“Thereisnohardship，Isuppose，nothingunpleasant，“
saidEdmund，“ingoingonthebarouchebox。“
“Unpleasant!“criedMaria：“ohdear!Ibelieveitwouldbegenerallythoughtthefavouriteseat。Therecanbenocomparisonastoone’sviewofthecountry。
ProbablyMissCrawfordwillchoosethebarouche-boxherself。“
“Therecanbenoobjection，then，toFanny’sgoingwithyou；
therecanbenodoubtofyourhavingroomforher。“
“Fanny!“repeatedMrs。Norris；“mydearEdmund，thereisnoideaofhergoingwithus。Shestayswithheraunt。
ItoldMrs。Rushworthso。Sheisnotexpected。“
“Youcanhavenoreason，Iimagine，madam，“saidhe，addressinghismother，“forwishingFanny_not_
tobeoftheparty，butasitrelatestoyourself，toyourowncomfort。Ifyoucoulddowithouther，youwouldnotwishtokeepherathome？“
“Tobesurenot，butI_cannot_dowithouther。“
“Youcan，ifIstayathomewithyou，asImeantodo。“
Therewasageneralcryoutatthis。“Yes，“hecontinued，“thereisnonecessityformygoing，andImeantostayathome。FannyhasagreatdesiretoseeSotherton。
Iknowshewishesitverymuch。Shehasnotoftenagratificationofthekind，andIamsure，ma’am，youwouldbegladtogiveherthepleasurenow？“
“Ohyes!veryglad，ifyourauntseesnoobjection。“
Mrs。Norriswasveryreadywiththeonlyobjectionwhichcouldremain——theirhavingpositivelyassuredMrs。RushworththatFannycouldnotgo，andtheverystrangeappearancetherewouldconsequentlybeintakingher，whichseemedtoheradifficultyquiteimpossibletobegotover。
Itmusthavethestrangestappearance!Itwouldbesomethingsoveryunceremonious，soborderingondisrespectforMrs。Rushworth，whoseownmannersweresuchapatternofgood-breedingandattention，thatshereallydidnotfeelequaltoit。Mrs。NorrishadnoaffectionforFanny，andnowishofprocuringherpleasureatanytime；
butheroppositiontoEdmund_now_，arosemorefrompartialityforherownscheme，becauseit_was_herown，thanfromanythingelse。Shefeltthatshehadarrangedeverythingextremelywell，andthatanyalterationmustbefortheworse。WhenEdmund，therefore，toldherinreply，ashedidwhenshewouldgivehimthehearing，thatsheneednotdistressherselfonMrs。Rushworth’saccount，becausehehadtakentheopportunity，ashewalkedwithherthroughthehall，ofmentioningMissPriceasonewhowouldprobablybeoftheparty，andhaddirectlyreceivedaverysufficientinvitationforhiscousin，Mrs。Norriswastoomuchvexedtosubmitwithaverygoodgrace，andwouldonlysay，“Verywell，verywell，justasyouchuse，settleityourownway，IamsureI
donotcareaboutit。“
“Itseemsveryodd，“saidMaria，“thatyoushouldbestayingathomeinsteadofFanny。“
“Iamsuresheoughttobeverymuchobligedtoyou，“
addedJulia，hastilyleavingtheroomasshespoke，fromaconsciousnessthatsheoughttooffertostayathomeherself。
“Fannywillfeelquiteasgratefulastheoccasionrequires，“
wasEdmund’sonlyreply，andthesubjectdropt。
Fanny’sgratitude，whensheheardtheplan，was，infact，muchgreaterthanherpleasure。ShefeltEdmund’skindnesswithall，andmorethanall，thesensibilitywhichhe，unsuspiciousofherfondattachment，couldbeawareof；
butthatheshouldforegoanyenjoymentonheraccountgaveherpain，andherownsatisfactioninseeingSothertonwouldbenothingwithouthim。
ThenextmeetingofthetwoMansfieldfamiliesproducedanotheralterationintheplan，andonethatwasadmittedwithgeneralapprobation。Mrs。GrantofferedherselfascompanionforthedaytoLadyBertraminlieuofherson，andDr。Grantwastojointhematdinner。LadyBertramwasverywellpleasedtohaveitso，andtheyoungladieswereinspiritsagain。EvenEdmundwasverythankfulforanarrangementwhichrestoredhimtohisshareoftheparty；
andMrs。Norristhoughtitanexcellentplan，andhaditathertongue’send，andwasonthepointofproposingit，whenMrs。Grantspoke。
Wednesdaywasfine，andsoonafterbreakfastthebarouchearrived，Mr。Crawforddrivinghissisters；andaseverybodywasready，therewasnothingtobedonebutforMrs。Granttoalightandtheotherstotaketheirplaces。Theplaceofallplaces，theenviedseat，thepostofhonour，wasunappropriated。Towhosehappylotwasittofall？
WhileeachoftheMissBertramsweremeditatinghowbest，andwiththemostappearanceofobligingtheothers，tosecureit，thematterwassettledbyMrs。Grant’ssaying，asshesteppedfromthecarriage，“Astherearefiveofyou，itwillbebetterthatoneshouldsitwithHenry；
