butthiscannotpossiblybepermittedbeforethemiddleofnextweek；thatis，hecannotanyhowbesparedtillafterthel4th，for_we_haveapartythatevening。
　　ThevalueofamanlikeHenry，onsuchanoccasion，iswhatyoucanhavenoconceptionof；soyoumusttakeituponmywordtobeinestimable。HewillseetheRushworths，whichownIamnotsorryfor——havingalittlecuriosity，andsoIthinkhashe——thoughhewillnotacknowledgeit。“
　　Thiswasalettertoberunthrougheagerly，tobereaddeliberately，tosupplymatterformuchreflection，andtoleaveeverythingingreatersuspensethanever。
　　Theonlycertaintytobedrawnfromitwas，thatnothingdecisivehadyettakenplace。Edmundhadnotyetspoken。
　　HowMissCrawfordreallyfelt，howshemeanttoact，ormightactwithoutoragainsthermeaning；whetherhisimportancetoherwerequitewhatithadbeenbeforethelastseparation；whether，iflessened，itwerelikelytolessenmore，ortorecoveritself，weresubjectsforendlessconjecture，andtobethoughtofonthatdayandmanydaystocome，withoutproducinganyconclusion。
　　TheideathatreturnedtheoftenestwasthatMissCrawford，afterprovingherselfcooledandstaggeredbyareturntoLondonhabits，wouldyetproveherselfintheendtoomuchattachedtohimtogivehimup。Shewouldtrytobemoreambitiousthanherheartwouldallow。
　　Shewouldhesitate，shewouldtease，shewouldcondition，shewouldrequireagreatdeal，butshewouldfinallyaccept。
　　ThiswasFanny’smostfrequentexpectation。Ahouseintown——that，shethought，mustbeimpossible。
　　YettherewasnosayingwhatMissCrawfordmightnotask。
　　Theprospectforhercousingrewworseandworse。
　　Thewomanwhocouldspeakofhim，andspeakonlyofhisappearance!Whatanunworthyattachment!TobederivingsupportfromthecommendationsofMrs。Fraser!
　　_She_whohadknownhimintimatelyhalfayear!
　　Fannywasashamedofher。ThosepartsoftheletterwhichrelatedonlytoMr。Crawfordandherself，touchedher，incomparison，slightly。WhetherMr。CrawfordwentintoNorfolkbeforeorafterthe14thwascertainlynoconcernofhers，though，everythingconsidered，shethoughthe_would_gowithoutdelay。ThatMissCrawfordshouldendeavourtosecureameetingbetweenhimandMrs。Rushworth，wasallinherworstlineofconduct，andgrosslyunkindandill-judged；butshehoped_he_
　　wouldnotbeactuatedbyanysuchdegradingcuriosity。
　　Heacknowledgednosuchinducement，andhissisteroughttohavegivenhimcreditforbetterfeelingsthanherown。
　　Shewasyetmoreimpatientforanotherletterfromtownafterreceivingthisthanshehadbeenbefore；
　　andforafewdayswassounsettledbyitaltogether，bywhathadcome，andwhatmightcome，thatherusualreadingsandconversationwithSusanweremuchsuspended。
　　Shecouldnotcommandherattentionasshewished。
　　IfMr。Crawfordrememberedhermessagetohercousin，shethoughtitverylikely，mostlikely，thathewouldwritetoheratallevents；itwouldbemostconsistentwithhisusualkindness；andtillshegotridofthisidea，tillitgraduallyworeoff，bynolettersappearinginthecourseofthreeorfourdaysmore，shewasinamostrestless，anxiousstateAtlength，asomethinglikecomposuresucceeded。
　　Suspensemustbesubmittedto，andmustnotbeallowedtowearherout，andmakeheruseless。Timedidsomething，herownexertionssomethingmore，andsheresumedherattentionstoSusan，andagainawakenedthesameinterestinthem。
　　Susanwasgrowingveryfondofher，andthoughwithoutanyoftheearlydelightinbookswhichhadbeensostronginFanny，withadispositionmuchlessinclinedtosedentarypursuits，ortoinformationforinformation’ssake，shehadsostrongadesireofnot_appearing_ignorant，as，withagoodclearunderstanding，madeheramostattentive，profitable，thankfulpupil。
　　Fannywasheroracle。Fanny’sexplanationsandremarkswereamostimportantadditiontoeveryessay，oreverychapterofhistory。WhatFannytoldherofformertimesdweltmoreonhermindthanthepagesofGoldsmith；andshepaidhersisterthecomplimentofpreferringherstyletothatofanyprintedauthor。Theearlyhabitofreadingwaswanting。
　　Theirconversations，however，werenotalwaysonsubjectssohighashistoryormorals。Othershadtheirhour；
