Simplegirl!Ishallneverforgiveher。Hadsheacceptedhimassheought，theymightnowhavebeenonthepointofmarriage，andHenrywouldhavebeentoohappyandtoobusytowantanyotherobject。HewouldhavetakennopainstobeontermswithMrs。Rushworthagain。
　　Itwouldhaveallendedinaregularstandingflirtation，inyearlymeetingsatSothertonandEveringham。’Couldyouhavebelieveditpossible？Butthecharmisbroken。
　　Myeyesareopened。“
　　“Cruel!“saidFanny，“quitecruel。Atsuchamomenttogivewaytogaiety，tospeakwithlightness，andtoyou!
　　Absolutecruelty。“
　　“Cruelty，doyoucallit？Wedifferthere。No，hersisnotacruelnature。Idonotconsiderherasmeaningtowoundmyfeelings。Theevilliesyetdeeper：
　　inhertotalignorance，unsuspiciousnessoftherebeingsuchfeelings；inaperversionofmindwhichmadeitnaturaltohertotreatthesubjectasshedid。Shewasspeakingonlyasshehadbeenusedtohearothersspeak，assheimaginedeverybodyelsewouldspeak。Hersarenotfaultsoftemper。Shewouldnotvoluntarilygiveunnecessarypaintoanyone，andthoughImaydeceivemyself，Icannotbutthinkthatforme，formyfeelings，shewould——
　　Hersarefaultsofprinciple，Fanny；ofblunteddelicacyandacorrupted，vitiatedmind。Perhapsitisbestforme，sinceitleavesmesolittletoregret。Notso，however。
　　GladlywouldIsubmittoalltheincreasedpainoflosingher，ratherthanhavetothinkofherasIdo。
　　Itoldherso。“
　　“Didyou？“
　　“Yes；whenIleftherItoldherso。“
　　“Howlongwereyoutogether？“
　　“Five-and-twentyminutes。Well，shewentontosaythatwhatremainednowtobedonewastobringaboutamarriagebetweenthem。Shespokeofit，Fanny，withasteadiervoicethanIcan。“Hewasobligedtopausemorethanonceashecontinued。“’WemustpersuadeHenrytomarryher，’
　　saidshe；’andwhatwithhonour，andthecertaintyofhavingshuthimselfoutforeverfromFanny，Idonotdespairofit。Fannyhemustgiveup。Idonotthinkthateven_he_couldnowhopetosucceedwithoneofherstamp，andthereforeIhopewemayfindnoinsuperabledifficulty。
　　Myinfluence，whichisnotsmallshallallgothatway；
　　andwhenoncemarried，andproperlysupportedbyherownfamily，peopleofrespectabilityastheyare，shemayrecoverherfootinginsocietytoacertaindegree。
　　Insomecircles，weknow，shewouldneverbeadmitted，butwithgooddinners，andlargeparties，therewillalwaysbethosewhowillbegladofheracquaintance；
　　andthereis，undoubtedly，moreliberalityandcandouronthosepointsthanformerly。WhatIadviseis，thatyourfatherbequiet。Donotlethiminjurehisowncausebyinterference。Persuadehimtoletthingstaketheircourse。Ifbyanyofficiousexertionsofhis，sheisinducedtoleaveHenry’sprotection，therewillbemuchlesschanceofhismarryingherthanifsheremainwithhim。Iknowhowheislikelytobeinfluenced。
　　LetSirThomastrusttohishonourandcompassion，anditmayallendwell；butifhegethisdaughteraway，itwillbedestroyingthechiefhold。’“
　　Afterrepeatingthis，EdmundwassomuchaffectedthatFanny，watchinghimwithsilent，butmosttenderconcern，wasalmostsorrythatthesubjecthadbeenenteredonatall。Itwaslongbeforehecouldspeakagain。
　　Atlast，“Now，Fanny，“saidhe，“Ishallsoonhavedone。
　　Ihavetoldyouthesubstanceofallthatshesaid。
　　AssoonasIcouldspeak，IrepliedthatIhadnotsupposeditpossible，cominginsuchastateofmindintothathouseasIhaddone，thatanythingcouldoccurtomakemesuffermore，butthatshehadbeeninflictingdeeperwoundsinalmosteverysentence。
　　ThatthoughIhad，inthecourseofouracquaintance，beenoftensensibleofsomedifferenceinouropinions，onpoints，too，ofsomemoment，ithadnotenteredmyimaginationtoconceivethedifferencecouldbesuchasshehadnowprovedit。ThatthemannerinwhichshetreatedthedreadfulcrimecommittedbyherbrotherandmysisterwithwhomlaythegreaterseductionIpretendednottosay，butthemannerinwhichshespokeofthecrimeitself，givingiteveryreproachbuttheright；consideringitsillconsequencesonlyastheyweretobebravedoroverbornebyadefianceofdecencyandimpudenceinwrong；andlastofall，andaboveall，recommendingtousacompliance，acompromise，anacquiescenceinthecontinuanceofthesin，onthechanceofamarriagewhich，thinkingasInowthoughtofherbrother，shouldratherbepreventedthansought；
　　allthistogethermostgrievouslyconvincedmethatIhadneverunderstoodherbefore，andthat，asfarasrelatedtomind，ithadbeenthecreatureofmyownimagination，notMissCrawford，thatIhadbeentooapttodwellonformanymonthspast。That，perhaps，itwasbestforme；
　　Ihadlesstoregretinsacrificingafriendship，feelings，hopeswhichmust，atanyrate，havebeentornfrommenow。
