“That’sright；andinLondon，ofcourse，ahouseofyourown：nolongerwiththeAdmiral。MydearestHenry，theadvantagetoyouofgettingawayfromtheAdmiralbeforeyourmannersarehurtbythecontagionofhis，beforeyouhavecontractedanyofhisfoolishopinions，orlearnedtositoveryourdinnerasifitwerethebestblessingoflife!_You_arenotsensibleofthegain，foryourregardforhimhasblindedyou；but，inmyestimation，yourmarryingearlymaybethesavingofyou。TohaveseenyougrowliketheAdmiralinwordordeed，lookorgesture，wouldhavebrokenmyheart。“
“Well，well，wedonotthinkquitealikehere。
TheAdmiralhashisfaults，butheisaverygoodman，andhasbeenmorethanafathertome。Fewfatherswouldhaveletmehavemyownwayhalfsomuch。YoumustnotprejudiceFannyagainsthim。Imusthavethemloveoneanother。“
Maryrefrainedfromsayingwhatshefelt，thattherecouldnotbetwopersonsinexistencewhosecharactersandmannerswerelessaccordant：timewoulddiscoverittohim；
butshecouldnothelp_this_reflectionontheAdmiral。
“Henry，IthinksohighlyofFannyPrice，thatifIcouldsupposethenextMrs。Crawfordwouldhavehalfthereasonwhichmypoorill-usedaunthadtoabhortheveryname，Iwouldpreventthemarriage，ifpossible；butIknowyou：
Iknowthatawifeyou_loved_wouldbethehappiestofwomen，andthatevenwhenyouceasedtolove，shewouldyetfindinyoutheliberalityandgood-breedingofagentleman。“
TheimpossibilityofnotdoingeverythingintheworldtomakeFannyPricehappy，orofceasingtoloveFannyPrice，wasofcoursethegroundworkofhiseloquentanswer。
“Hadyouseenherthismorning，Mary，“hecontinued，“attendingwithsuchineffablesweetnessandpatiencetoallthedemandsofheraunt’sstupidity，workingwithher，andforher，hercolourbeautifullyheightenedassheleantoverthework，thenreturningtoherseattofinishanotewhichshewaspreviouslyengagedinwritingforthatstupidwoman’sservice，andallthiswithsuchunpretendinggentleness，somuchasifitwereamatterofcoursethatshewasnottohaveamomentatherowncommand，herhairarrangedasneatlyasitalwaysis，andonelittlecurlfallingforwardasshewrote，whichshenowandthenshookback，andinthemidstofallthis，stillspeakingatintervalsto_me_，orlistening，andasifshelikedtolisten，towhatIsaid。
Hadyouseenherso，Mary，youwouldnothaveimpliedthepossibilityofherpowerovermyhearteverceasing。“
“MydearestHenry，“criedMary，stoppingshort，andsmilinginhisface，“howgladIamtoseeyousomuchinlove!
Itquitedelightsme。ButwhatwillMrs。RushworthandJuliasay？“
“Icareneitherwhattheysaynorwhattheyfeel。
Theywillnowseewhatsortofwomanitisthatcanattachme，thatcanattachamanofsense。Iwishthediscoverymaydothemanygood。Andtheywillnowseetheircousintreatedassheoughttobe，andIwishtheymaybeheartilyashamedoftheirownabominableneglectandunkindness。
Theywillbeangry，“headded，afteramoment’ssilence，andinacoolertone；“Mrs。Rushworthwillbeveryangry。
Itwillbeabitterpilltoher；thatis，likeotherbitterpills，itwillhavetwomoments’illflavour，andthenbeswallowedandforgotten；forIamnotsuchacoxcombastosupposeherfeelingsmorelastingthanotherwomen’s，though_I_wastheobjectofthem。Yes，Mary，myFannywillfeeladifferenceindeed：adaily，hourlydifference，inthebehaviourofeverybeingwhoapproachesher；
anditwillbethecompletionofmyhappinesstoknowthatIamthedoerofit，thatIamthepersontogivetheconsequencesojustlyherdue。Nowsheisdependent，helpless，friendless，neglected，forgotten。“
“Nay，Henry，notbyall；notforgottenbyall；notfriendlessorforgotten。HercousinEdmundneverforgetsher。“
“Edmund!True，Ibelieveheis，generallyspeaking，kindtoher，andsoisSirThomasinhisway；butitisthewayofarich，superior，long-worded，arbitraryuncle。
WhatcanSirThomasandEdmundtogetherdo，whatdothey_do_forherhappiness，comfort，honour，anddignityintheworld，towhatI_shall_do？“
HenryCrawfordwasatMansfieldParkagainthenextmorning，andatanearlierhourthancommonvisitingwarrants。
Thetwoladiesweretogetherinthebreakfast-room，and，fortunatelyforhim，LadyBertramwasontheverypointofquittingitasheentered。Shewasalmostatthedoor，andnotchusingbyanymeanstotakesomuchtroubleinvain，shestillwenton，afteracivilreception，ashortsentenceaboutbeingwaitedfor，anda“LetSirThomasknow“
totheservant。
Henry，overjoyedtohavehergo，bowedandwatchedheroff，andwithoutlosinganothermoment，turnedinstantlytoFanny，and，takingoutsomeletters，said，withamostanimatedlook，“Imustacknowledgemyselfinfinitelyobligedtoanycreaturewhogivesmesuchanopportunityofseeingyoualone：
