heheardsomuchofmymiseryaboutit。Andyoumaysay，ifyouplease，thatIshallpreparemymostplaintiveairsagainsthisreturn，incompassiontohisfeelings，asIknowhishorsewilllose。“
“IfIwrite，Iwillsaywhateveryouwishme；butIdonot，atpresent，foreseeanyoccasionforwriting。“
“No，Idaresay，norifheweretobegoneatwelvemonth，wouldyoueverwritetohim，norhetoyou，ifitcouldbehelped。Theoccasionwouldneverbeforeseen。
Whatstrangecreaturesbrothersare!Youwouldnotwritetoeachotherbutuponthemosturgentnecessityintheworld；
andwhenobligedtotakeupthepentosaythatsuchahorseisill，orsucharelationdead，itisdoneinthefewestpossiblewords。Youhavebutonestyleamongyou。
Iknowitperfectly。Henry，whoisineveryotherrespectexactlywhatabrothershouldbe，wholovesme，consultsme，confidesinme，andwilltalktomebythehourtogether，hasneveryetturnedthepageinaletter；andveryoftenitisnothingmorethan——’DearMary，Iamjustarrived。
Bathseemsfull，andeverythingasusual。Yourssincerely。’
Thatisthetruemanlystyle；thatisacompletebrother’sletter。“
“Whentheyareatadistancefromalltheirfamily，“
saidFanny，colouringforWilliam’ssake，“theycanwritelongletters。“
“MissPricehasabrotheratsea，“saidEdmund，“whoseexcellenceasacorrespondentmakesherthinkyoutoosevereuponus。“
“Atsea，hasshe？Intheking’sservice，ofcourse？“
FannywouldratherhavehadEdmundtellthestory，buthisdeterminedsilenceobligedhertorelateherbrother’ssituation：hervoicewasanimatedinspeakingofhisprofession，andtheforeignstationshehadbeenon；
butshecouldnotmentionthenumberofyearsthathehadbeenabsentwithouttearsinhereyes。MissCrawfordcivillywishedhimanearlypromotion。
“Doyouknowanythingofmycousin’scaptain？“saidEdmund；
“CaptainMarshall？Youhavealargeacquaintanceinthenavy，Iconclude？“
“Amongadmirals，largeenough；but，“withanairofgrandeur，“weknowverylittleoftheinferiorranks。Post-captainsmaybeverygoodsortofmen，buttheydonotbelongto_us_。
OfvariousadmiralsIcouldtellyouagreatdeal：
ofthemandtheirflags，andthegradationoftheirpay，andtheirbickeringsandjealousies。But，ingeneral，Icanassureyouthattheyareallpassedover，andallveryillused。Certainly，myhomeatmyuncle’sbroughtmeacquaintedwithacircleofadmirals。Of_Rears_and_Vices_Isawenough。Nowdonotbesuspectingmeofapun，Ientreat。“
Edmundagainfeltgrave，andonlyreplied，“Itisanobleprofession。“
“Yes，theprofessioniswellenoughundertwocircumstances：
ifitmakethefortune，andtherebediscretioninspendingit；
but，inshort，itisnotafavouriteprofessionofmine。
Ithasneverwornanamiableformto_me_。“
Edmundrevertedtotheharp，andwasagainveryhappyintheprospectofhearingherplay。
Thesubjectofimprovinggrounds，meanwhile，wasstillunderconsiderationamongtheothers；andMrs。Grantcouldnothelpaddressingherbrother，thoughitwascallinghisattentionfromMissJuliaBertram。
“MydearHenry，have_you_nothingtosay？Youhavebeenanimproveryourself，andfromwhatIhearofEveringham，itmayviewithanyplaceinEngland。Itsnaturalbeauties，Iamsure，aregreat。Everingham，asit_used_tobe，wasperfectinmyestimation：suchahappyfallofground，andsuchtimber!WhatwouldInotgivetoseeitagain？“
“Nothingcouldbesogratifyingtomeastohearyouropinionofit，“washisanswer；“butIfeartherewouldbesomedisappointment：youwouldnotfinditequaltoyourpresentideas。Inextent，itisamerenothing；
youwouldbesurprisedatitsinsignificance；and，asforimprovement，therewasverylittleformetodo——
toolittle：Ishouldliketohavebeenbusymuchlonger。“
“Youarefondofthesortofthing？“saidJulia。