　　Andyet，thatImustandwouldconfessthat，couldI
　　haverestoredhertowhatshehadappearedtomebefore，Iwouldinfinitelypreferanyincreaseofthepainofparting，forthesakeofcarryingwithmetherightoftendernessandesteem。ThisiswhatIsaid，thepurportofit；but，asyoumayimagine，notspokensocollectedlyormethodicallyasIhaverepeatedittoyou。Shewasastonished，exceedinglyastonished——morethanastonished。
　　Isawherchangecountenance。Sheturnedextremelyred。
　　IimaginedIsawamixtureofmanyfeelings：agreat，thoughshortstruggle；halfawishofyieldingtotruths，halfasenseofshame，buthabit，habitcarriedit。
　　Shewouldhavelaughedifshecould。Itwasasortoflaugh，assheanswered，’Aprettygoodlecture，uponmyword。
　　Wasitpartofyourlastsermon？AtthisrateyouwillsoonreformeverybodyatMansfieldandThorntonLacey；
　　andwhenIhearofyounext，itmaybeasacelebratedpreacherinsomegreatsocietyofMethodists，orasamissionaryintoforeignparts。’Shetriedtospeakcarelessly，butshewasnotsocarelessasshewantedtoappear。
　　Ionlysaidinreply，thatfrommyheartIwishedherwell，andearnestlyhopedthatshemightsoonlearntothinkmorejustly，andnotowethemostvaluableknowledgewecouldanyofusacquire，theknowledgeofourselvesandofourduty，tothelessonsofaffliction，andimmediatelylefttheroom。Ihadgoneafewsteps，Fanny，whenI
　　heardthedooropenbehindme。’Mr。Bertram，’saidshe。
　　Ilookedback。’Mr。Bertram，’saidshe，withasmile；
　　butitwasasmileill-suitedtotheconversationthathadpassed，asaucyplayfulsmile，seemingtoinviteinordertosubdueme；atleastitappearedsotome。
　　Iresisted；itwastheimpulseofthemomenttoresist，andstillwalkedon。Ihavesince，sometimes，foramoment，regrettedthatIdidnotgoback，butIknowIwasright，andsuchhasbeentheendofouracquaintance。Andwhatanacquaintancehasitbeen!HowhaveIbeendeceived!
　　Equallyinbrotherandsisterdeceived!Ithankyouforyourpatience，Fanny。Thishasbeenthegreatestrelief，andnowwewillhavedone。“
　　AndsuchwasFanny’sdependenceonhiswords，thatforfiveminutesshethoughtthey_had_done。Then，however，itallcameonagain，orsomethingverylikeit，andnothinglessthanLadyBertram’srousingthoroughlyupcouldreallyclosesuchaconversation。Tillthathappened，theycontinuedtotalkofMissCrawfordalone，andhowshehadattachedhim，andhowdelightfulnaturehadmadeher，andhowexcellentshewouldhavebeen，hadshefallenintogoodhandsearlier。Fanny，nowatlibertytospeakopenly，feltmorethanjustifiedinaddingtohisknowledgeofherrealcharacter，bysomehintofwhatsharehisbrother’sstateofhealthmightbesupposedtohaveinherwishforacompletereconciliation。Thiswasnotanagreeableintimation。Natureresisteditforawhile。
　　Itwouldhavebeenavastdealpleasantertohavehadhermoredisinterestedinherattachment；buthisvanitywasnotofastrengthtofightlongagainstreason。
　　HesubmittedtobelievethatTom’sillnesshadinfluencedher，onlyreservingforhimselfthisconsolingthought，thatconsideringthemanycounteractionsofopposinghabits，shehadcertainlybeen_more_attachedtohimthancouldhavebeenexpected，andforhissakebeenmoreneardoingright。Fannythoughtexactlythesame；andtheywerealsoquiteagreedintheiropinionofthelastingeffect，theindelibleimpression，whichsuchadisappointmentmustmakeonhismind。Timewouldundoubtedlyabatesomewhatofhissufferings，butstillitwasasortofthingwhichhenevercouldgetentirelythebetterof；
　　andastohisevermeetingwithanyotherwomanwhocould——
　　itwastooimpossibletobenamedbutwithindignation。
　　Fanny’sfriendshipwasallthathehadtoclingto。
　　Letotherpensdwellonguiltandmisery。IquitsuchodioussubjectsassoonasIcan，impatienttorestoreeverybody，notgreatlyinfaultthemselves，totolerablecomfort，andtohavedonewithalltherest。
　　MyFanny，indeed，atthisverytime，Ihavethesatisfactionofknowing，musthavebeenhappyinspiteofeverything。
　　Shemusthavebeenahappycreatureinspiteofallthatshefelt，orthoughtshefelt，forthedistressofthosearoundher。
　　Shehadsourcesofdelightthatmustforcetheirway。
　　ShewasreturnedtoMansfieldPark，shewasuseful，shewasbeloved；shewassafefromMr。Crawford；
　　andwhenSirThomascamebackshehadeveryproofthatcouldbegiveninhisthenmelancholystateofspirits，ofhisperfectapprobationandincreasedregard；
　　andhappyasallthismustmakeher，shewouldstillhavebeenhappywithoutanyofit，forEdmundwasnolongerthedupeofMissCrawford。
　　ItistruethatEdmundwasveryfarfromhappyhimself。