ThedayatSotherton，withallitsimperfections，affordedtheMissBertramsmuchmoreagreeablefeelingsthanwerederivedfromthelettersfromAntigua，whichsoonafterwardsreachedMansfield。ItwasmuchpleasantertothinkofHenryCrawfordthanoftheirfather；
andtothinkoftheirfatherinEnglandagainwithinacertainperiod，whichtheselettersobligedthemtodo，wasamostunwelcomeexercise。
Novemberwastheblackmonthfixedforhisreturn。
SirThomaswroteofitwithasmuchdecisionasexperienceandanxietycouldauthorise。HisbusinesswassonearlyconcludedastojustifyhiminproposingtotakehispassageintheSeptemberpacket，andheconsequentlylookedforwardwiththehopeofbeingwithhisbelovedfamilyagainearlyinNovember。
MariawasmoretobepitiedthanJulia；fortoherthefatherbroughtahusband，andthereturnofthefriendmostsolicitousforherhappinesswouldunitehertothelover，onwhomshehadchosenthathappinessshoulddepend。
Itwasagloomyprospect，andallshecoulddowastothrowamistoverit，andhopewhenthemistclearedawaysheshouldseesomethingelse。Itwouldhardlybe_early_inNovember，thereweregenerallydelays，abadpassageor_something_；thatfavouring_something_
whicheverybodywhoshutstheireyeswhiletheylook，ortheirunderstandingswhiletheyreason，feelsthecomfortof。ItwouldprobablybethemiddleofNovemberatleast；themiddleofNovemberwasthreemonthsoff。
Threemonthscomprisedthirteenweeks。Muchmighthappeninthirteenweeks。
SirThomaswouldhavebeendeeplymortifiedbyasuspicionofhalfthathisdaughtersfeltonthesubjectofhisreturn，andwouldhardlyhavefoundconsolationinaknowledgeoftheinterestitexcitedinthebreastofanotheryounglady。
MissCrawford，onwalkingupwithherbrothertospendtheeveningatMansfieldPark，heardthegoodnews；
andthoughseemingtohavenoconcernintheaffairbeyondpoliteness，andtohaveventedallherfeelingsinaquietcongratulation，hearditwithanattentionnotsoeasilysatisfied。Mrs。Norrisgavetheparticularsoftheletters，andthesubjectwasdropt；butaftertea，asMissCrawfordwasstandingatanopenwindowwithEdmundandFannylookingoutonatwilightscene，whiletheMissBertrams，Mr。Rushworth，andHenryCrawfordwereallbusywithcandlesatthepianoforte，shesuddenlyreviveditbyturningroundtowardsthegroup，andsaying，“HowhappyMr。Rushworthlooks!HeisthinkingofNovember。“
EdmundlookedroundatMr。Rushworthtoo，buthadnothingtosay。
“Yourfather’sreturnwillbeaveryinterestingevent。“
“Itwill，indeed，aftersuchanabsence；anabsencenotonlylong，butincludingsomanydangers。“
“Itwillbetheforerunneralsoofotherinterestingevents：
yoursister’smarriage，andyourtakingorders。“
“Yes。“
“Don’tbeaffronted，“saidshe，laughing，“butitdoesputmeinmindofsomeoftheoldheathenheroes，who，afterperforminggreatexploitsinaforeignland，offeredsacrificestothegodsontheirsafereturn。“
“Thereisnosacrificeinthecase，“repliedEdmund，withaserioussmile，andglancingatthepianoforteagain；
“itisentirelyherowndoing。“
“OhyesIknowitis。Iwasmerelyjoking。Shehasdonenomorethanwhateveryyoungwomanwoulddo；
andIhavenodoubtofherbeingextremelyhappy。
Myothersacrifice，ofcourse，youdonotunderstand。“
“Mytakingorders，Iassureyou，isquiteasvoluntaryasMaria’smarrying。“
“Itisfortunatethatyourinclinationandyourfather’sconvenienceshouldaccordsowell。Thereisaverygoodlivingkeptforyou，Iunderstand，hereabouts。“
“Whichyousupposehasbiassedme？“
“But_that_Iamsureithasnot，“criedFanny。
“Thankyouforyourgoodword，Fanny，butitismorethanIwouldaffirmmyself。Onthecontrary，theknowingthattherewassuchaprovisionformeprobablydidbiasme。NorcanIthinkitwrongthatitshould。
Therewasnonaturaldisinclinationtobeovercome，andIseenoreasonwhyamanshouldmakeaworseclergymanforknowingthathewillhaveacompetenceearlyinlife。
Iwasinsafehands。IhopeIshouldnothavebeeninfluencedmyselfinawrongway，andIamsuremyfatherwastooconscientioustohaveallowedit。IhavenodoubtthatIwasbiased，butIthinkitwasblamelessly。“
“Itisthesamesortofthing，“saidFanny，afterashortpause，“asforthesonofanadmiraltogointothenavy，orthesonofageneraltobeinthearmy，andnobodyseesanythingwronginthat。Nobodywondersthattheyshouldpreferthelinewheretheirfriendscanservethembest，orsuspectsthemtobelessinearnestinitthantheyappear。“
