Nowtheycametoanunderstanding。Mrs。Price，itappeared，scarcelyeverstirredoutofdoors，exceptofaSunday；
sheownedshecouldseldom，withherlargefamily，findtimeforawalk。“Wouldshenot，then，persuadeherdaughterstotakeadvantageofsuchweather，andallowhimthepleasureofattendingthem？“Mrs。Pricewasgreatlyobligedandverycomplying。“Herdaughterswereverymuchconfined；Portsmouthwasasadplace；
theydidnotoftengetout；andsheknewtheyhadsomeerrandsinthetown，whichtheywouldbeverygladtodo。“
Andtheconsequencewas，thatFanny，strangeasitwas——
strange，awkward，anddistressing——foundherselfandSusan，withintenminutes，walkingtowardstheHighStreetwithMr。Crawford。
Itwassoonpainuponpain，confusionuponconfusion；
fortheywerehardlyintheHighStreetbeforetheymetherfather，whoseappearancewasnotthebetterfromitsbeingSaturday。Hestopt；and，ungentlemanlikeashelooked，FannywasobligedtointroducehimtoMr。Crawford。
ShecouldnothaveadoubtofthemannerinwhichMr。Crawfordmustbestruck。Hemustbeashamedanddisgustedaltogether。Hemustsoongiveherup，andceasetohavethesmallestinclinationforthematch；
andyet，thoughshehadbeensomuchwantinghisaffectiontobecured，thiswasasortofcurethatwouldbealmostasbadasthecomplaint；andIbelievethereisscarcelyayoungladyintheUnitedKingdomswhowouldnotratherputupwiththemisfortuneofbeingsoughtbyaclever，agreeableman，thanhavehimdrivenawaybythevulgarityofhernearestrelations。
Mr。Crawfordprobablycouldnotregardhisfuturefather-in-lawwithanyideaoftakinghimforamodelindress；butasFannyinstantly，andtohergreatrelief，discernedherfatherwasaverydifferentman，averydifferentMr。Priceinhisbehaviourtothismosthighlyrespectedstranger，fromwhathewasinhisownfamilyathome。Hismannersnow，thoughnotpolished，weremorethanpassable：theyweregrateful，animated，manly；
hisexpressionswerethoseofanattachedfather，andasensibleman；hisloudtonesdidverywellintheopenair，andtherewasnotasingleoathtobeheard。
SuchwashisinstinctivecomplimenttothegoodmannersofMr。Crawford；and，betheconsequencewhatitmight，Fanny’simmediatefeelingswereinfinitelysoothed。
Theconclusionofthetwogentlemen’scivilitieswasanofferofMr。Price’stotakeMr。Crawfordintothedockyard，whichMr。Crawford，desirousofacceptingasafavourwhatwasintendedassuch，thoughhehadseenthedockyardagainandagain，andhopingtobesomuchthelongerwithFanny，wasverygratefullydisposedtoavailhimselfof，iftheMissPriceswerenotafraidofthefatigue；
andasitwassomehoworotherascertained，orinferred，oratleastactedupon，thattheywerenotatallafraid，tothedockyardtheywerealltogo；andbutforMr。Crawford，Mr。Pricewouldhaveturnedthitherdirectly，withoutthesmallestconsiderationforhisdaughters’
errandsintheHighStreet。Hetookcare，however，thattheyshouldbeallowedtogototheshopstheycameoutexpresslytovisit；anditdidnotdelaythemlong，forFannycouldsolittlebeartoexciteimpatience，orbewaitedfor，thatbeforethegentlemen，astheystoodatthedoor，coulddomorethanbeginuponthelastnavalregulations，orsettlethenumberofthree-deckersnowincommission，theircompanionswerereadytoproceed。
Theywerethentosetforwardforthedockyardatonce，andthewalkwouldhavebeenconducted——accordingtoMr。Crawford’sopinion——inasingularmanner，hadMr。Pricebeenallowedtheentireregulationofit，asthetwogirls，hefound，wouldhavebeenlefttofollow，andkeepupwiththemornot，astheycould，whiletheywalkedontogetherattheirownhastypace。
Hewasabletointroducesomeimprovementoccasionally，thoughbynomeanstotheextenthewished；heabsolutelywouldnotwalkawayfromthem；andatanycrossingoranycrowd，whenMr。Pricewasonlycallingout，“Come，girls；come，Fan；come，Sue，takecareofyourselves；
keepasharplookout!“hewouldgivethemhisparticularattendance。
Oncefairlyinthedockyard，hebegantoreckonuponsomehappyintercoursewithFanny，astheywereverysoonjoinedbyabrotherloungerofMr。Price’s，whowascometotakehisdailysurveyofhowthingswenton，andwhomustproveafarmoreworthycompanionthanhimself；
