HowherheartswelledwithjoyandgratitudeasshepassedthebarriersofPortsmouth，andhowSusan’sfaceworeitsbroadestsmiles，maybeeasilyconceived。
　　Sittingforwards，however，andscreenedbyherbonnet，thosesmileswereunseen。
　　Thejourneywaslikelytobeasilentone。Edmund’sdeepsighsoftenreachedFanny。Hadhebeenalonewithher，hisheartmusthaveopenedinspiteofeveryresolution；
　　butSusan’spresencedrovehimquiteintohimself，andhisattemptstotalkonindifferentsubjectscouldneverbelongsupported。
　　Fannywatchedhimwithnever-failingsolicitude，andsometimescatchinghiseye，revivedanaffectionatesmile，whichcomfortedher；butthefirstday’sjourneypassedwithoutherhearingawordfromhimonthesubjectsthatwereweighinghimdown。Thenextmorningproducedalittlemore。JustbeforetheirsettingoutfromOxford，whileSusanwasstationedatawindow，ineagerobservationofthedepartureofalargefamilyfromtheinn，theothertwowerestandingbythefire；andEdmund，particularlystruckbythealterationinFanny’slooks，andfromhisignoranceofthedailyevilsofherfather’shouse，attributinganundueshareofthechange，attributing_all_totherecentevent，tookherhand，andsaidinalow，butveryexpressivetone，“Nowonder——
　　youmustfeelit——youmustsuffer。Howamanwhohadonceloved，coulddesertyou!But_yours_——yourregardwasnewcomparedwith——Fanny，thinkof_me_!“
　　Thefirstdivisionoftheirjourneyoccupiedalongday，andbroughtthem，almostknockedup，toOxford；
　　butthesecondwasoveratamuchearlierhour。
　　TheywereintheenvironsofMansfieldlongbeforetheusualdinner-time，andastheyapproachedthebelovedplace，theheartsofbothsisterssankalittle。
　　FannybegantodreadthemeetingwithherauntsandTom，undersodreadfulahumiliation；andSusantofeelwithsomeanxiety，thatallherbestmanners，allherlatelyacquiredknowledgeofwhatwaspractisedhere，wasonthepointofbeingcalledintoaction。Visionsofgoodandillbreeding，ofoldvulgarismsandnewgentilities，werebeforeher；andshewasmeditatingmuchuponsilverforks，napkins，andfinger-glasses。FannyhadbeeneverywhereawaketothedifferenceofthecountrysinceFebruary；butwhentheyenteredtheParkherperceptionsandherpleasureswereofthekeenestsort。
　　Itwasthreemonths，fullthreemonths，sinceherquittingit，andthechangewasfromwintertosummer。
　　Hereyefelleverywhereonlawnsandplantationsofthefreshestgreen；andthetrees，thoughnotfullyclothed，wereinthatdelightfulstatewhenfartherbeautyisknowntobeathand，andwhen，whilemuchisactuallygiventothesight，moreyetremainsfortheimagination。
　　Herenjoyment，however，wasforherselfalone。Edmundcouldnotshareit。Shelookedathim，buthewasleaningback，sunkinadeepergloomthanever，andwitheyesclosed，asiftheviewofcheerfulnessoppressedhim，andthelovelyscenesofhomemustbeshutout。
　　Itmadehermelancholyagain；andtheknowledgeofwhatmustbeenduringthere，investedeventhehouse，modern，airy，andwellsituatedasitwas，withamelancholyaspect。
　　Byoneofthesufferingpartywithintheywereexpectedwithsuchimpatienceasshehadneverknownbefore。
　　Fannyhadscarcelypassedthesolemn-lookingservants，whenLadyBertramcamefromthedrawing-roomtomeether；
　　camewithnoindolentstep；andfallingonherneck，said，“DearFanny!nowIshallbecomfortable。
　　Ithadbeenamiserableparty，eachofthethreebelievingthemselvesmostmiserable。Mrs。Norris，however，asmostattachedtoMaria，wasreallythegreatestsufferer。
　　Mariawasherfirstfavourite，thedearestofall；
　　thematchhadbeenherowncontriving，asshehadbeenwontwithsuchprideofhearttofeelandsay，andthisconclusionofitalmostoverpoweredher。
　　Shewasanalteredcreature，quieted，stupefied，indifferenttoeverythingthatpassed。Thebeingleftwithhersisterandnephew，andallthehouseunderhercare，hadbeenanadvantageentirelythrownaway；shehadbeenunabletodirectordictate，orevenfancyherselfuseful。
　　Whenreallytouchedbyaffliction，heractivepowershadbeenallbenumbed；andneitherLadyBertramnorTomhadreceivedfromherthesmallestsupportorattemptatsupport。Shehaddonenomoreforthemthantheyhaddoneforeachother。Theyhadbeenallsolitary，helpless，andforlornalike；andnowthearrivaloftheothersonlyestablishedhersuperiorityinwretchedness。
　　Hercompanionswererelieved，buttherewasnogoodfor_her_。EdmundwasalmostaswelcometohisbrotherasFannytoheraunt；butMrs。Norris，insteadofhavingcomfortfromeither，wasbutthemoreirritatedbythesightofthepersonwhom，intheblindnessofheranger，shecouldhavechargedasthedaemonofthepiece。
