andthedoubtsandhesitationsofherambitionwereequallygotover——andequallywithoutapparentreason。
Itcouldonlybeimputedtoincreasingattachment。
Hisgoodandherbadfeelingsyieldedtolove，andsuchlovemustunitethem。HewastogototownassoonassomebusinessrelativetoThorntonLaceywerecompleted——
perhapswithinafortnight；hetalkedofgoing，helovedtotalkofit；andwhenoncewithheragain，Fannycouldnotdoubttherest。Heracceptancemustbeascertainashisoffer；andyettherewerebadfeelingsstillremainingwhichmadetheprospectofitmostsorrowfultoher，independently，shebelieved，independentlyofself。
Intheirverylastconversation，MissCrawford，inspiteofsomeamiablesensations，andmuchpersonalkindness，hadstillbeenMissCrawford；stillshewnamindledastrayandbewildered，andwithoutanysuspicionofbeingso；
darkened，yetfancyingitselflight。Shemightlove，butshedidnotdeserveEdmundbyanyothersentiment。
Fannybelievedtherewasscarcelyasecondfeelingincommonbetweenthem；andshemaybeforgivenbyoldersagesforlookingonthechanceofMissCrawford’sfutureimprovementasnearlydesperate，forthinkingthatifEdmund’sinfluenceinthisseasonoflovehadalreadydonesolittleinclearingherjudgment，andregulatinghernotions，hisworthwouldbefinallywastedonhereveninyearsofmatrimony。
Experiencemighthavehopedmoreforanyyoungpeoplesocircumstanced，andimpartialitywouldnothavedeniedtoMissCrawford’snaturethatparticipationofthegeneralnatureofwomenwhichwouldleadhertoadopttheopinionsofthemanshelovedandrespectedasherown。ButassuchwereFanny’spersuasions，shesufferedverymuchfromthem，andcouldneverspeakofMissCrawfordwithoutpain。
SirThomas，meanwhile，wentonwithhisownhopesandhisownobservations，stillfeelingaright，byallhisknowledgeofhumannature，toexpecttoseetheeffectofthelossofpowerandconsequenceonhisniece’sspirits，andthepastattentionsoftheloverproducingacravingfortheirreturn；andhewassoonafterwardsabletoaccountforhisnotyetcompletelyandindubitablyseeingallthis，bytheprospectofanothervisitor，whoseapproachhecouldallowtobequiteenoughtosupportthespiritshewaswatching。Williamhadobtainedatendays’
leaveofabsence，tobegiventoNorthamptonshire，andwascoming，thehappiestoflieutenants，becausethelatestmade，toshewhishappinessanddescribehisuniform。
Hecame；andhewouldhavebeendelightedtoshewhisuniformtheretoo，hadnotcruelcustomprohibiteditsappearanceexceptonduty。SotheuniformremainedatPortsmouth，andEdmundconjecturedthatbeforeFannyhadanychanceofseeingit，allitsownfreshnessandallthefreshnessofitswearer’sfeelingsmustbewornaway。Itwouldbesunkintoabadgeofdisgrace；forwhatcanbemoreunbecoming，ormoreworthless，thantheuniformofalieutenant，whohasbeenalieutenantayearortwo，andseesothersmadecommandersbeforehim？SoreasonedEdmund，tillhisfathermadehimtheconfidantofaschemewhichplacedFanny’schanceofseeingthesecondlieutenantofH。M。S。Thrushinallhisgloryinanotherlight。
ThisschemewasthatsheshouldaccompanyherbrotherbacktoPortsmouth，andspendalittletimewithherownfamily。IthadoccurredtoSirThomas，inoneofhisdignifiedmusings，asarightanddesirablemeasure；
butbeforeheabsolutelymadeuphismind，heconsultedhisson。Edmundconsiderediteveryway，andsawnothingbutwhatwasright。Thethingwasgoodinitself，andcouldnotbedoneatabettertime；andhehadnodoubtofitbeinghighlyagreeabletoFanny。ThiswasenoughtodetermineSirThomas；andadecisive“thensoitshallbe“
closedthatstageofthebusiness；SirThomasretiringfromitwithsomefeelingsofsatisfaction，andviewsofgoodoverandabovewhathehadcommunicatedtohisson；
forhisprimemotiveinsendingherawayhadverylittletodowiththeproprietyofherseeingherparentsagain，andnothingatallwithanyideaofmakingherhappy。
Hecertainlywishedhertogowillingly，butheascertainlywishedhertobeheartilysickofhomebeforehervisitended；
andthatalittleabstinencefromtheeleganciesandluxuriesofMansfieldParkwouldbringhermindintoasoberstate，andinclinehertoajusterestimateofthevalueofthathomeofgreaterpermanence，andequalcomfort，ofwhichshehadtheoffer。
Itwasamedicinalprojectuponhisniece’sunderstanding，whichhemustconsiderasatpresentdiseased。
Aresidenceofeightornineyearsintheabodeofwealthandplentyhadalittledisorderedherpowersofcomparingandjudging。Herfather’shousewould，inallprobability，teachherthevalueofagoodincome；andhetrustedthatshewouldbethewiserandhappierwoman，allherlife，fortheexperimenthehaddevised。
