“MydearMissPrice，“saidMissCrawford，assoonasshewasatallwithinhearing，“Iamcometomakemyownapologiesforkeepingyouwaiting；butIhavenothingintheworldtosayformyself——Iknewitwasverylate，andthatIwasbehavingextremelyill；andtherefore，ifyouplease，youmustforgiveme。Selfishnessmustalwaysbeforgiven，youknow，becausethereisnohopeofacure。“
Fanny’sanswerwasextremelycivil，andEdmundaddedhisconvictionthatshecouldbeinnohurry。“Forthereismorethantimeenoughformycousintoridetwiceasfarassheevergoes，“saidhe，“andyouhavebeenpromotinghercomfortbypreventingherfromsettingoffhalfanhoursooner：cloudsarenowcomingup，andshewillnotsufferfromtheheatasshewouldhavedonethen。
Iwish_you_maynotbefatiguedbysomuchexercise。
Iwishyouhadsavedyourselfthiswalkhome。“
“Nopartofitfatiguesmebutgettingoffthishorse，Iassureyou，“saidshe，asshesprangdownwithhishelp；
“Iamverystrong。NothingeverfatiguesmebutdoingwhatIdonotlike。MissPrice，Igivewaytoyouwithaverybadgrace；butIsincerelyhopeyouwillhaveapleasantride，andthatImayhavenothingbutgoodtohearofthisdear，delightful，beautifulanimal。“
Theoldcoachman，whohadbeenwaitingaboutwithhisownhorse，nowjoiningthem，Fannywasliftedonhers，andtheysetoffacrossanotherpartofthepark；
herfeelingsofdiscomfortnotlightenedbyseeing，asshelookedback，thattheotherswerewalkingdownthehilltogethertothevillage；nordidherattendantdohermuchgoodbyhiscommentsonMissCrawford’sgreatclevernessasahorse-woman，whichhehadbeenwatchingwithaninterestalmostequaltoherown。
“Itisapleasuretoseealadywithsuchagoodheartforriding!“saidhe。“Ineverseeonesitahorsebetter。
Shedidnotseemtohaveathoughtoffear。Verydifferentfromyou，miss，whenyoufirstbegan，sixyearsagocomenextEaster。Lordblessyou!howyoudidtremblewhenSirThomasfirsthadyouputon!“
Inthedrawing-roomMissCrawfordwasalsocelebrated。
HermeritinbeinggiftedbyNaturewithstrengthandcouragewasfullyappreciatedbytheMissBertrams；
herdelightinridingwasliketheirown；herearlyexcellenceinitwasliketheirown，andtheyhadgreatpleasureinpraisingit。
“Iwassureshewouldridewell，“saidJulia；“shehasthemakeforit。Herfigureisasneatasherbrother’s。“
“Yes，“addedMaria，“andherspiritsareasgood，andshehasthesameenergyofcharacter。Icannotbutthinkthatgoodhorsemanshiphasagreatdealtodowiththemind。“
WhentheypartedatnightEdmundaskedFannywhethershemeanttoridethenextday。
“No，Idonotknow——notifyouwantthemare，“washeranswer。
“Idonotwantheratallformyself，“saidhe；
“’butwheneveryouarenextinclinedtostayathome，IthinkMissCrawfordwouldbegladtohaveheralongertime——
forawholemorning，inshort。ShehasagreatdesiretogetasfarasMansfieldCommon：Mrs。Granthasbeentellingherofitsfineviews，andIhavenodoubtofherbeingperfectlyequaltoit。Butanymorningwilldoforthis。
Shewouldbeextremelysorrytointerferewithyou。
Itwouldbeverywrongifshedid。_She_ridesonlyforpleasure；_you_forhealth。“
“Ishallnotrideto-morrow，certainly，“saidFanny；
“Ihavebeenoutveryoftenlately，andwouldratherstayathome。YouknowIamstrongenoughnowtowalkverywell。“
Edmundlookedpleased，whichmustbeFanny’scomfort，andtheridetoMansfieldCommontookplacethenextmorning：
thepartyincludedalltheyoungpeoplebutherself，andwasmuchenjoyedatthetime，anddoublyenjoyedagainintheeveningdiscussion。Asuccessfulschemeofthissortgenerallybringsonanother；andthehavingbeentoMansfieldCommondisposedthemallforgoingsomewhereelsethedayafter。Thereweremanyotherviewstobeshewn；andthoughtheweatherwashot，therewereshadylaneswherevertheywantedtogo。
Ayoungpartyisalwaysprovidedwithashadylane。