　　HadFannyacceptedMr。Crawfordthiscouldnothavehappened。
　　Susantoowasagrievance。Shehadnotspiritstonoticeherinmorethanafewrepulsivelooks，butshefeltherasaspy，andanintruder，andanindigentniece，andeverythingmostodious。Byherotheraunt，Susanwasreceivedwithquietkindness。LadyBertramcouldnotgivehermuchtime，ormanywords，butshefelther，asFanny’ssister，tohaveaclaimatMansfield，andwasreadytokissandlikeher；andSusanwasmorethansatisfied，forshecameperfectlyawarethatnothingbutill-humourwastobeexpectedfromauntNorris；
　　andwassoprovidedwithhappiness，sostronginthatbestofblessings，anescapefrommanycertainevils，thatshecouldhavestoodagainstagreatdealmoreindifferencethanshemetwithfromtheothers。
　　Shewasnowleftagooddealtoherself，togetacquaintedwiththehouseandgroundsasshecould，andspentherdaysveryhappilyinsodoing，whilethosewhomightotherwisehaveattendedtoherwereshutup，orwhollyoccupiedeachwiththepersonquitedependentonthem，atthistime，foreverythinglikecomfort；Edmundtryingtoburyhisownfeelingsinexertionsforthereliefofhisbrother’s，andFannydevotedtoherauntBertram，returningtoeveryformerofficewithmorethanformerzeal，andthinkingshecouldneverdoenoughforonewhoseemedsomuchtowanther。
　　TotalkoverthedreadfulbusinesswithFanny，talkandlament，wasallLadyBertram’sconsolation。Tobelistenedtoandbornewith，andhearthevoiceofkindnessandsympathyinreturn，waseverythingthatcouldbedoneforher。
　　Tobeotherwisecomfortedwasoutofthequestion。
　　Thecaseadmittedofnocomfort。LadyBertramdidnotthinkdeeply，but，guidedbySirThomas，shethoughtjustlyonallimportantpoints；andshesaw，therefore，inallitsenormity，whathadhappened，andneitherendeavouredherself，norrequiredFannytoadviseher，tothinklittleofguiltandinfamy。
　　Heraffectionswerenotacute，norwashermindtenacious。
　　Afteratime，Fannyfounditnotimpossibletodirectherthoughtstoothersubjects，andrevivesomeinterestintheusualoccupations；butwheneverLadyBertram_was_
　　fixedontheevent，shecouldseeitonlyinonelight，ascomprehendingthelossofadaughter，andadisgracenevertobewipedoff。
　　Fannylearntfromheralltheparticularswhichhadyettranspired。Herauntwasnoverymethodicalnarrator，butwiththehelpofsomeletterstoandfromSirThomas，andwhatshealreadyknewherself，andcouldreasonablycombine，shewassoonabletounderstandquiteasmuchasshewishedofthecircumstancesattendingthestory。
　　Mrs。Rushworthhadgone，fortheEasterholidays，toTwickenham，withafamilywhomshehadjustgrownintimatewith：afamilyoflively，agreeablemanners，andprobablyofmoralsanddiscretiontosuit，forto_their_
　　houseMr。Crawfordhadconstantaccessatalltimes。
　　HishavingbeeninthesameneighbourhoodFannyalreadyknew。
　　Mr。RushworthhadbeengoneatthistimetoBath，topassafewdayswithhismother，andbringherbacktotown，andMariawaswiththesefriendswithoutanyrestraint，withoutevenJulia；forJuliahadremovedfromWimpoleStreettwoorthreeweeksbefore，onavisittosomerelationsofSirThomas；aremovalwhichherfatherandmotherwerenowdisposedtoattributetosomeviewofconvenienceonMr。Yates’saccount。VerysoonaftertheRushworths’
　　returntoWimpoleStreet，SirThomashadreceivedaletterfromanoldandmostparticularfriendinLondon，whohearingandwitnessingagooddealtoalarmhiminthatquarter，wrotetorecommendSirThomas’scomingtoLondonhimself，andusinghisinfluencewithhisdaughtertoputanendtotheintimacywhichwasalreadyexposinghertounpleasantremarks，andevidentlymakingMr。Rushworthuneasy。
　　SirThomaswaspreparingtoactuponthisletter，withoutcommunicatingitscontentstoanycreatureatMansfield，whenitwasfollowedbyanother，sentexpressfromthesamefriend，tobreaktohimthealmostdesperatesituationinwhichaffairsthenstoodwiththeyoungpeople。
　　Mrs。Rushworthhadleftherhusband’shouse：Mr。Rushworthhadbeeningreatangeranddistressto_him_Mr。Harding
　　forhisadvice；Mr。Hardingfearedtherehadbeen_at_
　　_least_veryflagrantindiscretion。ThemaidservantofMrs。Rushworth，senior，threatenedalarmingly。Hewasdoingallinhispowertoquieteverything，withthehopeofMrs。Rushworth’sreturn，butwassomuchcounteractedinWimpoleStreetbytheinfluenceofMr。Rushworth’smother，thattheworstconsequencesmightbeapprehended。