughtMr。Crawfordsureofher，andbeendelightedwithhisownsagacity。
　　Beforetheweekended，itwasalldisappointment。
　　Inthefirstplace，Williamwasgone。TheThrushhadhadherorders，thewindhadchanged，andhewassailedwithinfourdaysfromtheirreachingPortsmouth；
　　andduringthosedaysshehadseenhimonlytwice，inashortandhurriedway，whenhehadcomeashoreonduty。Therehadbeennofreeconversation，nowalkontheramparts，novisittothedockyard，noacquaintancewiththeThrush，nothingofallthattheyhadplannedanddependedon。Everythinginthatquarterfailedher，exceptWilliam’saffection。Hislastthoughtonleavinghomewasforher。Hesteppedbackagaintothedoortosay，“TakecareofFanny，mother。Sheistender，andnotusedtoroughitliketherestofus。Ichargeyou，takecareofFanny。“
　　Williamwasgone：andthehomehehadleftherinwas，Fannycouldnotconcealitfromherself，inalmosteveryrespecttheveryreverseofwhatshecouldhavewished。
　　Itwastheabodeofnoise，disorder，andimpropriety。
　　Nobodywasintheirrightplace，nothingwasdoneasitoughttobe。Shecouldnotrespectherparentsasshehadhoped。
　　Onherfather，herconfidencehadnotbeensanguine，buthewasmorenegligentofhisfamily，hishabitswereworse，andhismannerscoarser，thanshehadbeenpreparedfor。
　　Hedidnotwantabilitiesbuthehadnocuriosity，andnoinformationbeyondhisprofession；hereadonlythenewspaperandthenavy-list；hetalkedonlyofthedockyard，theharbour，Spithead，andtheMotherbank；
　　hesworeandhedrank，hewasdirtyandgross。
　　Shehadneverbeenabletorecallanythingapproachingtotendernessinhisformertreatmentofherself。
　　Therehadremainedonlyageneralimpressionofroughnessandloudness；andnowhescarcelyevernoticedher，buttomakehertheobjectofacoarsejoke。
　　Herdisappointmentinhermotherwasgreater：
　　_there_shehadhopedmuch，andfoundalmostnothing。
　　Everyflatteringschemeofbeingofconsequencetohersoonfelltotheground。Mrs。Pricewasnotunkind；
　　but，insteadofgainingonheraffectionandconfidence，andbecomingmoreandmoredear，herdaughternevermetwithgreaterkindnessfromherthanonthefirstdayofherarrival。Theinstinctofnaturewassoonsatisfied，andMrs。Price’sattachmenthadnoothersource。
　　Herheartandhertimewerealreadyquitefull；
　　shehadneitherleisurenoraffectiontobestowonFanny。
　　Herdaughtersneverhadbeenmuchtoher。Shewasfondofhersons，especiallyofWilliam，butBetseywasthefirstofhergirlswhomshehadevermuchregarded。Tohershewasmostinjudiciouslyindulgent。Williamwasherpride；
　　Betseyherdarling；andJohn，Richard，Sam，Tom，andCharlesoccupiedalltherestofhermaternalsolicitude，alternatelyherworriesandhercomforts。Thesesharedherheart：
　　hertimewasgivenchieflytoherhouseandherservants。
　　Herdayswerespentinakindofslowbustle；allwasbusywithoutgettingon，alwaysbehindhandandlamentingit，withoutalteringherways；wishingtobeaneconomist，withoutcontrivanceorregularity；dissatisfiedwithherservants，withoutskilltomakethembetter，andwhetherhelping，orreprimanding，orindulgingthem，withoutanypowerofengagingtheirrespect。
　　Ofhertwosisters，Mrs。PriceverymuchmoreresembledLadyBertramthanMrs。Norris。Shewasamanagerbynecessity，withoutanyofMrs。Norris’sinclinationforit，oranyofheractivity。Herdispositionwasnaturallyeasyandindolent，likeLadyBertram’s；andasituationofsimilaraffluenceanddo-nothingnesswouldhavebeenmuchmoresuitedtohercapacitythantheexertionsandself-denialsoftheonewhichherimprudentmarriagehadplacedherin。
　　ShemighthavemadejustasgoodawomanofconsequenceasLadyBertram，butMrs。Norriswouldhavebeenamorerespectablemotherofninechildrenonasmallincome。
　　MuchofallthisFannycouldnotbutbesensibleof。
　　Shemightscrupletomakeuseofthewords，butshemustanddidfeelthathermotherwasapartial，ill-judgingparent，adawdle，aslattern，whoneithertaughtnorrestrainedherchildren，whosehousewasthesceneofmismanagementanddiscomfortfrombeginningtoend，andwhohadnotalent，noconversation，noaffectiontowardsherself；nocuriositytoknowherbetter，nodesireofherfriendship，andnoinclinationforhercompanythatcouldlessenhersenseofsuchfeelings。
　　Fannywasveryanxioustobeuseful，andnottoappearaboveherhome，orinanywaydisqualifiedordisinclined，byherforeigneducation，fromcontributingherhelptoitscomforts，andthereforesetaboutworkingforSamimmediately；
　　andbyworkingearlyandlate，withperseveranceandgreatdespatch，didsomuchthattheboywasshippedoffatlast，withmorethanhalfhislinenready。
　　Shehadgreatpleasureinfeelingherusefulness，butcouldnotconceivehowtheywouldhavemanagedwithouther。