SirThomaswasindeedthelifeoftheparty，whoathissuggestionnowseatedthemselvesroundthefire。
Hehadthebestrighttobethetalker；andthedelightofhissensationsinbeingagaininhisownhouse，inthecentreofhisfamily，aftersuchaseparation，madehimcommunicativeandchattyinaveryunusualdegree；
andhewasreadytogiveeveryinformationastohisvoyage，andanswereveryquestionofhistwosonsalmostbeforeitwasput。HisbusinessinAntiguahadlatterlybeenprosperouslyrapid，andhecamedirectlyfromLiverpool，havinghadanopportunityofmakinghispassagethitherinaprivatevessel，insteadofwaitingforthepacket；
andallthelittleparticularsofhisproceedingsandevents，hisarrivalsanddepartures，weremostpromptlydelivered，ashesatbyLadyBertramandlookedwithheartfeltsatisfactiononthefacesaroundhim——interruptinghimselfmorethanonce，however，toremarkonhisgoodfortuneinfindingthemallathome——comingunexpectedlyashedid——
allcollectedtogetherexactlyashecouldhavewished，butdarednotdependon。Mr。Rushworthwasnotforgotten：
amostfriendlyreceptionandwarmthofhand-shakinghadalreadymethim，andwithpointedattentionhewasnowincludedintheobjectsmostintimatelyconnectedwithMansfield。TherewasnothingdisagreeableinMr。Rushworth’sappearance，andSirThomaswaslikinghimalready。
Bynotoneofthecirclewashelistenedtowithsuchunbroken，unalloyedenjoymentasbyhiswife，whowasreallyextremelyhappytoseehim，andwhosefeelingsweresowarmedbyhissuddenarrivalastoplaceherneareragitationthanshehadbeenforthelasttwentyyears。
Shehadbeen_almost_flutteredforafewminutes，andstillremainedsosensiblyanimatedastoputawayherwork，movePugfromherside，andgiveallherattentionandalltherestofhersofatoherhusband。
Shehadnoanxietiesforanybodytocloud_her_pleasure：
herowntimehadbeenirreproachablyspentduringhisabsence：
shehaddoneagreatdealofcarpet-work，andmademanyyardsoffringe；andshewouldhaveansweredasfreelyforthegoodconductandusefulpursuitsofalltheyoungpeopleasforherown。Itwassoagreeabletohertoseehimagain，andhearhimtalk，tohaveherearamusedandherwholecomprehensionfilledbyhisnarratives，thatshebeganparticularlytofeelhowdreadfullyshemusthavemissedhim，andhowimpossibleitwouldhavebeenforhertobearalengthenedabsence。
Mrs。Norriswasbynomeanstobecomparedinhappinesstohersister。Notthat_she_wasincommodedbymanyfearsofSirThomas’sdisapprobationwhenthepresentstateofhishouseshouldbeknown，forherjudgmenthadbeensoblindedthat，exceptbytheinstinctivecautionwithwhichshehadwhiskedawayMr。Rushworth’spinksatincloakasherbrother-in-lawentered，shecouldhardlybesaidtoshewanysignofalarm；
butshewasvexedbythe_manner_ofhisreturn。
Ithadlefthernothingtodo。Insteadofbeingsentforoutoftheroom，andseeinghimfirst，andhavingtospreadthehappynewsthroughthehouse，SirThomas，withaveryreasonabledependence，perhaps，onthenervesofhiswifeandchildren，hadsoughtnoconfidantbutthebutler，andhadbeenfollowinghimalmostinstantaneouslyintothedrawing-room。Mrs。Norrisfeltherselfdefraudedofanofficeonwhichshehadalwaysdepended，whetherhisarrivalorhisdeathweretobethethingunfolded；
andwasnowtryingtobeinabustlewithouthavinganythingtobustleabout，andlabouringtobeimportantwherenothingwaswantedbuttranquillityandsilence。
WouldSirThomashaveconsentedtoeat，shemighthavegonetothehousekeeperwithtroublesomedirections，andinsultedthefootmenwithinjunctionsofdespatch；butSirThomasresolutelydeclinedalldinner：hewouldtakenothing，nothingtillteacame——hewouldratherwaitfortea。
StillMrs。Norriswasatintervalsurgingsomethingdifferent；
andinthemostinterestingmomentofhispassagetoEngland，whenthealarmofaFrenchprivateerwasattheheight，sheburstthroughhisrecitalwiththeproposalofsoup。
“Sure，mydearSirThomas，abasinofsoupwouldbeamuchbetterthingforyouthantea。Dohaveabasinofsoup。“
SirThomascouldnotbeprovoked。“Stillthesameanxietyforeverybody’scomfort，mydearMrs。Norris，“
washisanswer。“ButindeedIwouldratherhavenothingbuttea。“
“Well，then，LadyBertram，supposeyouspeakforteadirectly；supposeyouhurryBaddeleyalittle；
heseemsbehindhandto-night。“Shecarriedthispoint，andSirThomas’snarrativeproceeded。