HadFannybeenatalladdictedtoraptures，shemusthavehadastrongattackofthemwhenshefirstunderstoodwhatwasintended，whenherunclefirstmadehertheofferofvisitingtheparents，andbrothers，andsisters，fromwhomshehadbeendividedalmosthalfherlife；
ofreturningforacoupleofmonthstothescenesofherinfancy，withWilliamfortheprotectorandcompanionofherjourney，andthecertaintyofcontinuingtoseeWilliamtothelasthourofhisremainingonland。
Hadsheevergivenwaytoburstsofdelight，itmusthavebeenthen，forshewasdelighted，butherhappinesswasofaquiet，deep，heart-swellingsort；andthoughneveragreattalker，shewasalwaysmoreinclinedtosilencewhenfeelingmoststrongly。Atthemomentshecouldonlythankandaccept。Afterwards，whenfamiliarisedwiththevisionsofenjoymentsosuddenlyopened，shecouldspeakmorelargelytoWilliamandEdmundofwhatshefelt；
butstilltherewereemotionsoftendernessthatcouldnotbeclothedinwords。Theremembranceofallherearliestpleasures，andofwhatshehadsufferedinbeingtornfromthem，cameoverherwithrenewedstrength，anditseemedasiftobeathomeagainwouldhealeverypainthathadsincegrownoutoftheseparation。
Tobeinthecentreofsuchacircle，lovedbysomany，andmorelovedbyallthanshehadeverbeenbefore；
tofeelaffectionwithoutfearorrestraint；tofeelherselftheequalofthosewhosurroundedher；tobeatpeacefromallmentionoftheCrawfords，safefromeverylookwhichcouldbefanciedareproachontheiraccount。
Thiswasaprospecttobedweltonwithafondnessthatcouldbebuthalfacknowledged。
Edmund，too——tobetwomonthsfrom_him_andperhapsshemightbeallowedtomakeherabsencethree
mustdohergood。Atadistance，unassailedbyhislooksorhiskindness，andsafefromtheperpetualirritationofknowinghisheart，andstrivingtoavoidhisconfidence，sheshouldbeabletoreasonherselfintoapropererstate；
sheshouldbeabletothinkofhimasinLondon，andarrangingeverythingthere，withoutwretchedness。
WhatmighthavebeenhardtobearatMansfieldwastobecomeaslightevilatPortsmouth。
TheonlydrawbackwasthedoubtofherauntBertram’sbeingcomfortablewithouther。Shewasofusetonooneelse；
but_there_shemightbemissedtoadegreethatshedidnotliketothinkof；andthatpartofthearrangementwas，indeed，thehardestforSirThomastoaccomplish，andwhatonly_he_couldhaveaccomplishedatall。
ButhewasmasteratMansfieldPark。Whenhehadreallyresolvedonanymeasure，hecouldalwayscarryitthrough；
andnowbydintoflongtalkingonthesubject，explaininganddwellingonthedutyofFanny’ssometimesseeingherfamily，hedidinducehiswifetolethergo；
obtainingitratherfromsubmission，however，thanconviction，forLadyBertramwasconvincedofverylittlemorethanthatSirThomasthoughtFannyoughttogo，andthereforethatshemust。Inthecalmnessofherowndressing-room，intheimpartialflowofherownmeditations，unbiassedbyhisbewilderingstatements，shecouldnotacknowledgeanynecessityforFanny’severgoingnearafatherandmotherwhohaddonewithouthersolong，whileshewassousefultoherselfAndastothenotmissingher，whichunderMrs。Norris’sdiscussionwasthepointattemptedtobeproved，shesetherselfverysteadilyagainstadmittinganysuchthing。
SirThomashadappealedtoherreason，conscience，anddignity。
Hecalleditasacrifice，anddemandeditofhergoodnessandself-commandassuch。ButMrs。NorriswantedtopersuadeherthatFannycouldbeverywellspared——_she_beingreadytogiveupallherowntimetoherasrequested——
and，inshort，couldnotreallybewantedormissed。
“Thatmaybe，sister，“wasallLadyBertram’sreply。
“Idaresayyouareveryright；butIamsureIshallmissherverymuch。“
ThenextstepwastocommunicatewithPortsmouth。Fannywrotetoofferherself；andhermother’sanswer，thoughshort，wassokind——afewsimplelinesexpressedsonaturalandmotherlyajoyintheprospectofseeingherchildagain，astoconfirmallthedaughter’sviewsofhappinessinbeingwithher——convincingherthatsheshouldnowfindawarmandaffectionatefriendinthe“mama“whohadcertainlyshewnnoremarkablefondnessforherformerly；
butthisshecouldeasilysupposetohavebeenherownfaultorherownfancy。Shehadprobablyalienatedlovebythehelplessnessandfretfulnessofafearfultemper，orbeenunreasonableinwantingalargersharethananyoneamongsomanycoulddeserve。Now，whensheknewbetterhowtobeuseful，andhowtoforbear，andwhenhermothercouldbenolongeroccupiedbytheincessantdemandsofahousefulloflittlechildren，therewouldbeleisureandinclinationforeverycomfort，andtheyshouldsoonbewhatmotheranddaughteroughttobetoeachother。