andafteratimethetwoofficersseemedverywellsatisfiedgoingabouttogether，anddiscussingmattersofequalandnever-failinginterest，whiletheyoungpeoplesatdownuponsometimbersintheyard，orfoundaseatonboardavesselinthestockswhichtheyallwenttolookat。
Fannywasmostconvenientlyinwantofrest。Crawfordcouldnothavewishedhermorefatiguedormorereadytositdown；
buthecouldhavewishedhersisteraway。Aquick-lookinggirlofSusan’sagewastheveryworstthirdintheworld：
totallydifferentfromLadyBertram，alleyesandears；
andtherewasnointroducingthemainpointbeforeher。
Hemustcontenthimselfwithbeingonlygenerallyagreeable，andlettingSusanhavehershareofentertainment，withtheindulgence，nowandthen，ofalookorhintforthebetter-informedandconsciousFanny。Norfolkwaswhathehadmostlytotalkof：therehehadbeensometime，andeverythingtherewasrisinginimportancefromhispresentschemes。Suchamancouldcomefromnoplace，nosociety，withoutimportingsomethingtoamuse；
hisjourneysandhisacquaintancewereallofuse，andSusanwasentertainedinawayquitenewtoher。
ForFanny，somewhatmorewasrelatedthantheaccidentalagreeablenessofthepartieshehadbeenin。
Forherapprobation，theparticularreasonofhisgoingintoNorfolkatall，atthisunusualtimeofyear，wasgiven。
Ithadbeenrealbusiness，relativetotherenewalofaleaseinwhichthewelfareofalargeand——hebelieved——
industriousfamilywasatstake。Hehadsuspectedhisagentofsomeunderhanddealing；ofmeaningtobiashimagainstthedeserving；andhehaddeterminedtogohimself，andthoroughlyinvestigatethemeritsofthecase。
Hehadgone，haddoneevenmoregoodthanhehadforeseen，hadbeenusefultomorethanhisfirstplanhadcomprehended，andwasnowabletocongratulatehimselfuponit，andtofeelthatinperformingaduty，hehadsecuredagreeablerecollectionsforhisownmind。Hehadintroducedhimselftosometenantswhomhehadneverseenbefore；hehadbegunmakingacquaintancewithcottageswhoseveryexistence，thoughonhisownestate，hadbeenhithertounknowntohim。
Thiswasaimed，andwellaimed，atFanny。Itwaspleasingtohearhimspeaksoproperly；herehehadbeenactingasheoughttodo。Tobethefriendofthepoorandtheoppressed!Nothingcouldbemoregratefultoher；
andshewasonthepointofgivinghimanapprovinglook，whenitwasallfrightenedoffbyhisaddingasomethingtoopointedofhishopingsoontohaveanassistant，afriend，aguideineveryplanofutilityorcharityforEveringham：asomebodythatwouldmakeEveringhamandallaboutitadearerobjectthanithadeverbeenyet。
Sheturnedaway，andwishedhewouldnotsaysuchthings。
Shewaswillingtoallowhemighthavemoregoodqualitiesthanshehadbeenwonttosuppose。Shebegantofeelthepossibilityofhisturningoutwellatlast；
buthewasandmusteverbecompletelyunsuitedtoher，andoughtnottothinkofher。
HeperceivedthatenoughhadbeensaidofEveringham，andthatitwouldbeaswelltotalkofsomethingelse，andturnedtoMansfield。Hecouldnothavechosenbetter；
thatwasatopictobringbackherattentionandherlooksalmostinstantly。ItwasarealindulgencetohertohearortospeakofMansfield。Nowsolongdividedfromeverybodywhoknewtheplace，shefeltitquitethevoiceofafriendwhenhementionedit，andledthewaytoherfondexclamationsinpraiseofitsbeautiesandcomforts，andbyhishonourabletributetoitsinhabitantsallowedhertogratifyherownheartinthewarmesteulogium，inspeakingofheruncleasallthatwascleverandgood，andherauntashavingthesweetestofallsweettempers。
HehadagreatattachmenttoMansfieldhimself；hesaidso；
helookedforwardwiththehopeofspendingmuch，verymuch，ofhistimethere；alwaysthere，orintheneighbourhood。
Heparticularlybuiltuponaveryhappysummerandautumntherethisyear；hefeltthatitwouldbeso：
hedependeduponit；asummerandautumninfinitelysuperiortothelast。Asanimated，asdiversified，associal，butwithcircumstancesofsuperiorityundescribable。
“Mansfield，Sotherton，ThorntonLacey，“hecontinued；
“whatasocietywillbecomprisedinthosehouses!
AndatMichaelmas，perhaps，afourthmaybeadded：
somesmallhunting-boxinthevicinityofeverythingsodear；
forastoanypartnershipinThorntonLacey，asEdmundBertramoncegood-humouredlyproposed，IhopeIforeseetwoobjections：twofair，excellent，irresistibleobjectionstothatplan。“