CHAPTER III

ThefirsteventofanyimportanceinthefamilywasthedeathofMr.Norris,whichhappenedwhenFannywasaboutfifteen,andnecessarilyintroducedalterationsandnovelties.Mrs.Norris,onquittingtheParsonage,removedfirsttothePark,andafterwardstoasmallhouseofSirThomas’sinthevillage,andconsoledherselfforthelossofherhusbandbyconsideringthatshecoulddoverywellwithouthimandforherreductionofincomebytheevidentnecessityofstrictereconomy. ThelivingwashereafterforEdmundand,hadhisunclediedafewyearssooner,itwouldhavebeendulygiventosomefriendtoholdtillhewereoldenoughfororders.ButTom’sextravagancehad,previoustothatevent,beensogreatastorenderadifferentdisposalofthenextpresentationnecessary,andtheyoungerbrothermusthelptopayforthepleasuresoftheelder.TherewasanotherfamilylivingactuallyheldforEdmundbutthoughthiscircumstancehadmadethearrangementsomewhateasiertoSirThomas’sconscience,hecouldnotbutfeelittobeanactofinjustice,andheearnestlytriedtoimpresshiseldestsonwiththesameconviction,inthehopeofitsproducingabettereffectthananythinghehadyetbeenabletosayordo. “Iblushforyou,Tom,”saidhe,inhismostdignifiedmanner“IblushfortheexpedientwhichIamdrivenon,andItrustImaypityyourfeelingsasabrotherontheoccasion.YouhaverobbedEdmundforten,twenty,thirtyyears,perhapsforlife,ofmorethanhalftheincomewhichoughttobehis.Itmayhereafterbeinmypower,orinyours(Ihopeitwill),toprocurehimbetterprefermentbutitmustnotbeforgottenthatnobenefitofthatsortwouldhavebeenbeyondhisnaturalclaimsonus,andthatnothingcan,infact,beanequivalentforthecertainadvantagewhichheisnowobligedtoforegothroughtheurgencyofyourdebts.” Tomlistenedwithsomeshameandsomesorrowbutescapingasquicklyaspossible,couldsoonwithcheerfulselfishnessreflect,firstly,thathehadnotbeenhalfsomuchindebtassomeofhisfriendssecondly,thathisfatherhadmadeamosttiresomepieceofworkofitand,thirdly,thatthefutureincumbent,whoeverhemightbe,would,inallprobability,dieverysoon. OnMr.Norris’sdeaththepresentationbecametherightofaDr.Grant,whocameconsequentlytoresideatMansfieldandonprovingtobeaheartymanofforty-five,seemedlikelytodisappointMr.Bertram’scalculations.But“no,hewasashort-necked,apoplecticsortoffellow,and,pliedwellwithgoodthings,wouldsoonpopoff.” Hehadawifeaboutfifteenyearshisjunior,butnochildrenandtheyenteredtheneighbourhoodwiththeusualfairreportofbeingveryrespectable,agreeablepeople. ThetimewasnowcomewhenSirThomasexpectedhissister-in-lawtoclaimhershareintheirniece,thechangeinMrs.Norris’ssituation,andtheimprovementinFanny’sage,seemingnotmerelytodoawayanyformerobjectiontotheirlivingtogether,buteventogiveitthemostdecidedeligibilityandashisowncircumstanceswererenderedlessfairthanheretofore,bysomerecentlossesonhisWestIndiaestate,inadditiontohiseldestson’sextravagance,itbecamenotundesirabletohimselftoberelievedfromtheexpenseofhersupport,andtheobligationofherfutureprovision.Inthefullnessofhisbeliefthatsuchathingmustbe,hementioneditsprobabilitytohiswifeandthefirsttimeofthesubject’soccurringtoheragainhappeningtobewhenFannywaspresent,shecalmlyobservedtoher,“So,Fanny,youaregoingtoleaveus,andlivewithmysister.Howshallyoulikeit?” Fannywastoomuchsurprisedtodomorethanrepeatheraunt’swords,“Goingtoleaveyou?” “Yes,mydearwhyshouldyoubeastonished?Youhavebeenfiveyearswithus,andmysisteralwaysmeanttotakeyouwhenMr.Norrisdied.Butyo