Fannyseemedtoherselfnevertohavebeenshockedbefore。
　　Therewasnopossibilityofrest。Theeveningpassedwithoutapauseofmisery，thenightwastotallysleepless。
　　Shepassedonlyfromfeelingsofsicknesstoshudderingsofhorror；andfromhotfitsoffevertocold。Theeventwassoshocking，thatthereweremomentsevenwhenherheartrevoltedfromitasimpossible：whenshethoughtitcouldnotbe。Awomanmarriedonlysixmonthsago；
　　amanprofessinghimselfdevoted，even_engaged_toanother；
　　thatotherhernearrelation；thewholefamily，bothfamiliesconnectedastheywerebytieupontie；
　　allfriends，allintimatetogether!Itwastoohorribleaconfusionofguilt，toogrossacomplicationofevil，forhumannature，notinastateofutterbarbarism，tobecapableof!yetherjudgmenttoldheritwasso。
　　_His_unsettledaffections，waveringwithhisvanity，_Maria’s_decidedattachment，andnosufficientprincipleoneitherside，gaveitpossibility：MissCrawford’sletterstamptitafact。
　　Whatwouldbetheconsequence？Whomwoulditnotinjure？
　　Whoseviewsmightitnotaffect？Whosepeacewoulditnotcutupforever？MissCrawford，herself，Edmund；
　　butitwasdangerous，perhaps，totreadsuchground。
　　Sheconfinedherself，ortriedtoconfineherself，tothesimple，indubitablefamilymiserywhichmustenvelopall，ifitwereindeedamatterofcertifiedguiltandpublicexposure。
　　Themother’ssufferings，thefather’s；thereshepaused。
　　Julia’s，Tom’s，Edmund’s；thereayetlongerpause。
　　Theywerethetwoonwhomitwouldfallmosthorribly。
　　SirThomas’sparentalsolicitudeandhighsenseofhonouranddecorum，Edmund’suprightprinciples，unsuspicioustemper，andgenuinestrengthoffeeling，madeherthinkitscarcelypossibleforthemtosupportlifeandreasonundersuchdisgrace；anditappearedtoherthat，asfarasthisworldalonewasconcerned，thegreatestblessingtoeveryoneofkindredwithMrs。Rushworthwouldbeinstantannihilation。
　　Nothinghappenedthenextday，orthenext，toweakenherterrors。Twopostscamein，andbroughtnorefutation，publicorprivate。TherewasnosecondlettertoexplainawaythefirstfromMissCrawford；therewasnointelligencefromMansfield，thoughitwasnowfulltimeforhertohearagainfromheraunt。Thiswasanevilomen。
　　Shehad，indeed，scarcelytheshadowofahopetosoothehermind，andwasreducedtosolowandwanandtremblingacondition，asnomother，notunkind，exceptMrs。Pricecouldhaveoverlooked，whenthethirddaydidbringthesickeningknock，andaletterwasagainputintoherhands。
　　ItboretheLondonpostmark，andcamefromEdmund。
　　“DearFanny，——Youknowourpresentwretchedness。
　　MayGodsupportyouunderyourshare!Wehavebeenheretwodays，butthereisnothingtobedone。Theycannotbetraced。Youmaynothaveheardofthelastblow——
　　Julia’selopement；sheisgonetoScotlandwithYates。
　　SheleftLondonafewhoursbeforeweenteredit。
　　Atanyothertimethiswouldhavebeenfeltdreadfully。
　　Nowitseemsnothing；yetitisanheavyaggravation。
　　Myfatherisnotoverpowered。Morecannotbehoped。
　　Heisstillabletothinkandact；andIwrite，byhisdesire，toproposeyourreturninghome。
　　Heisanxioustogetyouthereformymother’ssake。
　　IshallbeatPortsmouththemorningafteryoureceivethis，andhopetofindyoureadytosetoffforMansfield。
　　MyfatherwishesyoutoinviteSusantogowithyouforafewmonths。Settleitasyoulike；saywhatisproper；
　　Iamsureyouwillfeelsuchaninstanceofhiskindnessatsuchamoment!Dojusticetohismeaning，howeverImayconfuseit。Youmayimaginesomethingofmypresentstate。Thereisnoendoftheevilletlooseuponus。Youwillseemeearlybythemail——
　　Yours，etc。“
　　NeverhadFannymorewantedacordial。Neverhadshefeltsuchaoneasthislettercontained。To-morrow!toleavePortsmouthto-morrow!Shewas，shefeltshewas，inthegreatestdangerofbeingexquisitelyhappy，whilesomanyweremiserable。Theevilwhichbroughtsuchgoodtoher!
