Theintercourseofthetwofamilieswasatthisperiodmorenearlyrestoredtowhatithadbeenintheautumn，thananymemberoftheoldintimacyhadthoughteverlikelytobeagain。ThereturnofHenryCrawford，andthearrivalofWilliamPrice，hadmuchtodowithit，butmuchwasstillowingtoSirThomas’smorethantolerationoftheneighbourlyattemptsattheParsonage。Hismind，nowdisengagedfromthecareswhichhadpressedonhimatfirst，wasatleisuretofindtheGrantsandtheiryounginmatesreallyworthvisiting；andthoughinfinitelyaboveschemingorcontrivingforanythemostadvantageousmatrimonialestablishmentthatcouldbeamongtheapparentpossibilitiesofanyonemostdeartohim，anddisdainingevenasalittlenessthebeingquick-sightedonsuchpoints，hecouldnotavoidperceiving，inagrandandcarelessway，thatMr。Crawfordwassomewhatdistinguishinghisniece——
norperhapsrefrainthoughunconsciouslyfromgivingamorewillingassenttoinvitationsonthataccount。
Hisreadiness，however，inagreeingtodineattheParsonage，whenthegeneralinvitationwasatlasthazarded，aftermanydebatesandmanydoubtsastowhetheritwereworthwhile，“becauseSirThomasseemedsoillinclined，andLadyBertramwassoindolent!“proceededfromgood-breedingandgoodwillalone，andhadnothingtodowithMr。Crawford，butasbeingoneinanagreeablegroup：
foritwasinthecourseofthatveryvisitthathefirstbegantothinkthatanyoneinthehabitofsuchidleobservations_would__have__thought_thatMr。CrawfordwastheadmirerofFannyPrice。
Themeetingwasgenerallyfelttobeapleasantone，beingcomposedinagoodproportionofthosewhowouldtalkandthosewhowouldlisten；andthedinneritselfwaselegantandplentiful，accordingtotheusualstyleoftheGrants，andtoomuchaccordingtotheusualhabitsofalltoraiseanyemotionexceptinMrs。Norris，whocouldneverbeholdeitherthewidetableorthenumberofdishesonitwithpatience，andwhodidalwayscontrivetoexperiencesomeevilfromthepassingoftheservantsbehindherchair，andtobringawaysomefreshconvictionofitsbeingimpossibleamongsomanydishesbutthatsomemustbecold。
Intheeveningitwasfound，accordingtothepredeterminationofMrs。Grantandhersister，thataftermakingupthewhist-tabletherewouldremainsufficientforaroundgame，andeverybodybeingasperfectlycomplyingandwithoutachoiceasonsuchoccasionstheyalwaysare，speculationwasdecidedonalmostassoonaswhist；
andLadyBertramsoonfoundherselfinthecriticalsituationofbeingappliedtoforherownchoicebetweenthegames，andbeingrequiredeithertodrawacardforwhistornot。
Shehesitated。LuckilySirThomaswasathand。
“WhatshallIdo，SirThomas？Whistandspeculation；
whichwillamusememost？“
SirThomas，afteramoment’sthought，recommendedspeculation。
Hewasawhistplayerhimself，andperhapsmightfeelthatitwouldnotmuchamusehimtohaveherforapartner。
“Verywell，“washerladyship’scontentedanswer；
“thenspeculation，ifyouplease，Mrs。Grant。Iknownothingaboutit，butFannymustteachme。“
HereFannyinterposed，however，withanxiousprotestationsofherownequalignorance；shehadneverplayedthegamenorseenitplayedinherlife；andLadyBertramfeltamoment’sindecisionagain；butuponeverybody’sassuringherthatnothingcouldbesoeasy，thatitwastheeasiestgameonthecards，andHenryCrawford’ssteppingforwardwithamostearnestrequesttobeallowedtositbetweenherladyshipandMissPrice，andteachthemboth，itwassosettled；andSirThomas，Mrs。Norris，andDr。andMrs。Grantbeingseatedatthetableofprimeintellectualstateanddignity，theremainingsix，underMissCrawford’sdirection，werearrangedroundtheother。ItwasafinearrangementforHenryCrawford，whowasclosetoFanny，andwithhishandsfullofbusiness，havingtwopersons’cardstomanageaswellashisown；
forthoughitwasimpossibleforFannynottofeelherselfmistressoftherulesofthegameinthreeminutes，hehadyettoinspiritherplay，sharpenheravarice，andhardenherheart，which，especiallyinanycompetitionwithWilliam，wasaworkofsomedifficulty；andasforLadyBertram，hemustcontinueinchargeofallherfameandfortunethroughthewholeevening；andifquickenoughtokeepherfromlookingathercardswhenthedealbegan，mustdirectherinwhateverwastobedonewiththemtotheendofit。