“No，mydearMissPrice，andforreasonsgood。Theprofession，eithernavyorarmy，isitsownjustification。Ithaseverythinginitsfavour：heroism，danger，bustle，fashion。
Soldiersandsailorsarealwaysacceptableinsociety。
Nobodycanwonderthatmenaresoldiersandsailors。“
“Butthemotivesofamanwhotakesorderswiththecertaintyofprefermentmaybefairlysuspected，youthink？“
saidEdmund。“Tobejustifiedinyoureyes，hemustdoitinthemostcompleteuncertaintyofanyprovision。“
“What!takeorderswithoutaliving!No；thatismadnessindeed；absolutemadness。“
“ShallIaskyouhowthechurchistobefilled，ifamanisneithertotakeorderswithalivingnorwithout？
No；foryoucertainlywouldnotknowwhattosay。
ButImustbegsomeadvantagetotheclergymanfromyourownargument。Ashecannotbeinfluencedbythosefeelingswhichyourankhighlyastemptationandrewardtothesoldierandsailorintheirchoiceofaprofession，asheroism，andnoise，andfashion，areallagainsthim，heoughttobelessliabletothesuspicionofwantingsincerityorgoodintentionsinthechoiceofhis。“
“Oh!nodoubtheisverysincereinpreferringanincomereadymade，tothetroubleofworkingforone；andhasthebestintentionsofdoingnothingalltherestofhisdaysbuteat，drink，andgrowfat。Itisindolence，Mr。Bertram，indeed。Indolenceandloveofease；awantofalllaudableambition，oftasteforgoodcompany，orofinclinationtotakethetroubleofbeingagreeable，whichmakemenclergymen。Aclergymanhasnothingtodobutbeslovenlyandselfish——readthenewspaper，watchtheweather，andquarrelwithhiswife。Hiscuratedoesallthework，andthebusinessofhisownlifeistodine。“
“Therearesuchclergymen，nodoubt，butIthinktheyarenotsocommonastojustifyMissCrawfordinesteemingittheirgeneralcharacter。IsuspectthatinthiscomprehensiveandmayIsaycommonplacecensure，youarenotjudgingfromyourself，butfromprejudicedpersons，whoseopinionsyouhavebeeninthehabitofhearing。
Itisimpossiblethatyourownobservationcanhavegivenyoumuchknowledgeoftheclergy。Youcanhavebeenpersonallyacquaintedwithveryfewofasetofmenyoucondemnsoconclusively。Youarespeakingwhatyouhavebeentoldatyouruncle’stable。“
“Ispeakwhatappearstomethegeneralopinion；
andwhereanopinionisgeneral，itisusuallycorrect。
Though_I_havenotseenmuchofthedomesticlivesofclergymen，itisseenbytoomanytoleaveanydeficiencyofinformation。“
“Whereanyonebodyofeducatedmen，ofwhateverdenomination，arecondemnedindiscriminately，theremustbeadeficiencyofinformation，orsmilingofsomethingelse。
Youruncle，andhisbrotheradmirals，perhapsknewlittleofclergymenbeyondthechaplainswhom，goodorbad，theywerealwayswishingaway。“
“PoorWilliam!HehasmetwithgreatkindnessfromthechaplainoftheAntwerp，“wasatenderapostropheofFanny’s，verymuchtothepurposeofherownfeelingsifnotoftheconversation。
“Ihavebeensolittleaddictedtotakemyopinionsfrommyuncle，“saidMissCrawford，“thatIcanhardlysuppose——
andsinceyoupushmesohard，Imustobserve，thatIamnotentirelywithoutthemeansofseeingwhatclergymenare，beingatthispresenttimetheguestofmyownbrother，Dr。Grant。AndthoughDr。Grantismostkindandobligingtome，andthoughheisreallyagentleman，and，Idaresay，agoodscholarandclever，andoftenpreachesgoodsermons，andisveryrespectable，_I_seehimtobeanindolent，selfish_bon__vivant_，whomusthavehispalateconsultedineverything；whowillnotstirafingerfortheconvenienceofanyone；andwho，moreover，ifthecookmakesablunder，isoutofhumourwithhisexcellentwife。Toownthetruth，HenryandIwerepartlydrivenoutthisveryeveningbyadisappointmentaboutagreengoose，whichhecouldnotgetthebetterof。Mypoorsisterwasforcedtostayandbearit。“
“Idonotwonderatyourdisapprobation，uponmyword。
Itisagreatdefectoftemper，madeworsebyaveryfaultyhabitofself-indulgence；andtoseeyoursistersufferingfromitmustbeexceedinglypainfultosuchfeelingsasyours。Fanny，itgoesagainstus。WecannotattempttodefendDr。Grant。“
“No，“repliedFanny，“butweneednotgiveuphisprofessionforallthat；because，whateverprofessionDr。Granthadchosen，hewouldhavetakena——notagoodtemperintoit；