Mustitnotfollowofcourse，that，whenhewasunderstood，heshouldsucceed？Hebelieveditfully。Lovesuchashis，inamanlikehimself，mustwithperseverancesecureareturn，andatnogreatdistance；andhehadsomuchdelightintheideaofobliginghertolovehiminaveryshorttime，thathernotlovinghimnowwasscarcelyregretted。
AlittledifficultytobeovercomewasnoeviltoHenryCrawford。Heratherderivedspiritsfromit。
Hehadbeenapttogainheartstooeasily。Hissituationwasnewandanimating。
ToFanny，however，whohadknowntoomuchoppositionallherlifetofindanycharminit，allthiswasunintelligible。
Shefoundthathedidmeantopersevere；buthowhecould，aftersuchlanguagefromherasshefeltherselfobligedtouse，wasnottobeunderstood。Shetoldhimthatshedidnotlovehim，couldnotlovehim，wassureshenevershouldlovehim；thatsuchachangewasquiteimpossible；
thatthesubjectwasmostpainfultoher；thatshemustentreathimnevertomentionitagain，toallowhertoleavehimatonce，andletitbeconsideredasconcludedforever。
Andwhenfartherpressed，hadadded，thatinheropiniontheirdispositionsweresototallydissimilarastomakemutualaffectionincompatible；andthattheywereunfittedforeachotherbynature，education，andhabit。Allthisshehadsaid，andwiththeearnestnessofsincerity；
yetthiswasnotenough，forheimmediatelydeniedtherebeinganythinguncongenialintheircharacters，oranythingunfriendlyintheirsituations；andpositivelydeclared，thathewouldstilllove，andstillhope!
Fannyknewherownmeaning，butwasnojudgeofherownmanner。
Hermannerwasincurablygentle；andshewasnotawarehowmuchitconcealedthesternnessofherpurpose。
Herdiffidence，gratitude，andsoftnessmadeeveryexpressionofindifferenceseemalmostaneffortofself-denial；
seem，atleast，tobegivingnearlyasmuchpaintoherselfastohim。Mr。CrawfordwasnolongertheMr。Crawfordwho，astheclandestine，insidious，treacherousadmirerofMariaBertram，hadbeenherabhorrence，whomshehadhatedtoseeortospeakto，inwhomshecouldbelievenogoodqualitytoexist，andwhosepower，evenofbeingagreeable，shehadbarelyacknowledged。HewasnowtheMr。Crawfordwhowasaddressingherselfwithardent，disinterestedlove；
whosefeelingswereapparentlybecomeallthatwashonourableandupright，whoseviewsofhappinesswereallfixedonamarriageofattachment；whowaspouringouthissenseofhermerits，describinganddescribingagainhisaffection，provingasfaraswordscouldproveit，andinthelanguage，tone，andspiritofamanoftalenttoo，thathesoughtherforhergentlenessandhergoodness；
andtocompletethewhole，hewasnowtheMr。CrawfordwhohadprocuredWilliam’spromotion!
Herewasachange，andherewereclaimswhichcouldnotbutoperate!Shemighthavedisdainedhiminallthedignityofangryvirtue，inthegroundsofSotherton，orthetheatreatMansfieldPark；butheapproachedhernowwithrightsthatdemandeddifferenttreatment。
Shemustbecourteous，andshemustbecompassionate。
Shemusthaveasensationofbeinghonoured，andwhetherthinkingofherselforherbrother，shemusthaveastrongfeelingofgratitude。Theeffectofthewholewasamannersopityingandagitated，andwordsintermingledwithherrefusalsoexpressiveofobligationandconcern，thattoatemperofvanityandhopelikeCrawford’s，thetruth，oratleastthestrengthofherindifference，mightwellbequestionable；andhewasnotsoirrationalasFannyconsideredhim，intheprofessionsofpersevering，assiduous，andnotdespondingattachmentwhichclosedtheinterview。
Itwaswithreluctancethathesufferedhertogo；buttherewasnolookofdespairinpartingtobeliehiswords，orgiveherhopesofhisbeinglessunreasonablethanheprofessedhimself。
Nowshewasangry。Someresentmentdidariseataperseverancesoselfishandungenerous。Herewasagainawantofdelicacyandregardforotherswhichhadformerlysostruckanddisgustedher。HerewasagainasomethingofthesameMr。Crawfordwhomshehadsoreprobatedbefore。
Howevidentlywasthereagrosswantoffeelingandhumanitywherehisownpleasurewasconcerned；andalas!howalwaysknownnoprincipletosupplyasadutywhattheheartwasdeficientin!Hadherownaffectionsbeenasfreeasperhapstheyoughttohavebeen，henevercouldhaveengagedthem。
