“Shehasgotit，“saidLadyBertram；“shehashaditeversinceshecamebackfromyourhousethesecondtime。“
“What!“criedEdmund；“hasshebeenwalkingaswellascuttingroses；walkingacrossthehotparktoyourhouse，anddoingittwice，ma’am？Nowonderherheadaches。“
Mrs。NorriswastalkingtoJulia，anddidnothear。
“Iwasafraiditwouldbetoomuchforher，“saidLadyBertram；
“butwhentherosesweregathered，yourauntwishedtohavethem，andthenyouknowtheymustbetakenhome。“
“Butwerethererosesenoughtoobligehertogotwice？“
“No；buttheyweretobeputintothespareroomtodry；
and，unluckily，Fannyforgottolockthedooroftheroomandbringawaythekey，soshewasobligedtogoagain。“
Edmundgotupandwalkedabouttheroom，saying，“AndcouldnobodybeemployedonsuchanerrandbutFanny？Uponmyword，ma’am，ithasbeenaveryill-managedbusiness。“
“IamsureIdonotknowhowitwastohavebeendonebetter，“
criedMrs。Norris，unabletobelongerdeaf；“unlessIhadgonemyself，indeed；butIcannotbeintwoplacesatonce；
andIwastalkingtoMr。Greenatthatverytimeaboutyourmother’sdairymaid，by_her_desire，andhadpromisedJohnGroomtowritetoMrs。Jefferiesabouthisson，andthepoorfellowwaswaitingformehalfanhour。
Ithinknobodycanjustlyaccusemeofsparingmyselfuponanyoccasion，butreallyIcannotdoeverythingatonce。
AndasforFanny’sjuststeppingdowntomyhouseforme——
itisnotmuchaboveaquarterofamile——IcannotthinkI
wasunreasonabletoaskit。HowoftendoIpaceitthreetimesaday，earlyandlate，ay，andinallweatherstoo，andsaynothingaboutit？“
“IwishFannyhadhalfyourstrength，ma’am。“
“IfFannywouldbemoreregularinherexercise，shewouldnotbeknockedupsosoon。Shehasnotbeenoutonhorsebacknowthislongwhile，andIampersuadedthat，whenshedoesnotride，sheoughttowalk。Ifshehadbeenridingbefore，Ishouldnothaveaskeditofher。
ButIthoughtitwouldratherdohergoodafterbeingstoopingamongtheroses；forthereisnothingsorefreshingasawalkafterafatigueofthatkind；
andthoughthesunwasstrong，itwasnotsoveryhot。
Betweenourselves，Edmund，“noddingsignificantlyathismother，“itwascuttingtheroses，anddawdlingaboutintheflower-garden，thatdidthemischief。“
“Iamafraiditwas，indeed，“saidthemorecandidLadyBertram，whohadoverheardher；“Iamverymuchafraidshecaughttheheadachethere，fortheheatwasenoughtokillanybody。ItwasasmuchasIcouldbearmyself。
SittingandcallingtoPug，andtryingtokeephimfromtheflower-beds，wasalmosttoomuchforme。“
Edmundsaidnomoretoeitherlady；butgoingquietlytoanothertable，onwhichthesupper-trayyetremained，broughtaglassofMadeiratoFanny，andobligedhertodrinkthegreaterpart。Shewishedtobeabletodeclineit；
butthetears，whichavarietyoffeelingscreated，madeiteasiertoswallowthantospeak。
VexedasEdmundwaswithhismotherandaunt，hewasstillmoreangrywithhimself。Hisownforgetfulnessofherwasworsethananythingwhichtheyhaddone。Nothingofthiswouldhavehappenedhadshebeenproperlyconsidered；
butshehadbeenleftfourdaystogetherwithoutanychoiceofcompanionsorexercise，andwithoutanyexcuseforavoidingwhateverherunreasonableauntsmightrequire。
Hewasashamedtothinkthatforfourdaystogethershehadnothadthepowerofriding，andveryseriouslyresolved，howeverunwillinghemustbetocheckapleasureofMissCrawford’s，thatitshouldneverhappenagain。
FannywenttobedwithherheartasfullasonthefirsteveningofherarrivalatthePark。Thestateofherspiritshadprobablyhaditsshareinherindisposition；
forshehadbeenfeelingneglected，andbeenstrugglingagainstdiscontentandenvyforsomedayspast。
Assheleantonthesofa，towhichshehadretreatedthatshemightnotbeseen，thepainofhermindhadbeenmuchbeyondthatinherhead；andthesuddenchangewhichEdmund’skindnesshadthenoccasioned，madeherhardlyknowhowtosupportherself。
Fanny’sridesrecommencedtheverynextday；andasitwasapleasantfresh-feelingmorning，lesshotthantheweatherhadlatelybeen，Edmundtrustedthatherlosses，bothofhealthandpleasure，wouldbesoonmadegood。
WhileshewasgoneMr。Rushwortharrived，escortinghismother，whocametobecivilandtoshewhercivilityespecially，inurgingtheexecutionoftheplanforvisitingSotherton，whichhadbeenstartedafortnightbefore，andwhich，inconsequenceofhersubsequentabsencefromhome，hadsincelaindormant。Mrs。Norrisandhernieceswereallwellpleasedwithitsrevival，andanearlydaywasnamedandagreedto，providedMr。Crawfordshouldbedisengaged：
