“Youintendtobeveryrich？“saidEdmund，withalookwhich，toFanny’seye，hadagreatdealofseriousmeaning。
“Tobesure。Donotyou？Donotweall？“
“Icannotintendanythingwhichitmustbesocompletelybeyondmypowertocommand。MissCrawfordmaychuseherdegreeofwealth。Shehasonlytofixonhernumberofthousandsayear，andtherecanbenodoubtoftheircoming。
Myintentionsareonlynottobepoor。“
“Bymoderationandeconomy，andbringingdownyourwantstoyourincome，andallthat。Iunderstandyou——andaveryproperplanitisforapersonatyourtimeoflife，withsuchlimitedmeansandindifferentconnexions。
Whatcan_you_wantbutadecentmaintenance？Youhavenotmuchtimebeforeyou；andyourrelationsareinnosituationtodoanythingforyou，ortomortifyyoubythecontrastoftheirownwealthandconsequence。
Behonestandpoor，byallmeans——butIshallnotenvyyou；IdonotmuchthinkIshallevenrespectyou。
Ihaveamuchgreaterrespectforthosethatarehonestandrich。“
“Yourdegreeofrespectforhonesty，richorpoor，ispreciselywhatIhavenomannerofconcernwith。
Idonotmeantobepoor。PovertyisexactlywhatIhavedeterminedagainst。Honesty，inthesomethingbetween，inthemiddlestateofworldlycircumstances，isallthatI
amanxiousforyournotlookingdownon。“
“ButIdolookdownuponit，ifitmighthavebeenhigher。
Imustlookdownuponanythingcontentedwithobscuritywhenitmightrisetodistinction。“
“Buthowmayitrise？Howmaymyhonestyatleastrisetoanydistinction？“
Thiswasnotsoveryeasyaquestiontoanswer，andoccasionedan“Oh!“ofsomelengthfromthefairladybeforeshecouldadd，“Yououghttobeinparliament，oryoushouldhavegoneintothearmytenyearsago。“
“_That_isnotmuchtothepurposenow；andastomybeinginparliament，IbelieveImustwaittillthereisanespecialassemblyfortherepresentationofyoungersonswhohavelittletoliveon。No，MissCrawford，“headded，inamoreserioustone，“there_are_distinctionswhichI
shouldbemiserableifIthoughtmyselfwithoutanychance——
absolutelywithoutchanceorpossibilityofobtaining——
buttheyareofadifferentcharacter。“
Alookofconsciousnessashespoke，andwhatseemedaconsciousnessofmanneronMissCrawford’ssideasshemadesomelaughinganswer，wassorrowfullfoodforFanny’sobservation；andfindingherselfquiteunabletoattendassheoughttoMrs。Grant，bywhosesideshewasnowfollowingtheothers，shehadnearlyresolvedongoinghomeimmediately，andonlywaitedforcouragetosayso，whenthesoundofthegreatclockatMansfieldPark，strikingthree，madeherfeelthatshehadreallybeenmuchlongerabsentthanusual，andbroughtthepreviousself-inquiryofwhethersheshouldtakeleaveornotjustthen，andhow，toaveryspeedyissue。
Withundoubtingdecisionshedirectlybeganheradieus；
andEdmundbeganatthesametimetorecollectthathismotherhadbeeninquiringforher，andthathehadwalkeddowntotheParsonageonpurposetobringherback。
Fanny’shurryincreased；andwithoutintheleastexpectingEdmund’sattendance，shewouldhavehastenedawayalone；
butthegeneralpacewasquickened，andtheyallaccompaniedherintothehouse，throughwhichitwasnecessarytopass。
Dr。Grantwasinthevestibule，andastheystopttospeaktohimshefound，fromEdmund’smanner，thathe_did_meantogowithher。Hetoowastakingleave。
Shecouldnotbutbethankful。Inthemomentofparting，EdmundwasinvitedbyDr。Granttoeathismuttonwithhimthenextday；andFannyhadbarelytimeforanunpleasantfeelingontheoccasion，whenMrs。Grant，withsuddenrecollection，turnedtoherandaskedforthepleasureofhercompanytoo。Thiswassonewanattention，soperfectlynewacircumstanceintheeventsofFanny’slife，thatshewasallsurpriseandembarrassment；
andwhilestammeringouthergreatobligation，andher“butshedidnotsupposeitwouldbeinherpower，“
