MissCrawfordwasnotentirelyfreefromsimilarapprehensions，thoughtheyaroseprincipallyfromdoubtsofhersister’sstyleoflivingandtoneofsociety；
anditwasnottillaftershehadtriedinvaintopersuadeherbrothertosettlewithherathisowncountryhouse，thatshecouldresolvetohazardherselfamongherotherrelations。Toanythinglikeapermanenceofabode，orlimitationofsociety，HenryCrawfordhad，unluckily，agreatdislike：hecouldnotaccommodatehissisterinanarticleofsuchimportance；butheescortedher，withtheutmostkindness，intoNorthamptonshire，andasreadilyengagedtofetchherawayagain，athalfanhour’snotice，whenevershewerewearyoftheplace。
Themeetingwasverysatisfactoryoneachside。
MissCrawfordfoundasisterwithoutprecisenessorrusticity，asister’shusbandwholookedthegentleman，andahousecommodiousandwellfittedup；andMrs。Grantreceivedinthosewhomshehopedtolovebetterthaneverayoungmanandwomanofveryprepossessingappearance。
MaryCrawfordwasremarkablypretty；Henry，thoughnothandsome，hadairandcountenance；themannersofbothwerelivelyandpleasant，andMrs。Grantimmediatelygavethemcreditforeverythingelse。Shewasdelightedwitheach，butMarywasherdearestobject；andhavingneverbeenabletogloryinbeautyofherown，shethoroughlyenjoyedthepowerofbeingproudofhersister’s。Shehadnotwaitedherarrivaltolookoutforasuitablematchforher：
shehadfixedonTomBertram；theeldestsonofabaronetwasnottoogoodforagirloftwentythousandpounds，withalltheeleganceandaccomplishmentswhichMrs。Grantforesawinher；andbeingawarm-hearted，unreservedwoman，Maryhadnotbeenthreehoursinthehousebeforeshetoldherwhatshehadplanned。
MissCrawfordwasgladtofindafamilyofsuchconsequencesoverynearthem，andnotatalldispleasedeitherathersister’searlycare，orthechoiceithadfallenon。
Matrimonywasherobject，providedshecouldmarrywell：
andhavingseenMr。Bertramintown，sheknewthatobjectioncouldnomorebemadetohispersonthantohissituationinlife。Whileshetreateditasajoke，therefore，shedidnotforgettothinkofitseriously。
TheschemewassoonrepeatedtoHenry。
“Andnow，“addedMrs。Grant，“Ihavethoughtofsomethingtomakeitcomplete。Ishoulddearlylovetosettleyoubothinthiscountry；andtherefore，Henry，youshallmarrytheyoungestMissBertram，anice，handsome，good-humoured，accomplishedgirl，whowillmakeyouveryhappy。“
Henrybowedandthankedher。
“Mydearsister，“saidMary，“ifyoucanpersuadehimintoanythingofthesort，itwillbeafreshmatterofdelighttometofindmyselfalliedtoanybodysoclever，andIshallonlyregretthatyouhavenothalfadozendaughterstodisposeof。IfyoucanpersuadeHenrytomarry，youmusthavetheaddressofaFrenchwoman。
AllthatEnglishabilitiescandohasbeentriedalready。
Ihavethreeveryparticularfriendswhohavebeenalldyingforhimintheirturn；andthepainswhichthey，theirmothersverycleverwomen，aswellasmydearauntandmyself，havetakentoreason，coax，ortrickhimintomarrying，isinconceivable!Heisthemosthorribleflirtthatcanbeimagined。IfyourMissBertramsdonotliketohavetheirheartsbroke，letthemavoidHenry。“
“Mydearbrother，Iwillnotbelievethisofyou。“
“No，Iamsureyouaretoogood。YouwillbekinderthanMary。
Youwillallowforthedoubtsofyouthandinexperience。
Iamofacautioustemper，andunwillingtoriskmyhappinessinahurry。NobodycanthinkmorehighlyofthematrimonialstatethanmyselfIconsidertheblessingofawifeasmostjustlydescribedinthosediscreetlinesofthepoet——’Heaven’s_last_bestgift。’“