　　andoflessermatters，nonereturnedsooften，orremainedsolongbetweenthem，asMansfieldPark，adescriptionofthepeople，themanners，theamusements，thewaysofMansfieldPark。Susan，whohadaninnatetasteforthegenteelandwell-appointed，waseagertohear，andFannycouldnotbutindulgeherselfindwellingonsobelovedatheme。Shehopeditwasnotwrong；though，afteratime，Susan’sverygreatadmirationofeverythingsaidordoneinheruncle’shouse，andearnestlongingtogointoNorthamptonshire，seemedalmosttoblameherforexcitingfeelingswhichcouldnotbegratified。
　　PoorSusanwasverylittlebetterfittedforhomethanhereldersister；andasFannygrewthoroughlytounderstandthis，shebegantofeelthatwhenherownreleasefromPortsmouthcame，herhappinesswouldhaveamaterialdrawbackinleavingSusanbehind。
　　Thatagirlsocapableofbeingmadeeverythinggoodshouldbeleftinsuchhands，distressedhermoreandmore。
　　Were_she_likelytohaveahometoinviteherto，whatablessingitwouldbe!AndhaditbeenpossibleforhertoreturnMr。Crawford’sregard，theprobabilityofhisbeingveryfarfromobjectingtosuchameasurewouldhavebeenthegreatestincreaseofallherowncomforts。
　　Shethoughthewasreallygood-tempered，andcouldfancyhisenteringintoaplanofthatsortmostpleasantly。
　　Sevenweeksofthetwomonthswereverynearlygone，whentheoneletter，theletterfromEdmund，solongexpected，wasputintoFanny’shands。Assheopened，andsawitslength，shepreparedherselfforaminutedetailofhappinessandaprofusionofloveandpraisetowardsthefortunatecreaturewhowasnowmistressofhisfate。
　　Thesewerethecontents——
　　“MyDearFanny，——ExcusemethatIhavenotwrittenbefore。
　　Crawfordtoldmethatyouwerewishingtohearfromme，butIfounditimpossibletowritefromLondon，andpersuadedmyselfthatyouwouldunderstandmysilence。
　　CouldIhavesentafewhappylines，theyshouldnothavebeenwanting，butnothingofthatnaturewaseverinmypower。IamreturnedtoMansfieldinalessassuredstatethatwhenIleftit。Myhopesaremuchweaker。
　　Youareprobablyawareofthisalready。SoveryfondofyouasMissCrawfordis，itismostnaturalthatsheshouldtellyouenoughofherownfeelingstofurnishatolerableguessatmine。Iwillnotbeprevented，however，frommakingmyowncommunication。Ourconfidencesinyouneednotclash。
　　Iasknoquestions。Thereissomethingsoothingintheideathatwehavethesamefriend，andthatwhateverunhappydifferencesofopinionmayexistbetweenus，weareunitedinourloveofyou。Itwillbeacomforttometotellyouhowthingsnoware，andwhataremypresentplans，ifplansIcanbesaidtohave。IhavebeenreturnedsinceSaturday。IwasthreeweeksinLondon，andsawherforLondonveryoften。IhadeveryattentionfromtheFrasersthatcouldbereasonablyexpected。
　　IdaresayIwasnotreasonableincarryingwithmehopesofanintercourseatalllikethatofMansfield。
　　Itwashermanner，however，ratherthananyunfrequencyofmeeting。HadshebeendifferentwhenIdidseeher，Ishouldhavemadenocomplaint，butfromtheveryfirstshewasaltered：myfirstreceptionwassounlikewhatIhadhoped，thatIhadalmostresolvedonleavingLondonagaindirectly。Ineednotparticularise。
　　Youknowtheweaksideofhercharacter，andmayimaginethesentimentsandexpressionswhichweretorturingme。
　　Shewasinhighspirits，andsurroundedbythosewhoweregivingallthesupportoftheirownbadsensetohertoolivelymind。IdonotlikeMrs。Fraser。
　　Sheisacold-hearted，vainwoman，whohasmarriedentirelyfromconvenience，andthoughevidentlyunhappyinhermarriage，placesherdisappointmentnottofaultsofjudgment，ortemper，ordisproportionofage，buttoherbeing，afterall，lessaffluentthanmanyofheracquaintance，especiallythanhersister，LadyStornaway，andisthedeterminedsupporterofeverythingmercenaryandambitious，provideditbeonlymercenaryandambitiousenough。Ilookuponherintimacywiththosetwosistersasthegreatestmisfortuneofherlifeandmine。Theyhavebeenleadingherastrayforyears。Couldshebedetachedfromthem!——
　　andsometimesIdonotdespairofit，fortheaffectionappearstomeprincipallyontheirside。Theyareveryfondofher；butIamsureshedoesnotlovethemasshelovesyou。WhenIthinkofhergreatattachmenttoyou，indeed，andthewholeofherjudicious，uprightconductasasister，sheappearsaverydifferentcreature，capableofeverythingnoble，andIamreadytoblamemyselfforatooharshconstructionofaplayfulmanner。
　　Icannotgiveherup，Fanny。SheistheonlywomanintheworldwhomIcouldeverthinkofasawife。
　　IfIdidnotbelievethatshehadsomeregardforme，ofcourseIshouldnotsaythis，butIdobelieveit。
　　Iamconvincedthatsheisnotwithoutadecidedpreference。