CHAPTER IV

milieswascarriedonwithoutrestraint,andnootherattemptmadeatsecrecythanMrs.Norris’stalkingofiteverywhereasamatternottobetalkedofatpresent. Edmundwastheonlyoneofthefamilywhocouldseeafaultinthebusinessbutnorepresentationofhisaunt’scouldinducehimtofindMr.Rushworthadesirablecompanion.Hecouldallowhissistertobethebestjudgeofherownhappiness,buthewasnotpleasedthatherhappinessshouldcentreinalargeincomenorcouldherefrainfromoftensayingtohimself,inMr.Rushworth’scompany—“Ifthismanhadnottwelvethousandayear,hewouldbeaverystupidfellow.” SirThomas,however,wastrulyhappyintheprospectofanalliancesounquestionablyadvantageous,andofwhichheheardnothingbuttheperfectlygoodandagreeable.Itwasaconnexionexactlyoftherightsort—inthesamecounty,andthesameinterest—andhismostheartyconcurrencewasconveyedassoonaspossible.Heonlyconditionedthatthemarriageshouldnottakeplacebeforehisreturn,whichhewasagainlookingeagerlyforwardto.HewroteinApril,andhadstronghopesofsettlingeverythingtohisentiresatisfaction,andleavingAntiguabeforetheendofthesummer. SuchwasthestateofaffairsinthemonthofJulyandFannyhadjustreachedhereighteenthyear,whenthesocietyofthevillagereceivedanadditioninthebrotherandsisterofMrs.Grant,aMr.andMissCrawford,thechildrenofhermotherbyasecondmarriage.Theywereyoungpeopleoffortune.ThesonhadagoodestateinNorfolk,thedaughtertwentythousandpounds.Aschildren,theirsisterhadbeenalwaysveryfondofthembut,asherownmarriagehadbeensoonfollowedbythedeathoftheircommonparent,whichleftthemtothecareofabrotheroftheirfather,ofwhomMrs.Grantknewnothing,shehadscarcelyseenthemsince.Intheiruncle’shousetheyhadfoundakindhome.AdmiralandMrs.Crawford,thoughagreeinginnothingelse,wereunitedinaffectionforthesechildren,or,atleast,werenofartheradverseintheirfeelingsthanthateachhadtheirfavourite,towhomtheyshowedthegreatestfondnessofthetwo.TheAdmiraldelightedintheboy,Mrs.Crawforddotedonthegirlanditwasthelady’sdeathwhichnowobligedherprotegee,aftersomemonths’furthertrialatheruncle’shouse,tofindanotherhome.AdmiralCrawfordwasamanofviciousconduct,whochose,insteadofretaininghisniece,tobringhismistressunderhisownroofandtothisMrs.Grantwasindebtedforhersister’sproposalofcomingtoher,ameasurequiteaswelcomeononesideasitcouldbeexpedientontheotherforMrs.Grant,havingbythistimerunthroughtheusualresourcesofladiesresidinginthecountrywithoutafamilyofchildren—havingmorethanfilledherfavouritesitting-roomwithprettyfurniture,andmadeachoicecollectionofplantsandpoultry—wasverymuchinwantofsomevarietyathome.Thearrival,therefore,ofasisterwhomshehadalwaysloved,andnowhopedtoretainwithheraslongassheremainedsingle,washighlyagreeableandherchiefanxietywaslestMansfieldshouldnotsatisfythehabitsofayoungwomanwhohadbeenmostlyusedtoLondon. MissCrawfordwasnotentirelyfreefromsimilarapprehensions,thoughtheyaroseprincipallyfromdoubtsofhersister’sstyleoflivingandtoneofsocietyanditwasnottillaftershehadtriedinvaintopersuadeherbrothertosettlewithherathisowncountryhouse,thatshecouldresolvetohazardherselfamongherotherrelations.Toanythinglikeapermanenceofabode,orlimitationofsociety,HenryCrawfordhad,unluckily,agreatdislike:hecouldnotaccommodatehissisterinanarticleofsuchimportancebutheescortedher,withtheutmostkindness,intoNorthamptonshire,andasreadilyengagedtofetchherawayag