Atlengththerewasapause。Hisimmediatecommunicationswereexhausted，anditseemedenoughtobelookingjoyfullyaroundhim，nowatone，nowatanotherofthebelovedcircle；
butthepausewasnotlong：intheelationofherspiritsLadyBertrambecametalkative，andwhatwerethesensationsofherchildrenuponhearinghersay，“Howdoyouthinktheyoungpeoplehavebeenamusingthemselveslately，SirThomas？Theyhavebeenacting。
Wehavebeenallalivewithacting。“
“Indeed!andwhathaveyoubeenacting？“
“Oh!they’lltellyouallaboutit。“
“The_all_willsoonbetold，“criedTomhastily，andwithaffectedunconcern；“butitisnotworthwhiletoboremyfatherwithitnow。Youwillhearenoughofitto-morrow，sir。Wehavejustbeentrying，bywayofdoingsomething，andamusingmymother，justwithinthelastweek，togetupafewscenes，ameretrifle。WehavehadsuchincessantrainsalmostsinceOctoberbegan，thatwehavebeennearlyconfinedtothehousefordaystogether。Ihavehardlytakenoutagunsincethe3rd。Tolerablesportthefirstthreedays，buttherehasbeennoattemptinganythingsince。
ThefirstdayIwentoverMansfieldWood，andEdmundtookthecopsesbeyondEaston，andwebroughthomesixbracebetweenus，andmighteachhavekilledsixtimesasmany，butwerespectyourpheasants，sir，Iassureyou，asmuchasyoucoulddesire。Idonotthinkyouwillfindyourwoodsbyanymeansworsestockedthantheywere。
_I_neversawMansfieldWoodsofullofpheasantsinmylifeasthisyear。Ihopeyouwilltakeaday’ssportthereyourself，sir，soon。“
Forthepresentthedangerwasover，andFanny’ssickfeelingssubsided；butwhenteawassoonafterwardsbroughtin，andSirThomas，gettingup，saidthathefoundthathecouldnotbeanylongerinthehousewithoutjustlookingintohisowndearroom，everyagitationwasreturning。Hewasgonebeforeanythinghadbeensaidtopreparehimforthechangehemustfindthere；
andapauseofalarmfollowedhisdisappearance。
Edmundwasthefirsttospeak——
“Somethingmustbedone，“saidhe。
“Itistimetothinkofourvisitors，“saidMaria，stillfeelingherhandpressedtoHenryCrawford’sheart，andcaringlittleforanythingelse。“WheredidyouleaveMissCrawford，Fanny？“
Fannytoldoftheirdeparture，anddeliveredtheirmessage。
“ThenpoorYatesisallalone，“criedTom。“Iwillgoandfetchhim。Hewillbenobadassistantwhenitallcomesout。“
Tothetheatrehewent，andreacheditjustintimetowitnessthefirstmeetingofhisfatherandhisfriend。
SirThomashadbeenagooddealsurprisedtofindcandlesburninginhisroom；andoncastinghiseyeroundit，toseeothersymptomsofrecenthabitationandageneralairofconfusioninthefurniture。Theremovalofthebookcasefrombeforethebilliard-roomdoorstruckhimespecially，buthehadscarcelymorethantimetofeelastonishedatallthis，beforethereweresoundsfromthebilliard-roomtoastonishhimstillfarther。
Someonewastalkingthereinaveryloudaccent；hedidnotknowthevoice——morethantalking——almosthallooing。
Hesteppedtothedoor，rejoicingatthatmomentinhavingthemeansofimmediatecommunication，and，openingit，foundhimselfonthestageofatheatre，andopposedtoarantingyoungman，whoappearedlikelytoknockhimdownbackwards。AttheverymomentofYatesperceivingSirThomas，andgivingperhapstheverybeststarthehadevergiveninthewholecourseofhisrehearsals，TomBertramenteredattheotherendoftheroom；
andneverhadhefoundgreaterdifficultyinkeepinghiscountenance。Hisfather’slooksofsolemnityandamazementonthishisfirstappearanceonanystage，andthegradualmetamorphosisoftheimpassionedBaronWildenheimintothewell-bredandeasyMr。Yates，makinghisbowandapologytoSirThomasBertram，wassuchanexhibition，suchapieceoftrueacting，ashewouldnothavelostuponanyaccount。Itwouldbethelast——
inallprobability——thelastsceneonthatstage；buthewassuretherecouldnotbeafiner。Thehousewouldclosewiththegreatesteclat。
Therewaslittletime，however，fortheindulgenceofanyimagesofmerriment。Itwasnecessaryforhimtostepforward，too，andassisttheintroduction，andwithmanyawkwardsensationshedidhisbest。
SirThomasreceivedMr。Yateswithalltheappearanceofcordialitywhichwasduetohisowncharacter，butwasreallyasfarfrompleasedwiththenecessityoftheacquaintanceaswiththemannerofitscommencement。
Mr。Yates’sfamilyandconnexionsweresufficientlyknowntohimtorenderhisintroductionasthe“particularfriend，“