waslookingatEdmundforhisopinionandhelp。ButEdmund，delightedwithherhavingsuchanhappinessoffered，andascertainingwithhalfalook，andhalfasentence，thatshehadnoobjectionbutonheraunt’saccount，couldnotimaginethathismotherwouldmakeanydifficultyofsparingher，andthereforegavehisdecidedopenadvicethattheinvitationshouldbeaccepted；andthoughFannywouldnotventure，evenonhisencouragement，tosuchaflightofaudaciousindependence，itwassoonsettled，thatifnothingwereheardtothecontrary，Mrs。Grantmightexpecther。
“Andyouknowwhatyourdinnerwillbe，“
saidMrs。Grant，smiling——“theturkey，andIassureyouaveryfineone；for，mydear，“turningtoherhusband，“cookinsistsupontheturkey’sbeingdressedto-morrow。“
“Verywell，verywell，“criedDr。Grant，“allthebetter；
Iamgladtohearyouhaveanythingsogoodinthehouse。
ButMissPriceandMr。EdmundBertram，Idaresay，wouldtaketheirchance。Wenoneofuswanttohearthebilloffare。
Afriendlymeeting，andnotafinedinner，isallwehaveinview。Aturkey，oragoose，oralegofmutton，orwhateveryouandyourcookchusetogiveus。“
Thetwocousinswalkedhometogether；and，exceptintheimmediatediscussionofthisengagement，whichEdmundspokeofwiththewarmestsatisfaction，assoparticularlydesirableforherintheintimacywhichhesawwithsomuchpleasureestablished，itwasasilentwalk；
forhavingfinishedthatsubject，hegrewthoughtfulandindisposedforanyother。
“ButwhyshouldMrs。GrantaskFanny？“saidLadyBertram。
“HowcameshetothinkofaskingFanny？Fannyneverdinesthere，youknow，inthissortofway。Icannotspareher，andIamsureshedoesnotwanttogo。
Fanny，youdonotwanttogo，doyou？“
“Ifyouputsuchaquestiontoher，“criedEdmund，preventinghiscousin’sspeaking，“FannywillimmediatelysayNo；butIamsure，mydearmother，shewouldliketogo；
andIcanseenoreasonwhysheshouldnot。“
“IcannotimaginewhyMrs。Grantshouldthinkofaskingher？
Sheneverdidbefore。Sheusedtoaskyoursistersnowandthen，butsheneveraskedFanny。“
“Ifyoucannotdowithoutme，ma’am——“saidFanny，inaself-denyingtone。
“Butmymotherwillhavemyfatherwithheralltheevening。“
“Tobesure，soIshall。“
“Supposeyoutakemyfather’sopinion，ma’am。“
“That’swellthoughtof。SoIwill，Edmund。IwillaskSirThomas，assoonashecomesin，whetherIcandowithouther。“
“Asyouplease，ma’am，onthathead；butImeantmyfather’sopinionastothe_propriety_oftheinvitation’sbeingacceptedornot；andIthinkhewillconsideritarightthingbyMrs。Grant，aswellasbyFanny，thatbeingthe_first_invitationitshouldbeaccepted。“
“Idonotknow。Wewillaskhim。ButhewillbeverymuchsurprisedthatMrs。GrantshouldaskFannyatall。“
Therewasnothingmoretobesaid，orthatcouldbesaidtoanypurpose，tillSirThomaswerepresent；
butthesubjectinvolving，asitdid，herownevening’scomfortforthemorrow，wassomuchuppermostinLadyBertram’smind，thathalfanhourafterwards，onhislookinginforaminuteinhiswayfromhisplantationtohisdressing-room，shecalledhimbackagain，whenhehadalmostclosedthedoor，with“SirThomas，stopamoment——Ihavesomethingtosaytoyou。“
Hertoneofcalmlanguor，forshenevertookthetroubleofraisinghervoice，wasalwaysheardandattendedto；
andSirThomascameback。Herstorybegan；andFannyimmediatelyslippedoutoftheroom；fortohearherselfthesubjectofanydiscussionwithherunclewasmorethanhernervescouldbear。Shewasanxious，sheknew——
moreanxiousperhapsthansheoughttobe——forwhatwasitafterallwhethershewentorstaid？butifheruncleweretobeagreatwhileconsideringanddeciding，andwithverygravelooks，andthosegravelooksdirectedtoher，andatlastdecideagainsther，shemightnotbeabletoappearproperlysubmissiveandindifferent。
Hercause，meanwhile，wentonwell。Itbegan，onLadyBertram’spart，with——“Ihavesomethingtotellyouthatwillsurpriseyou。Mrs。GranthasaskedFannytodinner。“