No，Icansafelysay，Ihavenopleasuresocomplete，sounalloyed。Itiswithoutadrawback。“
UponsuchexpressionsofaffectionFannycouldhavelivedanhourwithoutsayinganotherword；butEdmund，afterwaitingamoment，obligedhertobringdownhermindfromitsheavenlyflightbysaying，“Butwhatisitthatyouwanttoconsultmeabout？“
Itwasaboutthenecklace，whichshewasnowmostearnestlylongingtoreturn，andhopedtoobtainhisapprobationofherdoing。Shegavethehistoryofherrecentvisit，andnowherrapturesmightwellbeover；forEdmundwassostruckwiththecircumstance，sodelightedwithwhatMissCrawfordhaddone，sogratifiedbysuchacoincidenceofconductbetweenthem，thatFannycouldnotbutadmitthesuperiorpowerofonepleasureoverhisownmind，thoughitmighthaveitsdrawback。Itwassometimebeforeshecouldgethisattentiontoherplan，oranyanswertoherdemandofhisopinion：hewasinareverieoffondreflection，utteringonlynowandthenafewhalf-sentencesofpraise；butwhenhedidawakeandunderstand，hewasverydecidedinopposingwhatshewished。
“Returnthenecklace!No，mydearFanny，uponnoaccount。
Itwouldbemortifyingherseverely。Therecanhardlybeamoreunpleasantsensationthanthehavinganythingreturnedonourhandswhichwehavegivenwithareasonablehopeofitscontributingtothecomfortofafriend。
Whyshouldsheloseapleasurewhichshehasshewnherselfsodeservingof？“
“Ifithadbeengiventomeinthefirstinstance，“
saidFanny，“Ishouldnothavethoughtofreturningit；
butbeingherbrother’spresent，isnotitfairtosupposethatshewouldrathernotpartwithit，whenitisnotwanted？“
“Shemustnotsupposeitnotwanted，notacceptable，atleast：anditshavingbeenoriginallyherbrother’sgiftmakesnodifference；forasshewasnotpreventedfromoffering，noryoufromtakingitonthataccount，itoughtnottopreventyoufromkeepingit。Nodoubtitishandsomerthanmine，andfitterforaballroom。“
“No，itisnothandsomer，notatallhandsomerinitsway，and，formypurpose，nothalfsofit。
ThechainwillagreewithWilliam’scrossbeyondallcomparisonbetterthanthenecklace。“
“Foronenight，Fanny，foronlyonenight，ifit_be_
asacrifice；Iamsureyouwill，uponconsideration，makethatsacrificeratherthangivepaintoonewhohasbeensostudiousofyourcomfort。MissCrawford’sattentionstoyouhavebeen——notmorethanyouwerejustlyentitledto——
Iamthelastpersontothinkthat_could__be_，buttheyhavebeeninvariable；andtobereturningthemwithwhatmusthavesomethingthe_air_ofingratitude，thoughIknowitcouldneverhavethe_meaning_，isnotinyournature，Iamsure。Wearthenecklace，asyouareengagedtodo，to-morrowevening，andletthechain，whichwasnotorderedwithanyreferencetotheball，bekeptforcommoneroccasions。Thisismyadvice。
IwouldnothavetheshadowofacoolnessbetweenthetwowhoseintimacyIhavebeenobservingwiththegreatestpleasure，andinwhosecharactersthereissomuchgeneralresemblanceintruegenerosityandnaturaldelicacyastomakethefewslightdifferences，resultingprincipallyfromsituation，noreasonablehindrancetoaperfectfriendship。Iwouldnothavetheshadowofacoolnessarise，“herepeated，hisvoicesinkingalittle，“betweenthetwodearestobjectsIhaveonearth。“
Hewasgoneashespoke；andFannyremainedtotranquilliseherselfasshecould。Shewasoneofhistwodearest——
thatmustsupporther。Buttheother：thefirst!
