andthegoodluckwhichattendedhisearlyexaminationofshipnewsthenextmorningseemedtherewardofhisingenuityinfindingoutsuchamethodofpleasingher，aswellasofhisdutifulattentiontotheAdmiral，inhavingformanyyearstakeninthepaperesteemedtohavetheearliestnavalintelligence。Heproved，however，tobetoolate。Allthosefinefirstfeelings，ofwhichhehadhopedtobetheexciter，werealreadygiven。
Buthisintention，thekindnessofhisintention，wasthankfullyacknowledged：quitethankfullyandwarmly，forshewaselevatedbeyondthecommontimidityofhermindbytheflowofherloveforWilliam。
ThisdearWilliamwouldsoonbeamongstthem。Therecouldbenodoubtofhisobtainingleaveofabsenceimmediately，forhewasstillonlyamidshipman；andashisparents，fromlivingonthespot，mustalreadyhaveseenhim，andbeseeinghimperhapsdaily，hisdirectholidaysmightwithjusticebeinstantlygiventothesister，whohadbeenhisbestcorrespondentthroughaperiodofsevenyears，andtheunclewhohaddonemostforhissupportandadvancement；andaccordinglythereplytoherreply，fixingaveryearlydayforhisarrival，cameassoonaspossible；andscarcelytendayshadpassedsinceFannyhadbeenintheagitationofherfirstdinner-visit，whenshefoundherselfinanagitationofahighernature，watchinginthehall，inthelobby，onthestairs，forthefirstsoundofthecarriagewhichwastobringherabrother。
Itcamehappilywhileshewasthuswaiting；andtherebeingneitherceremonynorfearfulnesstodelaythemomentofmeeting，shewaswithhimasheenteredthehouse，andthefirstminutesofexquisitefeelinghadnointerruptionandnowitnesses，unlesstheservantschieflyintentuponopeningtheproperdoorscouldbecalledsuch。
ThiswasexactlywhatSirThomasandEdmundhadbeenseparatelyconnivingat，aseachprovedtotheotherbythesympatheticalacritywithwhichtheybothadvisedMrs。Norris’scontinuingwhereshewas，insteadofrushingoutintothehallassoonasthenoisesofthearrivalreachedthem。
WilliamandFannysoonshewedthemselves；andSirThomashadthepleasureofreceiving，inhisprotege，certainlyaverydifferentpersonfromtheonehehadequippedsevenyearsago，butayoungmanofanopen，pleasantcountenance，andfrank，unstudied，butfeelingandrespectfulmanners，andsuchasconfirmedhimhisfriend。
ItwaslongbeforeFannycouldrecoverfromtheagitatinghappinessofsuchanhouraswasformedbythelastthirtyminutesofexpectation，andthefirstoffruition；
itwassometimeevenbeforeherhappinesscouldbesaidtomakeherhappy，beforethedisappointmentinseparablefromthealterationofpersonhadvanished，andshecouldseeinhimthesameWilliamasbefore，andtalktohim，asherhearthadbeenyearningtodothroughmanyapastyear。Thattime，however，didgraduallycome，forwardedbyanaffectiononhissideaswarmasherown，andmuchlessencumberedbyrefinementorself-distrust。
Shewasthefirstobjectofhislove，butitwasalovewhichhisstrongerspirits，andboldertemper，madeitasnaturalforhimtoexpressastofeel。Onthemorrowtheywerewalkingabouttogetherwithtrueenjoyment，andeverysucceedingmorrowreneweda_tete-a-tete_
whichSirThomascouldnotbutobservewithcomplacency，evenbeforeEdmundhadpointeditouttohim。
Exceptingthemomentsofpeculiardelight，whichanymarkedorunlooked-forinstanceofEdmund’sconsiderationofherinthelastfewmonthshadexcited，Fannyhadneverknownsomuchfelicityinherlife，asinthisunchecked，equal，fearlessintercoursewiththebrotherandfriendwhowasopeningallhishearttoher，tellingherallhishopesandfears，plans，andsolicitudesrespectingthatlongthoughtof，dearlyearned，andjustlyvaluedblessingofpromotion；
whocouldgiveherdirectandminuteinformationofthefatherandmother，brothersandsisters，ofwhomsheveryseldomheard；whowasinterestedinallthecomfortsandallthelittlehardshipsofherhomeatMansfield；
readytothinkofeverymemberofthathomeasshedirected，ordifferingonlybyalessscrupulousopinion，andmorenoisyabuseoftheirauntNorris，andwithwhomperhapsthedearestindulgenceofthewholealltheevilandgoodoftheirearliestyearscouldbegoneoveragain，andeveryformerunitedpainandpleasureretracedwiththefondestrecollection。Anadvantagethis，astrengtheneroflove，inwhicheventheconjugaltieisbeneaththefraternal。Childrenofthesamefamily，thesameblood，withthesamefirstassociationsandhabits，havesomemeansofenjoymentintheirpower，whichnosubsequentconnexionscansupply；anditmustbebyalongandunnaturalestrangement，byadivorcewhichnosubsequentconnexioncanjustify，ifsuchpreciousremainsoftheearliestattachmentsareeverentirelyoutlived。
Toooften，alas!itisso。Fraternallove，sometimesalmosteverything，isatothersworsethannothing。