Hewasinhighspirits，doingeverythingwithhappyease，andpreeminentinallthelivelyturns，quickresources，andplayfulimpudencethatcoulddohonourtothegame；
andtheroundtablewasaltogetheraverycomfortablecontrasttothesteadysobrietyandorderlysilenceoftheother。
TwicehadSirThomasinquiredintotheenjoymentandsuccessofhislady，butinvain；nopausewaslongenoughforthetimehismeasuredmannerneeded；andverylittleofherstatecouldbeknowntillMrs。Grantwasable，attheendofthefirstrubber，togotoherandpayhercompliments。
“Ihopeyourladyshipispleasedwiththegame。“
“Ohdear，yes!veryentertainingindeed。Averyoddgame。
Idonotknowwhatitisallabout。Iamnevertoseemycards；andMr。Crawforddoesalltherest。“
“Bertram，“saidCrawford，sometimeafterwards，takingtheopportunityofalittlelanguorinthegame，“Ihavenevertoldyouwhathappenedtomeyesterdayinmyridehome。“
Theyhadbeenhuntingtogether，andwereinthemidstofagoodrun，andatsomedistancefromMansfield，whenhishorsebeingfoundtohaveflungashoe，HenryCrawfordhadbeenobligedtogiveup，andmakethebestofhiswayback。
“ItoldyouIlostmywayafterpassingthatoldfarmhousewiththeyew-trees，becauseIcanneverbeartoask；
butIhavenottoldyouthat，withmyusualluck——forI
neverdowrongwithoutgainingbyit——IfoundmyselfinduetimeintheveryplacewhichIhadacuriositytosee。
Iwassuddenly，uponturningthecornerofasteepishdownyfield，inthemidstofaretiredlittlevillagebetweengentlyrisinghills；asmallstreambeforemetobeforded，achurchstandingonasortofknolltomyright——
whichchurchwasstrikinglylargeandhandsomefortheplace，andnotagentlemanorhalfagentleman’shousetobeseenexceptingone——tobepresumedtheParsonage——
withinastone’sthrowofthesaidknollandchurch。
Ifoundmyself，inshort，inThorntonLacey。“
“Itsoundslikeit，“saidEdmund；“butwhichwaydidyouturnafterpassingSewell’sfarm？“
“Ianswernosuchirrelevantandinsidiousquestions；
thoughwereItoanswerallthatyoucouldputinthecourseofanhour，youwouldneverbeabletoprovethatitwas_not_ThorntonLacey——forsuchitcertainlywas。“
“Youinquired，then？“
“No，Ineverinquire。ButI_told_amanmendingahedgethatitwasThorntonLacey，andheagreedtoit。“
“Youhaveagoodmemory。Ihadforgottenhavingevertoldyouhalfsomuchoftheplace。“
ThorntonLaceywasthenameofhisimpendingliving，asMissCrawfordwellknew；andherinterestinanegotiationforWilliamPrice’sknaveincreased。
“Well，“continuedEdmund，“andhowdidyoulikewhatyousaw？“
“Verymuchindeed。Youarealuckyfellow。Therewillbeworkforfivesummersatleastbeforetheplaceisliveable。“
“No，no，notsobadasthat。Thefarmyardmustbemoved，Igrantyou；butIamnotawareofanythingelse。
Thehouseisbynomeansbad，andwhentheyardisremoved，theremaybeaverytolerableapproachtoit。“
“Thefarmyardmustbeclearedawayentirely，andplanteduptoshutouttheblacksmith’sshop。Thehousemustbeturnedtofronttheeastinsteadofthenorth——
theentranceandprincipalrooms，Imean，mustbeonthatside，wheretheviewisreallyverypretty；Iamsureitmaybedone。And_there_mustbeyourapproach，throughwhatisatpresentthegarden。Youmustmakeanewgardenatwhatisnowthebackofthehouse；
whichwillbegivingitthebestaspectintheworld，slopingtothesouth-east。Thegroundseemspreciselyformedforit。Irodefiftyyardsupthelane，betweenthechurchandthehouse，inordertolookaboutme；
andsawhowitmightallbe。Nothingcanbeeasier。
Themeadowsbeyondwhat_will__be_thegarden，aswellaswhatnow_is_，sweepingroundfromthelaneIstoodintothenorth-east，thatis，totheprincipalroadthroughthevillage，mustbealllaidtogether，ofcourse；
veryprettymeadowstheyare，finelysprinkledwithtimber。
Theybelongtotheliving，Isuppose；ifnot，youmustpurchasethem。Thenthestream——somethingmustbedonewiththestream；butIcouldnotquitedeterminewhat。
Ihadtwoorthreeideas。“
“AndIhavetwoorthreeideasalso，“saidEdmund，“andoneofthemis，thatverylittleofyourplanforThorntonLaceywilleverbeputinpractice。
Imustbesatisfiedwithratherlessornamentandbeauty。