Ihavebeenwishingitmorethanyoucanhaveanyidea。
KnowingasIdowhatyourfeelingsasasisterare，IcouldhardlyhavebornethatanyoneinthehouseshouldsharewithyouinthefirstknowledgeofthenewsInowbring。
Heismade。Yourbrotherisalieutenant。Ihavetheinfinitesatisfactionofcongratulatingyouonyourbrother’spromotion。Herearetheletterswhichannounceit，thismomentcometohand。Youwill，perhaps，liketoseethem。“
Fannycouldnotspeak，buthedidnotwanthertospeak。
Toseetheexpressionofhereyes，thechangeofhercomplexion，theprogressofherfeelings，theirdoubt，confusion，andfelicity，wasenough。
Shetookthelettersashegavethem。ThefirstwasfromtheAdmiraltoinformhisnephew，inafewwords，ofhishavingsucceededintheobjecthehadundertaken，thepromotionofyoungPrice，andenclosingtwomore，onefromtheSecretaryoftheFirstLordtoafriend，whomtheAdmiralhadsettoworkinthebusiness，theotherfromthatfriendtohimself，bywhichitappearedthathislordshiphadtheverygreathappinessofattendingtotherecommendationofSirCharles；
thatSirCharleswasmuchdelightedinhavingsuchanopportunityofprovinghisregardforAdmiralCrawford，andthatthecircumstanceofMr。WilliamPrice’scommissionasSecondLieutenantofH。M。SloopThrushbeingmadeoutwasspreadinggeneraljoythroughawidecircleofgreatpeople。
Whileherhandwastremblingundertheseletters，hereyerunningfromonetotheother，andherheartswellingwithemotion，Crawfordthuscontinued，withunfeignedeagerness，toexpresshisinterestintheevent——
“Iwillnottalkofmyownhappiness，“saidhe，“greatasitis，forIthinkonlyofyours。Comparedwithyou，whohasarighttobehappy？Ihavealmostgrudgedmyselfmyownpriorknowledgeofwhatyououghttohaveknownbeforealltheworld。Ihavenotlostamoment，however。
Thepostwaslatethismorning，buttherehasnotbeensinceamoment’sdelay。Howimpatient，howanxious，howwildIhavebeenonthesubject，Iwillnotattempttodescribe；howseverelymortified，howcruellydisappointed，innothavingitfinishedwhileIwasinLondon!
Iwaskepttherefromdaytodayinthehopeofit，fornothinglessdeartomethansuchanobjectwouldhavedetainedmehalfthetimefromMansfield。
ButthoughmyuncleenteredintomywisheswithallthewarmthIcoulddesire，andexertedhimselfimmediately，thereweredifficultiesfromtheabsenceofonefriend，andtheengagementsofanother，whichatlastIcouldnolongerbeartostaytheendof，andknowinginwhatgoodhandsI
leftthecause，IcameawayonMonday，trustingthatmanypostswouldnotpassbeforeIshouldbefollowedbysuchverylettersasthese。Myuncle，whoistheverybestmanintheworld，hasexertedhimself，asIknewhewould，afterseeingyourbrother。Hewasdelightedwithhim。
Iwouldnotallowmyselfyesterdaytosayhowdelighted，ortorepeathalfthattheAdmiralsaidinhispraise。
Ideferreditalltillhispraiseshouldbeprovedthepraiseofafriend，asthisday_does_proveit。
_Now_ImaysaythatevenIcouldnotrequireWilliamPricetoexciteagreaterinterest，orbefollowedbywarmerwishesandhighercommendation，thanweremostvoluntarilybestowedbymyuncleaftertheeveningtheyhadpassedtogether。“
“Hasthisbeenall_your_doing，then？“criedFanny。
“Goodheaven!howvery，verykind!Haveyoureally——
wasitby_your_desire？Ibegyourpardon，butI
ambewildered。DidAdmiralCrawfordapply？Howwasit？
Iamstupefied。“
Henrywasmosthappytomakeitmoreintelligible，bybeginningatanearlierstage，andexplainingveryparticularlywhathehaddone。HislastjourneytoLondonhadbeenundertakenwithnootherviewthanthatofintroducingherbrotherinHillStreet，andprevailingontheAdmiraltoexertwhateverinteresthemighthaveforgettinghimon。Thishadbeenhisbusiness。
Hehadcommunicatedittonocreature：hehadnotbreathedasyllableofiteventoMary；whileuncertainoftheissue，hecouldnothaveborneanyparticipationofhisfeelings，butthishadbeenhisbusiness；andhespokewithsuchaglowofwhathissolicitudehadbeen，andusedsuchstrongexpressions，wassoaboundinginthe_deepest__interest_，in_twofold__motives_，in_views__and__wishes__more__than__could__be__told_，thatFannycouldnothaveremainedinsensibleofhisdrift，hadshebeenabletoattend；butherheartwassofullandhersensesstillsoastonished，thatshecouldlistenbutimperfectlyeventowhathetoldherofWilliam，andsayingonlywhenhepaused，“Howkind!howverykind!