andasyouweresayinglatelythatyouwishedyoucoulddrive，Julia，Ithinkthiswillbeagoodopportunityforyoutotakealesson。“
HappyJulia!UnhappyMaria!Theformerwasonthebarouche-boxinamoment，thelattertookherseatwithin，ingloomandmortification；andthecarriagedroveoffamidthegoodwishesofthetworemainingladies，andthebarkingofPuginhismistress’sarms。
Theirroadwasthroughapleasantcountry；andFanny，whoserideshadneverbeenextensive，wassoonbeyondherknowledge，andwasveryhappyinobservingallthatwasnew，andadmiringallthatwaspretty。Shewasnotofteninvitedtojoinintheconversationoftheothers，nordidshedesireit。Herownthoughtsandreflectionswerehabituallyherbestcompanions；and，inobservingtheappearanceofthecountry，thebearingsoftheroads，thedifferenceofsoil，thestateoftheharvest，thecottages，thecattle，thechildren，shefoundentertainmentthatcouldonlyhavebeenheightenedbyhavingEdmundtospeaktoofwhatshefelt。Thatwastheonlypointofresemblancebetweenherandtheladywhosatbyher：
ineverythingbutavalueforEdmund，MissCrawfordwasveryunlikeher。ShehadnoneofFanny’sdelicacyoftaste，ofmind，offeeling；shesawNature，inanimateNature，withlittleobservation；herattentionwasallformenandwomen，hertalentsforthelightandlively。
InlookingbackafterEdmund，however，whentherewasanystretchofroadbehindthem，orwhenhegainedontheminascendingaconsiderablehill，theywereunited，anda“thereheis“brokeatthesamemomentfromthemboth，morethanonce。
ForthefirstsevenmilesMissBertramhadverylittlerealcomfort：herprospectalwaysendedinMr。Crawfordandhersistersittingsidebyside，fullofconversationandmerriment；andtoseeonlyhisexpressiveprofileasheturnedwithasmiletoJulia，ortocatchthelaughoftheother，wasaperpetualsourceofirritation，whichherownsenseofproprietycouldbutjustsmoothover。
WhenJulialookedback，itwaswithacountenanceofdelight，andwhenevershespoketothem，itwasinthehighestspirits：
“herviewofthecountrywascharming，shewishedtheycouldallseeit，“etc。；butheronlyofferofexchangewasaddressedtoMissCrawford，astheygainedthesummitofalonghill，andwasnotmoreinvitingthanthis：
“Hereisafineburstofcountry。Iwishyouhadmyseat，butIdaresayyouwillnottakeit，letmepressyoueversomuch；“andMissCrawfordcouldhardlyanswerbeforetheyweremovingagainatagoodpace。
WhentheycamewithintheinfluenceofSothertonassociations，itwasbetterforMissBertram，whomightbesaidtohavetwostringstoherbow。ShehadRushworthfeelings，andCrawfordfeelings，andinthevicinityofSothertontheformerhadconsiderableeffect。Mr。Rushworth’sconsequencewashers。ShecouldnottellMissCrawfordthat“thosewoodsbelongedtoSotherton，“shecouldnotcarelesslyobservethat“shebelievedthatitwasnowallMr。Rushworth’spropertyoneachsideoftheroad，“
withoutelationofheart；anditwasapleasuretoincreasewiththeirapproachtothecapitalfreeholdmansion，andancientmanorialresidenceofthefamily，withallitsrightsofcourt-leetandcourt-baron。
“Nowweshallhavenomoreroughroad，MissCrawford；
ourdifficultiesareover。Therestofthewayissuchasitoughttobe。Mr。Rushworthhasmadeitsincehesucceededtotheestate。Herebeginsthevillage。
Thosecottagesarereallyadisgrace。Thechurchspireisreckonedremarkablyhandsome。Iamgladthechurchisnotsoclosetothegreathouseasoftenhappensinoldplaces。Theannoyanceofthebellsmustbeterrible。
Thereistheparsonage：atidy-lookinghouse，andI
understandtheclergymanandhiswifeareverydecentpeople。
Thosearealmshouses，builtbysomeofthefamily。
Totherightisthesteward’shouse；heisaveryrespectableman。Nowwearecomingtothelodge-gates；
butwehavenearlyamilethroughtheparkstill。
Itisnotugly，yousee，atthisend；thereissomefinetimber，butthesituationofthehouseisdreadful。
Wegodownhilltoitforhalfamile，anditisapity，foritwouldnotbeanill-lookingplaceifithadabetterapproach。“
MissCrawfordwasnotslowtoadmire；sheprettywellguessedMissBertram’sfeelings，andmadeitapointofhonourtopromoteherenjoymenttotheutmost。Mrs。Norriswasalldelightandvolubility；andevenFannyhadsomethingtosayinadmiration，andmightbeheardwithcomplacency。