theyoungladiesdidnotforgetthatstipulation，andthoughMrs。Norriswouldwillinglyhaveansweredforhisbeingso，theywouldneitherauthorisethelibertynorruntherisk；
andatlast，onahintfromMissBertram，Mr。RushworthdiscoveredthattheproperestthingtobedonewasforhimtowalkdowntotheParsonagedirectly，andcallonMr。Crawford，andinquirewhetherWednesdaywouldsuithimornot。
BeforehisreturnMrs。GrantandMissCrawfordcamein。
Havingbeenoutsometime，andtakenadifferentroutetothehouse，theyhadnotmethim。Comfortablehopes，however，weregiventhathewouldfindMr。Crawfordathome。TheSothertonschemewasmentionedofcourse。
Itwashardlypossible，indeed，thatanythingelseshouldbetalkedof，forMrs。Norriswasinhighspiritsaboutit；
andMrs。Rushworth，awell-meaning，civil，prosing，pompouswoman，whothoughtnothingofconsequence，butasitrelatedtoherownandherson’sconcerns，hadnotyetgivenoverpressingLadyBertramtobeoftheparty。
LadyBertramconstantlydeclinedit；butherplacidmannerofrefusalmadeMrs。Rushworthstillthinkshewishedtocome，tillMrs。Norris’smorenumerouswordsandloudertoneconvincedherofthetruth。
“Thefatiguewouldbetoomuchformysister，agreatdealtoomuch，Iassureyou，mydearMrs。Rushworth。
Tenmilesthere，andtenback，youknow。Youmustexcusemysisteronthisoccasion，andacceptofourtwodeargirlsandmyselfwithouther。Sothertonistheonlyplacethatcouldgivehera_wish_togosofar，butitcannotbe，indeed。ShewillhaveacompanioninFannyPrice，youknow，soitwillalldoverywell；
andasforEdmund，asheisnotheretospeakforhimself，Iwillanswerforhisbeingmosthappytojointheparty。
Hecangoonhorseback，youknow。“
Mrs。RushworthbeingobligedtoyieldtoLadyBertram’sstayingathome，couldonlybesorry。“Thelossofherladyship’scompanywouldbeagreatdrawback，andsheshouldhavebeenextremelyhappytohaveseentheyoungladytoo，MissPrice，whohadneverbeenatSothertonyet，anditwasapitysheshouldnotseetheplace。“
“Youareverykind，youareallkindness，mydearmadam，“
criedMrs。Norris；“butastoFanny，shewillhaveopportunitiesinplentyofseeingSotherton。Shehastimeenoughbeforeher；andhergoingnowisquiteoutofthequestion。LadyBertramcouldnotpossiblyspareher。“
“Ohno!IcannotdowithoutFanny。“
Mrs。Rushworthproceedednext，undertheconvictionthateverybodymustbewantingtoseeSotherton，toincludeMissCrawfordintheinvitation；andthoughMrs。Grant，whohadnotbeenatthetroubleofvisitingMrs。Rushworth，onhercomingintotheneighbourhood，civillydeclineditonherownaccount，shewasgladtosecureanypleasureforhersister；andMary，properlypressedandpersuaded，wasnotlonginacceptinghershareofthecivility。
Mr。RushworthcamebackfromtheParsonagesuccessful；
andEdmundmadehisappearancejustintimetolearnwhathadbeensettledforWednesday，toattendMrs。Rushworthtohercarriage，andwalkhalf-waydowntheparkwiththetwootherladies。
Onhisreturntothebreakfast-room，hefoundMrs。NorristryingtomakeuphermindastowhetherMissCrawford’sbeingofthepartyweredesirableornot，orwhetherherbrother’sbarouchewouldnotbefullwithouther。
TheMissBertramslaughedattheidea，assuringherthatthebarouchewouldholdfourperfectlywell，independentofthebox，onwhich_one_mightgowithhim。
“Butwhyisitnecessary，“saidEdmund，“thatCrawford’scarriage，orhis_only_，shouldbeemployed？Whyisnousetobemadeofmymother’schaise？Icouldnot，whentheschemewasfirstmentionedtheotherday，understandwhyavisitfromthefamilywerenottobemadeinthecarriageofthefamily。“
“What!“criedJulia：“goboxedupthreeinapostchaiseinthisweather，whenwemayhaveseatsinabarouche!
No，mydearEdmund，thatwillnotquitedo。“
“Besides，“saidMaria，“IknowthatMr。Crawforddependsupontakingus。Afterwhatpassedatfirst，hewouldclaimitasapromise。“
“And，mydearEdmund，“addedMrs。Norris，“takingout_two_
carriageswhen_one_willdo，wouldbetroublefornothing；
and，betweenourselves，coachmanisnotveryfondoftheroadsbetweenthisandSotherton：healwayscomplainsbitterlyofthenarrowlanesscratchinghiscarriage，andyouknowoneshouldnotliketohavedearSirThomas，whenhecomeshome，findallthevarnishscratchedoff。“
“ThatwouldnotbeaveryhandsomereasonforusingMr。Crawford’s，“saidMaria；“butthetruthis，thatWilcoxisastupidoldfellow，anddoesnotknowhowtodrive。
IwillanswerforitthatweshallfindnoinconveniencefromnarrowroadsonWednesday。“