HowherheartswelledwithjoyandgratitudeasshepassedthebarriersofPortsmouth，andhowSusan’sfaceworeitsbroadestsmiles，maybeeasilyconceived。
Sittingforwards，however，andscreenedbyherbonnet，thosesmileswereunseen。
Thejourneywaslikelytobeasilentone。Edmund’sdeepsighsoftenreachedFanny。Hadhebeenalonewithher，hisheartmusthaveopenedinspiteofeveryresolution；
butSusan’spresencedrovehimquiteintohimself，andhisattemptstotalkonindifferentsubjectscouldneverbelongsupported。
Fannywatchedhimwithnever-failingsolicitude，andsometimescatchinghiseye，revivedanaffectionatesmile，whichcomfortedher；butthefirstday’sjourneypassedwithoutherhearingawordfromhimonthesubjectsthatwereweighinghimdown。Thenextmorningproducedalittlemore。JustbeforetheirsettingoutfromOxford，whileSusanwasstationedatawindow，ineagerobservationofthedepartureofalargefamilyfromtheinn，theothertwowerestandingbythefire；andEdmund，particularlystruckbythealterationinFanny’slooks，andfromhisignoranceofthedailyevilsofherfather’shouse，attributinganundueshareofthechange，attributing_all_totherecentevent，tookherhand，andsaidinalow，butveryexpressivetone，“Nowonder——
youmustfeelit——youmustsuffer。Howamanwhohadonceloved，coulddesertyou!But_yours_——yourregardwasnewcomparedwith——Fanny，thinkof_me_!“
Thefirstdivisionoftheirjourneyoccupiedalongday，andbroughtthem，almostknockedup，toOxford；
butthesecondwasoveratamuchearlierhour。
TheywereintheenvironsofMansfieldlongbeforetheusualdinner-time，andastheyapproachedthebelovedplace，theheartsofbothsisterssankalittle。
FannybegantodreadthemeetingwithherauntsandTom，undersodreadfulahumiliation；andSusantofeelwithsomeanxiety，thatallherbestmanners，allherlatelyacquiredknowledgeofwhatwaspractisedhere，wasonthepointofbeingcalledintoaction。Visionsofgoodandillbreeding，ofoldvulgarismsandnewgentilities，werebeforeher；andshewasmeditatingmuchuponsilverforks，napkins，andfinger-glasses。FannyhadbeeneverywhereawaketothedifferenceofthecountrysinceFebruary；butwhentheyenteredtheParkherperceptionsandherpleasureswereofthekeenestsort。
Itwasthreemonths，fullthreemonths，sinceherquittingit，andthechangewasfromwintertosummer。
Hereyefelleverywhereonlawnsandplantationsofthefreshestgreen；andthetrees，thoughnotfullyclothed，wereinthatdelightfulstatewhenfartherbeautyisknowntobeathand，andwhen，whilemuchisactuallygiventothesight，moreyetremainsfortheimagination。
Herenjoyment，however，wasforherselfalone。Edmundcouldnotshareit。Shelookedathim，buthewasleaningback，sunkinadeepergloomthanever，andwitheyesclosed，asiftheviewofcheerfulnessoppressedhim，andthelovelyscenesofhomemustbeshutout。
Itmadehermelancholyagain；andtheknowledgeofwhatmustbeenduringthere，investedeventhehouse，modern，airy，andwellsituatedasitwas，withamelancholyaspect。
Byoneofthesufferingpartywithintheywereexpectedwithsuchimpatienceasshehadneverknownbefore。
Fannyhadscarcelypassedthesolemn-lookingservants，whenLadyBertramcamefromthedrawing-roomtomeether；
camewithnoindolentstep；andfallingonherneck，said，“DearFanny!nowIshallbecomfortable。
Ithadbeenamiserableparty，eachofthethreebelievingthemselvesmostmiserable。Mrs。Norris，however，asmostattachedtoMaria，wasreallythegreatestsufferer。
Mariawasherfirstfavourite，thedearestofall；
thematchhadbeenherowncontriving，asshehadbeenwontwithsuchprideofhearttofeelandsay，andthisconclusionofitalmostoverpoweredher。
Shewasanalteredcreature，quieted，stupefied，indifferenttoeverythingthatpassed。Thebeingleftwithhersisterandnephew，andallthehouseunderhercare，hadbeenanadvantageentirelythrownaway；shehadbeenunabletodirectordictate，orevenfancyherselfuseful。
Whenreallytouchedbyaffliction，heractivepowershadbeenallbenumbed；andneitherLadyBertramnorTomhadreceivedfromherthesmallestsupportorattemptatsupport。Shehaddonenomoreforthemthantheyhaddoneforeachother。Theyhadbeenallsolitary，helpless，andforlornalike；andnowthearrivaloftheothersonlyestablishedhersuperiorityinwretchedness。
Hercompanionswererelieved，buttherewasnogoodfor_her_。EdmundwasalmostaswelcometohisbrotherasFannytoheraunt；butMrs。Norris，insteadofhavingcomfortfromeither，wasbutthemoreirritatedbythesightofthepersonwhom，intheblindnessofheranger，shecouldhavechargedasthedaemonofthepiece。