“There，Mrs。Grant，youseehowhedwellsononeword，andonlylookathissmile。Iassureyouheisverydetestable；
theAdmiral’slessonshavequitespoiledhim。“
“Ipayverylittleregard，“saidMrs。Grant，“towhatanyyoungpersonsaysonthesubjectofmarriage。
Iftheyprofessadisinclinationforit，Ionlysetitdownthattheyhavenotyetseentherightperson。“
Dr。GrantlaughinglycongratulatedMissCrawfordonfeelingnodisinclinationtothestateherself。
“Ohyes!Iamnotatallashamedofit。Iwouldhaveeverybodymarryiftheycandoitproperly：
Idonotliketohavepeoplethrowthemselvesaway；
buteverybodyshouldmarryassoonastheycandoittoadvantage。“
Chapter05CHAPTERV
Theyoungpeoplewerepleasedwitheachotherfromthefirst。Oneachsidetherewasmuchtoattract，andtheiracquaintancesoonpromisedasearlyanintimacyasgoodmannerswouldwarrant。MissCrawford’sbeautydidhernodisservicewiththeMissBertrams。
Theyweretoohandsomethemselvestodislikeanywomanforbeingsotoo，andwerealmostasmuchcharmedastheirbrotherswithherlivelydarkeye，clearbrowncomplexion，andgeneralprettiness。Hadshebeentall，fullformed，andfair，itmighthavebeenmoreofatrial：butasitwas，therecouldbenocomparison；andshewasmostallowablyasweet，prettygirl，whiletheywerethefinestyoungwomeninthecountry。
Herbrotherwasnothandsome：no，whentheyfirstsawhimhewasabsolutelyplain，blackandplain；butstillhewasthegentleman，withapleasingaddress。Thesecondmeetingprovedhimnotsoveryplain：hewasplain，tobesure，butthenhehadsomuchcountenance，andhisteethweresogood，andhewassowellmade，thatonesoonforgothewasplain；andafterathirdinterview，afterdiningincompanywithhimattheParsonage，hewasnolongerallowedtobecalledsobyanybody。
Hewas，infact，themostagreeableyoungmanthesistershadeverknown，andtheywereequallydelightedwithhim。
MissBertram’sengagementmadehiminequitythepropertyofJulia，ofwhichJuliawasfullyaware；andbeforehehadbeenatMansfieldaweek，shewasquitereadytobefalleninlovewith。
Maria’snotionsonthesubjectweremoreconfusedandindistinct。Shedidnotwanttoseeorunderstand。
“Therecouldbenoharminherlikinganagreeableman——
everybodyknewhersituation——Mr。Crawfordmusttakecareofhimself。“Mr。Crawforddidnotmeantobeinanydanger!
theMissBertramswereworthpleasing，andwerereadytobepleased；andhebeganwithnoobjectbutofmakingthemlikehim。Hedidnotwantthemtodieoflove；
butwithsenseandtemperwhichoughttohavemadehimjudgeandfeelbetter，heallowedhimselfgreatlatitudeonsuchpoints。
“IlikeyourMissBertramsexceedingly，sister，“saidhe，ashereturnedfromattendingthemtotheircarriageafterthesaiddinnervisit；“theyareveryelegant，agreeablegirls。“
“Sotheyareindeed，andIamdelightedtohearyousayit。
ButyoulikeJuliabest。“
“Ohyes!IlikeJuliabest。“
“Butdoyoureally？forMissBertramisingeneralthoughtthehandsomest。“
“SoIshouldsuppose。Shehastheadvantageineveryfeature，andIpreferhercountenance；butIlikeJuliabest；
MissBertramiscertainlythehandsomest，andIhavefoundherthemostagreeable，butIshallalwayslikeJuliabest，becauseyouorderme。“
“Ishallnottalktoyou，Henry，butIknowyou_will_
likeherbestatlast。“
“DonotItellyouthatIlikeherbest_at__first_？“
“Andbesides，MissBertramisengaged。Rememberthat，mydearbrother。Herchoiceismade。“
“Yes，andIlikeherthebetterforit。Anengagedwomanisalwaysmoreagreeablethanadisengaged。
Sheissatisfiedwithherself。Hercaresareover，andshefeelsthatshemayexertallherpowersofpleasingwithoutsuspicion。Allissafewithaladyengaged：
noharmcanbedone。“