SothoughtFanny，ingoodtruthandsobersadness，asshesatmusingoverthattoogreatindulgenceandluxuryofafireupstairs：wonderingatthepastandpresent；
wonderingatwhatwasyettocome，andinanervousagitationwhichmadenothingcleartoherbutthepersuasionofherbeingneverunderanycircumstancesabletoloveMr。Crawford，andthefelicityofhavingafiretositoverandthinkofit。
SirThomaswasobliged，orobligedhimself，towaittillthemorrowforaknowledgeofwhathadpassedbetweentheyoungpeople。HethensawMr。Crawford，andreceivedhisaccount。Thefirstfeelingwasdisappointment：
hehadhopedbetterthings；hehadthoughtthatanhour’sentreatyfromayoungmanlikeCrawfordcouldnothaveworkedsolittlechangeonagentle-temperedgirllikeFanny；
buttherewasspeedycomfortinthedeterminedviewsandsanguineperseveranceofthelover；andwhenseeingsuchconfidenceofsuccessintheprincipal，SirThomaswassoonabletodependonithimself。
Nothingwasomitted，onhisside，ofcivility，compliment，orkindness，thatmightassisttheplan。Mr。Crawford’ssteadinesswashonoured，andFannywaspraised，andtheconnexionwasstillthemostdesirableintheworld。
AtMansfieldParkMr。Crawfordwouldalwaysbewelcome；
hehadonlytoconsulthisownjudgmentandfeelingsastothefrequencyofhisvisits，atpresentorinfuture。
Inallhisniece’sfamilyandfriends，therecouldbebutoneopinion，onewishonthesubject；theinfluenceofallwholovedhermustinclineoneway。
Everythingwassaidthatcouldencourage，everyencouragementreceivedwithgratefuljoy，andthegentlemenpartedthebestoffriends。
Satisfiedthatthecausewasnowonafootingthemostproperandhopeful，SirThomasresolvedtoabstainfromallfartherimportunitywithhisniece，andtoshewnoopeninterference。Uponherdispositionhebelievedkindnessmightbethebestwayofworking。
Entreatyshouldbefromonequarteronly。Theforbearanceofherfamilyonapoint，respectingwhichshecouldbeinnodoubtoftheirwishes，mightbetheirsurestmeansofforwardingit。Accordingly，onthisprinciple，SirThomastookthefirstopportunityofsayingtoher，withamildgravity，intendedtobeovercoming，“Well，Fanny，IhaveseenMr。Crawfordagain，andlearnfromhimexactlyhowmattersstandbetweenyou。Heisamostextraordinaryyoungman，andwhateverbetheevent，youmustfeelthatyouhavecreatedanattachmentofnocommoncharacter；though，youngasyouare，andlittleacquaintedwiththetransient，varying，unsteadynatureoflove，asitgenerallyexists，youcannotbestruckasIamwithallthatiswonderfulinaperseveranceofthissortagainstdiscouragement。Withhimitisentirelyamatteroffeeling：heclaimsnomeritinit；
perhapsisentitledtonone。Yet，havingchosensowell，hisconstancyhasarespectablestamp。Hadhischoicebeenlessunexceptionable，Ishouldhavecondemnedhispersevering。“
“Indeed，sir，“saidFanny，“IamverysorrythatMr。Crawfordshouldcontinuetoknowthatitispayingmeaverygreatcompliment，andIfeelmostundeservedlyhonoured；
butIamsoperfectlyconvinced，andIhavetoldhimso，thatitneverwillbeinmypower——“
“Mydear，“interruptedSirThomas，“thereisnooccasionforthis。Yourfeelingsareaswellknowntomeasmywishesandregretsmustbetoyou。
Thereisnothingmoretobesaidordone。Fromthishourthesubjectisnevertoberevivedbetweenus。
Youwillhavenothingtofear，ortobeagitatedabout。
Youcannotsupposemecapableoftryingtopersuadeyoutomarryagainstyourinclinations。YourhappinessandadvantageareallthatIhaveinview，andnothingisrequiredofyoubuttobearwithMr。Crawford’sendeavourstoconvinceyouthattheymaynotbeincompatiblewithhis。
Heproceedsathisownrisk。Youareonsafeground。
Ihaveengagedforyourseeinghimwheneverhecalls，asyoumighthavedonehadnothingofthissortoccurred。
Youwillseehimwiththerestofus，inthesamemanner，and，asmuchasyoucan，dismissingtherecollectionofeverythingunpleasant。HeleavesNorthamptonshiresosoon，thateventhisslightsacrificecannotbeoftendemanded。
Thefuturemustbeveryuncertain。Andnow，mydearFanny，thissubjectisclosedbetweenus。“