Fourfinemorningssuccessivelywerespentinthismanner，inshewingtheCrawfordsthecountry，anddoingthehonoursofitsfinestspots。Everythinganswered；
itwasallgaietyandgood-humour，theheatonlysupplyinginconvenienceenoughtobetalkedofwithpleasure——
tillthefourthday，whenthehappinessofoneofthepartywasexceedinglyclouded。MissBertramwastheone。
EdmundandJuliawereinvitedtodineattheParsonage，and_she_wasexcluded。ItwasmeantanddonebyMrs。Grant，withperfectgood-humour，onMr。Rushworth’saccount，whowaspartlyexpectedattheParkthatday；butitwasfeltasaverygrievousinjury，andhergoodmannerswereseverelytaxedtoconcealhervexationandangertillshereachedhome。
AsMr。Rushworthdid_not_come，theinjurywasincreased，andshehadnoteventhereliefofshewingherpoweroverhim；
shecouldonlybesullentohermother，aunt，andcousin，andthrowasgreatagloomaspossibleovertheirdinneranddessert。
BetweentenandelevenEdmundandJuliawalkedintothedrawing-room，freshwiththeeveningair，glowingandcheerful，theveryreverseofwhattheyfoundinthethreeladiessittingthere，forMariawouldscarcelyraisehereyesfromherbook，andLadyBertramwashalf-asleep；andevenMrs。Norris，discomposedbyherniece’sill-humour，andhavingaskedoneortwoquestionsaboutthedinner，whichwerenotimmediatelyattendedto，seemedalmostdeterminedtosaynomore。Forafewminutesthebrotherandsisterweretooeagerintheirpraiseofthenightandtheirremarksonthestars，tothinkbeyondthemselves；
butwhenthefirstpausecame，Edmund，lookingaround，said，“ButwhereisFanny？Isshegonetobed？“
“No，notthatIknowof，“repliedMrs。Norris；“shewashereamomentago。“
Herowngentlevoicespeakingfromtheotherendoftheroom，whichwasaverylongone，toldthemthatshewasonthesofa。Mrs。Norrisbeganscolding。
“Thatisaveryfoolishtrick，Fanny，tobeidlingawayalltheeveninguponasofa。Whycannotyoucomeandsithere，andemployyourselfas_we_do？Ifyouhavenoworkofyourown，Icansupplyyoufromthepoorbasket。
Thereisallthenewcalico，thatwasboughtlastweek，nottouchedyet。IamsureIalmostbrokemybackbycuttingitout。Youshouldlearntothinkofotherpeople；and，takemywordforit，itisashockingtrickforayoungpersontobealwayslollinguponasofa。“
Beforehalfthiswassaid，Fannywasreturnedtoherseatatthetable，andhadtakenupherworkagain；
andJulia，whowasinhighgood-humour，fromthepleasuresoftheday，didherthejusticeofexclaiming，“Imustsay，ma’am，thatFannyisaslittleuponthesofaasanybodyinthehouse。“
“Fanny，“saidEdmund，afterlookingatherattentively，“Iamsureyouhavetheheadache。“
Shecouldnotdenyit，butsaiditwasnotverybad。
“Icanhardlybelieveyou，“hereplied；“Iknowyourlookstoowell。Howlonghaveyouhadit？“
“Sincealittlebeforedinner。Itisnothingbuttheheat。“
“Didyougooutintheheat？“
“Goout!tobesureshedid，“saidMrs。Norris：
“wouldyouhaveherstaywithinsuchafinedayasthis？
Werenotwe_all_out？Evenyourmotherwasoutto-dayforaboveanhour。“
“Yes，indeed，Edmund，“addedherladyship，whohadbeenthoroughlyawakenedbyMrs。Norris’ssharpreprimandtoFanny；“Iwasoutaboveanhour。Isatthree-quartersofanhourintheflower-garden，whileFannycuttheroses；
andverypleasantitwas，Iassureyou，butveryhot。
Itwasshadyenoughinthealcove，butIdeclareIquitedreadedthecominghomeagain。“
“Fannyhasbeencuttingroses，hasshe？“
“Yes，andIamafraidtheywillbethelastthisyear。
Poorthing!_She_foundithotenough；buttheyweresofull-blownthatonecouldnotwait。“
“Therewasnohelpforit，certainly，“rejoinedMrs。Norris，inarathersoftenedvoice；“butIquestionwhetherherheadachemightnotbecaught_then_，sister。Thereisnothingsolikelytogiveitasstandingandstoopinginahotsun；butIdaresayitwillbewellto-morrow。
Supposeyouletherhaveyouraromaticvinegar；Ialwaysforgettohaveminefilled。“