　　Shedreadedlestsheshouldlearntobeinsensibleofit。
　　Tobegoingsosoon，sentforsokindly，sentforasacomfort，andwithleavetotakeSusan，wasaltogethersuchacombinationofblessingsassetherheartinaglow，andforatimeseemedtodistanceeverypain，andmakeherincapableofsuitablysharingthedistressevenofthosewhosedistressshethoughtofmost。
　　Julia’selopementcouldaffecthercomparativelybutlittle；
　　shewasamazedandshocked；butitcouldnotoccupyher，couldnotdwellonhermind。Shewasobligedtocallherselftothinkofit，andacknowledgeittobeterribleandgrievous，oritwasescapingher，inthemidstofalltheagitatingpressingjoyfulcaresattendingthissummonstoherself。
　　Thereisnothinglikeemployment，activeindispensableemployment，forrelievingsorrow。Employment，evenmelancholy，maydispelmelancholy，andheroccupationswerehopeful。
　　Shehadsomuchtodo，thatnoteventhehorriblestoryofMrs。Rushworth——nowfixedtothelastpointofcertaintycouldaffectherasithaddonebefore。
　　Shehadnottimetobemiserable。Withintwenty-fourhoursshewashopingtobegone；herfatherandmothermustbespokento，Susanprepared，everythinggotready。
　　Businessfollowedbusiness；thedaywashardlylongenough。
　　Thehappinessshewasimparting，too，happinessverylittlealloyedbytheblackcommunicationwhichmustbrieflyprecedeit——thejoyfulconsentofherfatherandmothertoSusan’sgoingwithher——thegeneralsatisfactionwithwhichthegoingofbothseemedregarded，andtheecstasyofSusanherself，wasallservingtosupportherspirits。
　　TheafflictionoftheBertramswaslittlefeltinthefamily。
　　Mrs。Pricetalkedofherpoorsisterforafewminutes，buthowtofindanythingtoholdSusan’sclothes，becauseRebeccatookawayalltheboxesandspoiltthem，wasmuchmoreinherthoughts：andasforSusan，nowunexpectedlygratifiedinthefirstwishofherheart，andknowingnothingpersonallyofthosewhohadsinned，orofthosewhoweresorrowing——ifshecouldhelprejoicingfrombeginningtoend，itwasasmuchasoughttobeexpectedfromhumanvirtueatfourteen。
　　AsnothingwasreallyleftforthedecisionofMrs。Price，orthegoodofficesofRebecca，everythingwasrationallyanddulyaccomplished，andthegirlswerereadyforthemorrow。Theadvantageofmuchsleeptopreparethemfortheirjourneywasimpossible。Thecousinwhowastravellingtowardsthemcouldhardlyhavelessthanvisitedtheiragitatedspirits——oneallhappiness，theotherallvaryingandindescribableperturbation。
　　ByeightinthemorningEdmundwasinthehouse。Thegirlsheardhisentrancefromabove，andFannywentdown。
　　Theideaofimmediatelyseeinghim，withtheknowledgeofwhathemustbesuffering，broughtbackallherownfirstfeelings。Hesonearher，andinmisery。Shewasreadytosinkassheenteredtheparlour。Hewasalone，andmetherinstantly；andshefoundherselfpressedtohisheartwithonlythesewords，justarticulate，“MyFanny，myonlysister；myonlycomfortnow!“
　　Shecouldsaynothing；norforsomeminutescouldhesaymore。
　　Heturnedawaytorecoverhimself，andwhenhespokeagain，thoughhisvoicestillfaltered，hismannershewedthewishofself-command，andtheresolutionofavoidinganyfartherallusion。“Haveyoubreakfasted？Whenshallyoubeready？DoesSusango？“werequestionsfollowingeachotherrapidly。Hisgreatobjectwastobeoffassoonaspossible。WhenMansfieldwasconsidered，timewasprecious；andthestateofhisownmindmadehimfindreliefonlyinmotion。Itwassettledthatheshouldorderthecarriagetothedoorinhalfanhour。
　　Fannyansweredfortheirhavingbreakfastedandbeingquitereadyinhalfanhour。Hehadalreadyate，anddeclinedstayingfortheirmeal。Hewouldwalkroundtheramparts，andjointhemwiththecarriage。Hewasgoneagain；
　　gladtogetawayevenfromFanny。
　　Helookedveryill；evidentlysufferingunderviolentemotions，whichhewasdeterminedtosuppress。
　　Sheknewitmustbeso，butitwasterribletoher。
　　Thecarriagecame；andheenteredthehouseagainatthesamemoment，justintimetospendafewminuteswiththefamily，andbeawitness——butthathesawnothing——
　　ofthetranquilmannerinwhichthedaughterswerepartedwith，andjustintimetopreventtheirsittingdowntothebreakfast-table，which，bydintofmuchunusualactivity，wasquiteandcompletelyreadyasthecarriagedrovefromthedoor。Fanny’slastmealinherfather’shousewasincharacterwithherfirst：
　　shewasdismissedfromitashospitablyasshehadbeenwelcomed。