HadFannyacceptedMr。Crawfordthiscouldnothavehappened。
Susantoowasagrievance。Shehadnotspiritstonoticeherinmorethanafewrepulsivelooks，butshefeltherasaspy，andanintruder，andanindigentniece，andeverythingmostodious。Byherotheraunt，Susanwasreceivedwithquietkindness。LadyBertramcouldnotgivehermuchtime，ormanywords，butshefelther，asFanny’ssister，tohaveaclaimatMansfield，andwasreadytokissandlikeher；andSusanwasmorethansatisfied，forshecameperfectlyawarethatnothingbutill-humourwastobeexpectedfromauntNorris；
andwassoprovidedwithhappiness，sostronginthatbestofblessings，anescapefrommanycertainevils，thatshecouldhavestoodagainstagreatdealmoreindifferencethanshemetwithfromtheothers。
Shewasnowleftagooddealtoherself，togetacquaintedwiththehouseandgroundsasshecould，andspentherdaysveryhappilyinsodoing，whilethosewhomightotherwisehaveattendedtoherwereshutup，orwhollyoccupiedeachwiththepersonquitedependentonthem，atthistime，foreverythinglikecomfort；Edmundtryingtoburyhisownfeelingsinexertionsforthereliefofhisbrother’s，andFannydevotedtoherauntBertram，returningtoeveryformerofficewithmorethanformerzeal，andthinkingshecouldneverdoenoughforonewhoseemedsomuchtowanther。
TotalkoverthedreadfulbusinesswithFanny，talkandlament，wasallLadyBertram’sconsolation。Tobelistenedtoandbornewith，andhearthevoiceofkindnessandsympathyinreturn，waseverythingthatcouldbedoneforher。
Tobeotherwisecomfortedwasoutofthequestion。
Thecaseadmittedofnocomfort。LadyBertramdidnotthinkdeeply，but，guidedbySirThomas，shethoughtjustlyonallimportantpoints；andshesaw，therefore，inallitsenormity，whathadhappened，andneitherendeavouredherself，norrequiredFannytoadviseher，tothinklittleofguiltandinfamy。
Heraffectionswerenotacute，norwashermindtenacious。
Afteratime，Fannyfounditnotimpossibletodirectherthoughtstoothersubjects，andrevivesomeinterestintheusualoccupations；butwheneverLadyBertram_was_
fixedontheevent，shecouldseeitonlyinonelight，ascomprehendingthelossofadaughter，andadisgracenevertobewipedoff。
Fannylearntfromheralltheparticularswhichhadyettranspired。Herauntwasnoverymethodicalnarrator，butwiththehelpofsomeletterstoandfromSirThomas，andwhatshealreadyknewherself，andcouldreasonablycombine，shewassoonabletounderstandquiteasmuchasshewishedofthecircumstancesattendingthestory。
Mrs。Rushworthhadgone，fortheEasterholidays，toTwickenham，withafamilywhomshehadjustgrownintimatewith：afamilyoflively，agreeablemanners，andprobablyofmoralsanddiscretiontosuit，forto_their_
houseMr。Crawfordhadconstantaccessatalltimes。
HishavingbeeninthesameneighbourhoodFannyalreadyknew。
Mr。RushworthhadbeengoneatthistimetoBath，topassafewdayswithhismother，andbringherbacktotown，andMariawaswiththesefriendswithoutanyrestraint，withoutevenJulia；forJuliahadremovedfromWimpoleStreettwoorthreeweeksbefore，onavisittosomerelationsofSirThomas；aremovalwhichherfatherandmotherwerenowdisposedtoattributetosomeviewofconvenienceonMr。Yates’saccount。VerysoonaftertheRushworths’
returntoWimpoleStreet，SirThomashadreceivedaletterfromanoldandmostparticularfriendinLondon，whohearingandwitnessingagooddealtoalarmhiminthatquarter，wrotetorecommendSirThomas’scomingtoLondonhimself，andusinghisinfluencewithhisdaughtertoputanendtotheintimacywhichwasalreadyexposinghertounpleasantremarks，andevidentlymakingMr。Rushworthuneasy。
SirThomaswaspreparingtoactuponthisletter，withoutcommunicatingitscontentstoanycreatureatMansfield，whenitwasfollowedbyanother，sentexpressfromthesamefriend，tobreaktohimthealmostdesperatesituationinwhichaffairsthenstoodwiththeyoungpeople。
Mrs。Rushworthhadleftherhusband’shouse：Mr。Rushworthhadbeeningreatangeranddistressto_him_Mr。Harding
forhisadvice；Mr。Hardingfearedtherehadbeen_at_
_least_veryflagrantindiscretion。ThemaidservantofMrs。Rushworth，senior，threatenedalarmingly。Hewasdoingallinhispowertoquieteverything，withthehopeofMrs。Rushworth’sreturn，butwassomuchcounteractedinWimpoleStreetbytheinfluenceofMr。Rushworth’smother，thattheworstconsequencesmightbeapprehended。