“Excessively；butwhatwiththenaturaladvantagesoftheground，whichpointedout，eventoaveryyoungeye，whatlittleremainedtobedone，andmyownconsequentresolutions，IhadnotbeenofagethreemonthsbeforeEveringhamwasallthatitisnow。MyplanwaslaidatWestminster，alittlealtered，perhaps，atCambridge，andatone-and-twentyexecuted。IaminclinedtoenvyMr。Rushworthforhavingsomuchhappinessyetbeforehim。
Ihavebeenadevourerofmyown。“
“Thosewhoseequickly，willresolvequickly，andactquickly，“
saidJulia。“_You_canneverwantemployment。
InsteadofenvyingMr。Rushworth，youshouldassisthimwithyouropinion。“
Mrs。Grant，hearingthelatterpartofthisspeech，enforceditwarmly，persuadedthatnojudgmentcouldbeequaltoherbrother’s；andasMissBertramcaughtattheidealikewise，andgaveitherfullsupport，declaringthat，inheropinion，itwasinfinitelybettertoconsultwithfriendsanddisinterestedadvisers，thanimmediatelytothrowthebusinessintothehandsofaprofessionalman，Mr。RushworthwasveryreadytorequestthefavourofMr。Crawford’sassistance；andMr。Crawford，afterproperlydepreciatinghisownabilities，wasquiteathisserviceinanywaythatcouldbeuseful。Mr。RushworththenbegantoproposeMr。Crawford’sdoinghimthehonourofcomingovertoSotherton，andtakingabedthere；
whenMrs。Norris，asifreadinginhertwonieces’
mindstheirlittleapprobationofaplanwhichwastotakeMr。Crawfordaway，interposedwithanamendment。
“TherecanbenodoubtofMr。Crawford’swillingness；
butwhyshouldnotmoreofusgo？Whyshouldnotwemakealittleparty？Herearemanythatwouldbeinterestedinyourimprovements，mydearMr。Rushworth，andthatwouldliketohearMr。Crawford’sopiniononthespot，andthatmightbeofsomesmallusetoyouwith_their_opinions；and，formyownpart，Ihavebeenlongwishingtowaituponyourgoodmotheragain；nothingbuthavingnohorsesofmyowncouldhavemademesoremiss；
butnowIcouldgoandsitafewhourswithMrs。Rushworth，whiletherestofyouwalkedaboutandsettledthings，andthenwecouldallreturntoalatedinnerhere，ordineatSotherton，justasmightbemostagreeabletoyourmother，andhaveapleasantdrivehomebymoonlight。
IdaresayMr。Crawfordwouldtakemytwoniecesandmeinhisbarouche，andEdmundcangoonhorseback，youknow，sister，andFannywillstayathomewithyou。“
LadyBertrammadenoobjection；andeveryoneconcernedinthegoingwasforwardinexpressingtheirreadyconcurrence，exceptingEdmund，whohearditallandsaidnothing。
“Well，Fanny，andhowdoyoulikeMissCrawford_now_？“
saidEdmundthenextday，afterthinkingsometimeonthesubjecthimself。“Howdidyoulikeheryesterday？“
“Verywell——verymuch。Iliketohearhertalk。
Sheentertainsme；andsheissoextremelypretty，thatI
havegreatpleasureinlookingather。“
“Itishercountenancethatissoattractive。Shehasawonderfulplayoffeature!Butwastherenothinginherconversationthatstruckyou，Fanny，asnotquiteright？“
“Ohyes!sheoughtnottohavespokenofheruncleasshedid。
Iwasquiteastonished。Anunclewithwhomshehasbeenlivingsomanyyears，andwho，whateverhisfaultsmaybe，issoveryfondofherbrother，treatinghim，theysay，quitelikeason。Icouldnothavebelievedit!“
“Ithoughtyouwouldbestruck。Itwasverywrong；
veryindecorous。“
“Andveryungrateful，Ithink。“
“Ungratefulisastrongword。Idonotknowthatherunclehasanyclaimtoher_gratitude_；hiswifecertainlyhad；
anditisthewarmthofherrespectforheraunt’smemorywhichmisleadsherhere。Sheisawkwardlycircumstanced。
WithsuchwarmfeelingsandlivelyspiritsitmustbedifficulttodojusticetoheraffectionforMrs。Crawford，withoutthrowingashadeontheAdmiral。Idonotpretendtoknowwhichwasmosttoblameintheirdisagreements，thoughtheAdmiral’spresentconductmightinclineonetothesideofhiswife；butitisnaturalandamiablethatMissCrawfordshouldacquitherauntentirely。
Idonotcensureher_opinions_；buttherecertainly_is_