Shehadneverheardhimspeaksoopenlybefore，andthoughittoldhernomorethanwhatshehadlongperceived，itwasastab，forittoldofhisownconvictionsandviews。
Theyweredecided。HewouldmarryMissCrawford。
Itwasastab，inspiteofeverylong-standingexpectation；
andshewasobligedtorepeatagainandagain，thatshewasoneofhistwodearest，beforethewordsgaveheranysensation。CouldshebelieveMissCrawfordtodeservehim，itwouldbe——oh，howdifferentwoulditbe——
howfarmoretolerable!Buthewasdeceivedinher：
hegavehermeritswhichshehadnot；herfaultswerewhattheyhadeverbeen，buthesawthemnolonger。
Tillshehadshedmanytearsoverthisdeception，Fannycouldnotsubdueheragitation；andthedejectionwhichfollowedcouldonlyberelievedbytheinfluenceofferventprayersforhishappiness。
Itwasherintention，asshefeltittobeherduty，totrytoovercomeallthatwasexcessive，allthatborderedonselfishness，inheraffectionforEdmund。
Tocallortofancyitaloss，adisappointment，wouldbeapresumptionforwhichshehadnotwordsstrongenoughtosatisfyherownhumility。TothinkofhimasMissCrawfordmightbejustifiedinthinking，wouldinherbeinsanity。
Toherhecouldbenothingunderanycircumstances；
nothingdearerthanafriend。Whydidsuchanideaoccurtoherevenenoughtobereprobatedandforbidden？Itoughtnottohavetouchedontheconfinesofherimagination。
Shewouldendeavourtoberational，andtodeservetherightofjudgingofMissCrawford’scharacter，andtheprivilegeoftruesolicitudeforhimbyasoundintellectandanhonestheart。
Shehadalltheheroismofprinciple，andwasdeterminedtodoherduty；buthavingalsomanyofthefeelingsofyouthandnature，lethernotbemuchwonderedat，if，aftermakingallthesegoodresolutionsonthesideofself-government，sheseizedthescrapofpaperonwhichEdmundhadbegunwritingtoher，asatreasurebeyondallherhopes，andreadingwiththetenderestemotionthesewords，“MyverydearFanny，youmustdomethefavourtoaccept“
lockeditupwiththechain，asthedearestpartofthegift。
Itwastheonlythingapproachingtoaletterwhichshehadeverreceivedfromhim；shemightneverreceiveanother；
itwasimpossiblethatsheevershouldreceiveanothersoperfectlygratifyingintheoccasionandthestyle。
Twolinesmoreprizedhadneverfallenfromthepenofthemostdistinguishedauthor——nevermorecompletelyblessedtheresearchesofthefondestbiographer。
Theenthusiasmofawoman’sloveisevenbeyondthebiographer’s。Toher，thehandwritingitself，independentofanythingitmayconvey，isablessedness。
NeverweresuchcharacterscutbyanyotherhumanbeingasEdmund’scommonesthandwritinggave!Thisspecimen，writteninhasteasitwas，hadnotafault；andtherewasafelicityintheflowofthefirstfourwords，inthearrangementof“MyverydearFanny，“whichshecouldhavelookedatforever。
Havingregulatedherthoughtsandcomfortedherfeelingsbythishappymixtureofreasonandweakness，shewasableinduetimetogodownandresumeherusualemploymentsnearherauntBertram，andpayhertheusualobservanceswithoutanyapparentwantofspirits。
Thursday，predestinedtohopeandenjoyment，came；andopenedwithmorekindnesstoFannythansuchself-willed，unmanageabledaysoftenvolunteer，forsoonafterbreakfastaveryfriendlynotewasbroughtfromMr。CrawfordtoWilliam，statingthatashefoundhimselfobligedtogotoLondononthemorrowforafewdays，hecouldnothelptryingtoprocureacompanion；andthereforehopedthatifWilliamcouldmakeuphismindtoleaveMansfieldhalfadayearlierthanhadbeenproposed，hewouldacceptaplaceinhiscarriage。Mr。Crawfordmeanttobeintownbyhisuncle’saccustomarylatedinner-hour，andWilliamwasinvitedtodinewithhimattheAdmiral’s。
TheproposalwasaverypleasantonetoWilliamhimself，whoenjoyedtheideaoftravellingpostwithfourhorses，andsuchagood-humoured，agreeablefriend；and，inlikeningittogoingupwithdespatches，wassayingatonceeverythinginfavourofitshappinessanddignitywhichhisimaginationcouldsuggest；andFanny，fromadifferentmotive，wasexceedinglypleased；fortheoriginalplanwasthatWilliamshouldgoupbythemailfromNorthamptonthefollowingnight，whichwouldnothaveallowedhimanhour’srestbeforehemusthavegotintoaPortsmouthcoach；
andthoughthisofferofMr。Crawford’swouldrobherofmanyhoursofhiscompany，shewastoohappyinhavingWilliamsparedfromthefatigueofsuchajourney，tothinkofanythingelse。SirThomasapprovedofitforanotherreason。Hisnephew’sintroductiontoAdmiralCrawfordmightbeofservice。TheAdmiral，hebelieved，hadinterest。Uponthewhole，itwasaveryjoyousnote。
Fanny’sspiritslivedonithalfthemorning，derivingsomeaccessionofpleasurefromitswriterbeinghimselftogoaway。
Asfortheball，sonearathand，shehadtoomanyagitationsandfearstohavehalftheenjoymentinanticipationwhichsheoughttohavehad，ormusthavebeensupposedtohavebythemanyyoungladieslookingforwardtothesameeventinsituationsmoreatease，butundercircumstancesoflessnovelty，lessinterest，lesspeculiargratification，thanwouldbeattributedtoher。MissPrice，knownonlybynametohalfthepeopleinvited，wasnowtomakeherfirstappearance，andmustberegardedasthequeenoftheevening。
WhocouldbehappierthanMissPrice？ButMissPricehadnotbeenbroughtuptothetradeof_coming__out_；
andhadsheknowninwhatlightthisballwas，ingeneral，consideredrespectingher，itwouldverymuchhavelessenedhercomfortbyincreasingthefearsshealreadyhadofdoingwrongandbeinglookedat。Todancewithoutmuchobservationoranyextraordinaryfatigue，tohavestrengthandpartnersforabouthalftheevening，todancealittlewithEdmund，andnotagreatdealwithMr。Crawford，toseeWilliamenjoyhimself，andbeabletokeepawayfromherauntNorris，wastheheightofherambition，andseemedtocomprehendhergreatestpossibilityofhappiness。Asthesewerethebestofherhopes，theycouldnotalwaysprevail；