CHAPTER II

ThelittlegirlperformedherlongjourneyinsafetyandatNorthamptonwasmetbyMrs.Norris,whothusregaledinthecreditofbeingforemosttowelcomeher,andintheimportanceofleadingherintotheothers,andrecommendinghertotheirkindness. FannyPricewasatthistimejusttenyearsold,andthoughtheremightnotbemuchinherfirstappearancetocaptivate,therewas,atleast,nothingtodisgustherrelations.Shewassmallofherage,withnoglowofcomplexion,noranyotherstrikingbeautyexceedinglytimidandshy,andshrinkingfromnoticebutherair,thoughawkward,wasnotvulgar,hervoicewassweet,andwhenshespokehercountenancewaspretty.SirThomasandLadyBertramreceivedherverykindlyandSirThomas,seeinghowmuchsheneededencouragement,triedtobeallthatwasconciliating:buthehadtoworkagainstamostuntowardgravityofdeportmentandLadyBertram,withouttakinghalfsomuchtrouble,orspeakingonewordwherehespoketen,bythemereaidofagood-humouredsmile,becameimmediatelythelessawfulcharacterofthetwo. Theyoungpeoplewereallathome,andsustainedtheirshareintheintroductionverywell,withmuchgoodhumour,andnoembarrassment,atleastonthepartofthesons,who,atseventeenandsixteen,andtalloftheirage,hadallthegrandeurofmenintheeyesoftheirlittlecousin.Thetwogirlsweremoreatalossfrombeingyoungerandingreateraweoftheirfather,whoaddressedthemontheoccasionwithratheraninjudiciousparticularity.Buttheyweretoomuchusedtocompanyandpraisetohaveanythinglikenaturalshynessandtheirconfidenceincreasingfromtheircousin’stotalwantofit,theyweresoonabletotakeafullsurveyofherfaceandherfrockineasyindifference. Theywerearemarkablyfinefamily,thesonsverywell-looking,thedaughtersdecidedlyhandsome,andallofthemwell-grownandforwardoftheirage,whichproducedasstrikingadifferencebetweenthecousinsinperson,aseducationhadgiventotheiraddressandnoonewouldhavesupposedthegirlssonearlyofanageastheyreallywere.TherewereinfactbuttwoyearsbetweentheyoungestandFanny.JuliaBertramwasonlytwelve,andMariabutayearolder.Thelittlevisitormeanwhilewasasunhappyaspossible.Afraidofeverybody,ashamedofherself,andlongingforthehomeshehadleft,sheknewnothowtolookup,andcouldscarcelyspeaktobeheard,orwithoutcrying.Mrs.NorrishadbeentalkingtoherthewholewayfromNorthamptonofherwonderfulgoodfortune,andtheextraordinarydegreeofgratitudeandgoodbehaviourwhichitoughttoproduce,andherconsciousnessofmiserywasthereforeincreasedbytheideaofitsbeingawickedthingforhernottobehappy.Thefatigue,too,ofsolongajourney,becamesoonnotriflingevil.Invainwerethewell-meantcondescensionsofSirThomas,andalltheofficiousprognosticationsofMrs.NorristhatshewouldbeagoodgirlinvaindidLadyBertramsmileandmakehersitonthesofawithherselfandpug,andvainwaseventhesightofagooseberrytarttowardsgivinghercomfortshecouldscarcelyswallowtwomouthfulsbeforetearsinterruptedher,andsleepseemingtobeherlikeliestfriend,shewastakentofinishhersorrowsinbed. “Thisisnotaverypromisingbeginning,”saidMrs.Norris,whenFannyhadlefttheroom.“AfterallthatIsaidtoheraswecamealong,IthoughtshewouldhavebehavedbetterItoldherhowmuchmightdependuponheracquittingherselfwellatfirst.Iwishtheremaynotbealittlesulkinessoftemper—herpoormotherhadagooddealbutwemustmakeallowancesforsuchachild—andIdonotknowthatherbeingsorrytoleaveherhomeisreallyagainsther,for,withallitsfaults,itwasherhome,andshecannotasyetunderstandhowmuchshehaschangedforthebetterbutthenthereismoderationinallthings.” Itrequiredalongertime,however,thanMrs.Norriswasinclinedtoallow,toreconcileFannytothenoveltyofMansfieldPark,andtheseparationfromeverybodyshehadbeenusedto.Herfeel