ButwithWilliamandFannyPriceitwasstillasentimentinallitsprimeandfreshness，woundedbynooppositionofinterest，cooledbynoseparateattachment，andfeelingtheinfluenceoftimeandabsenceonlyinitsincrease。
Anaffectionsoamiablewasadvancingeachintheopinionofallwhohadheartstovalueanythinggood。HenryCrawfordwasasmuchstruckwithitasany。Hehonouredthewarm-hearted，bluntfondnessoftheyoungsailor，whichledhimtosay，withhishandsstretchedtowardsFanny’shead，“Doyouknow，Ibegintolikethatqueerfashionalready，thoughwhenIfirstheardofsuchthingsbeingdoneinEngland，Icouldnotbelieveit；andwhenMrs。Brown，andtheotherwomenattheCommissioner’satGibraltar，appearedinthesametrim，Ithoughttheyweremad；butFannycanreconcilemetoanything“；andsaw，withlivelyadmiration，theglowofFanny’scheek，thebrightnessofhereye，thedeepinterest，theabsorbedattention，whileherbrotherwasdescribinganyoftheimminenthazards，orterrificscenes，whichsuchaperiodatseamustsupply。
ItwasapicturewhichHenryCrawfordhadmoraltasteenoughtovalue。Fanny’sattractionsincreased——increasedtwofold；
forthesensibilitywhichbeautifiedhercomplexionandilluminedhercountenancewasanattractioninitself。
Hewasnolongerindoubtofthecapabilitiesofherheart。
Shehadfeeling，genuinefeeling。Itwouldbesomethingtobelovedbysuchagirl，toexcitethefirstardoursofheryoungunsophisticatedmind!Sheinterestedhimmorethanhehadforeseen。Afortnightwasnotenough。
Hisstaybecameindefinite。
Williamwasoftencalledonbyhisuncletobethetalker。
HisrecitalswereamusinginthemselvestoSirThomas，butthechiefobjectinseekingthemwastounderstandthereciter，toknowtheyoungmanbyhishistories；
andhelistenedtohisclear，simple，spiriteddetailswithfullsatisfaction，seeinginthemtheproofofgoodprinciples，professionalknowledge，energy，courage，andcheerfulness，everythingthatcoulddeserveorpromisewell。
Youngashewas，Williamhadalreadyseenagreatdeal。
HehadbeenintheMediterranean；intheWestIndies；
intheMediterraneanagain；hadbeenoftentakenonshorebythefavourofhiscaptain，andinthecourseofsevenyearshadknowneveryvarietyofdangerwhichseaandwartogethercouldoffer。Withsuchmeansinhispowerhehadarighttobelistenedto；andthoughMrs。Norriscouldfidgetabouttheroom，anddisturbeverybodyinquestoftwoneedlefulsofthreadorasecond-handshirtbutton，inthemidstofhernephew’saccountofashipwreckoranengagement，everybodyelsewasattentive；andevenLadyBertramcouldnothearofsuchhorrorsunmoved，orwithoutsometimesliftinghereyesfromherworktosay，“Dearme!howdisagreeable!Iwonderanybodycanevergotosea。“
ToHenryCrawfordtheygaveadifferentfeeling。Helongedtohavebeenatsea，andseenanddoneandsufferedasmuch。
Hisheartwaswarmed，hisfancyfired，andhefeltthehighestrespectforaladwho，beforehewastwenty，hadgonethroughsuchbodilyhardshipsandgivensuchproofsofmind。Thegloryofheroism，ofusefulness，ofexertion，ofendurance，madehisownhabitsofselfishindulgenceappearinshamefulcontrast；andhewishedhehadbeenaWilliamPrice，distinguishinghimselfandworkinghiswaytofortuneandconsequencewithsomuchself-respectandhappyardour，insteadofwhathewas!
Thewishwasrathereagerthanlasting。Hewasrousedfromthereverieofretrospectionandregretproducedbyit，bysomeinquiryfromEdmundastohisplansforthenextday’shunting；andhefounditwasaswelltobeamanoffortuneatoncewithhorsesandgroomsathiscommand。
Inonerespectitwasbetter，asitgavehimthemeansofconferringakindnesswherehewishedtooblige。
Withspirits，courage，andcuriosityuptoanything，Williamexpressedaninclinationtohunt；andCrawfordcouldmounthimwithouttheslightestinconveniencetohimself，andwithonlysomescruplestoobviateinSirThomas，whoknewbetterthanhisnephewthevalueofsuchaloan，andsomealarmstoreasonawayinFanny。ShefearedforWilliam；bynomeansconvincedbyallthathecouldrelateofhisownhorsemanshipinvariouscountries，ofthescramblingpartiesinwhichhehadbeenengaged，theroughhorsesandmuleshehadridden，orhismanynarrowescapesfromdreadfulfalls，thathewasatallequaltothemanagementofahigh-fedhunterinanEnglishfox-chase；
nortillhereturnedsafeandwell，withoutaccidentordiscredit，couldshebereconciledtotherisk，orfeelanyofthatobligationtoMr。Crawfordforlendingthehorsewhichhehadfullyintendeditshouldproduce。
Whenitwasproved，however，tohavedoneWilliamnoharm，shecouldallowittobeakindness，andevenrewardtheownerwithasmilewhentheanimalwasoneminutetenderedtohisuseagain；andthenext，withthegreatestcordiality，andinamannernottoberesisted，madeovertohisuseentirelysolongasheremainedinNorthamptonshire。