CHAPTER XXV

ingabletocatchEdmund’sear,wasdetailingittohisfairneighbourwithalookofconsiderableearnestness.Hisschemewastorentthehousehimselfthefollowingwinter,thathemighthaveahomeofhisowninthatneighbourhoodanditwasnotmerelyfortheuseofitinthehunting-season(ashewasthentellingher),thoughthatconsiderationhadcertainlysomeweight,feelingashedidthat,inspiteofallDr.Grant’sverygreatkindness,itwasimpossibleforhimandhishorsestobeaccommodatedwheretheynowwerewithoutmaterialinconveniencebuthisattachmenttothatneighbourhooddidnotdependupononeamusementoroneseasonoftheyear:hehadsethisheartuponhavingasomethingtherethathecouldcometoatanytime,alittlehomestallathiscommand,wherealltheholidaysofhisyearmightbespent,andhemightfindhimselfcontinuing,improving,andperfectingthatfriendshipandintimacywiththeMansfieldParkfamilywhichwasincreasinginvaluetohimeveryday.SirThomasheardandwasnotoffended.Therewasnowantofrespectintheyoungman’saddressandFanny’sreceptionofitwassoproperandmodest,socalmanduninviting,thathehadnothingtocensureinher.Shesaidlittle,assentedonlyhereandthere,andbetrayednoinclinationeitherofappropriatinganypartofthecomplimenttoherself,orofstrengtheninghisviewsinfavourofNorthamptonshire.Findingbywhomhewasobserved,HenryCrawfordaddressedhimselfonthesamesubjecttoSirThomas,inamoreeverydaytone,butstillwithfeeling. “Iwanttobeyourneighbour,SirThomas,asyouhave,perhaps,heardmetellingMissPrice.MayIhopeforyouracquiescence,andforyournotinfluencingyoursonagainstsuchatenant?” SirThomas,politelybowing,replied,“Itistheonlyway,sir,inwhichIcouldnotwishyouestablishedasapermanentneighbourbutIhope,andbelieve,thatEdmundwilloccupyhisownhouseatThorntonLacey.Edmund,amIsayingtoomuch?” Edmund,onthisappeal,hadfirsttohearwhatwasgoingonbut,onunderstandingthequestion,wasatnolossforananswer. “Certainly,sir,Ihavenoideabutofresidence.But,Crawford,thoughIrefuseyouasatenant,cometomeasafriend.Considerthehouseashalfyourowneverywinter,andwewilladdtothestablesonyourownimprovedplan,andwithalltheimprovementsofyourimprovedplanthatmayoccurtoyouthisspring.” “Weshallbethelosers,”continuedSirThomas.“Hisgoing,thoughonlyeightmiles,willbeanunwelcomecontractionofourfamilycirclebutIshouldhavebeendeeplymortifiedifanysonofminecouldreconcilehimselftodoingless.Itisperfectlynaturalthatyoushouldnothavethoughtmuchonthesubject,Mr.Crawford.Butaparishhaswantsandclaimswhichcanbeknownonlybyaclergymanconstantlyresident,andwhichnoproxycanbecapableofsatisfyingtothesameextent.Edmundmight,inthecommonphrase,dothedutyofThornton,thatis,hemightreadprayersandpreach,withoutgivingupMansfieldPark:hemightrideovereverySunday,toahousenominallyinhabited,andgothroughdivineservicehemightbetheclergymanofThorntonLaceyeveryseventhday,forthreeorfourhours,ifthatwouldcontenthim.Butitwillnot.Heknowsthathumannatureneedsmorelessonsthanaweeklysermoncanconveyandthatifhedoesnotliveamonghisparishioners,andprovehimself,byconstantattention,theirwell-wisherandfriend,hedoesverylittleeitherfortheirgoodorhisown.” Mr.Crawfordbowedhisacquiescence. “Irepeatagain,”addedSirThomas,“thatThorntonLaceyistheonlyhouseintheneighbourhoodinwhichIshouldnotbehappytowaitonMr.Crawfordasoccupier.” Mr.Crawfordbowedhisthanks. “SirThomas,”saidEdmund,“undoubtedlyunderstandsthedutyofaparishpriest.Wemusthopehissonmayprovethatheknowsittoo.” WhatevereffectSirThomas’slittleharanguemightreallyproduceonMr.Crawford,itraisedsomeawkwardsensationsintwooftheothers,twoofhismostattentivelisteners—MissCrawfordandFanny.Oneofwhom,havingneverbeforeunderstoodthatThorntonwassosoonandsocompletelytobehishome,wasponderingwithdowncasteyesonwhatitwouldbenottoseeEdmundeverydayandtheother,startledfromtheagreeablefanciesshehadbeenpreviouslyindulgingonthestrengthofherbrother’sdescription,nolongerable,inthepictureshehadbeenformingofafutureThornton,toshutoutthechurch,sinktheclergyman,andseeonlytherespectable,elegant,modernised,andoccasionalresidenceofamanofindependentfortune,wasconsideringSirThomas,withdecidedill-will,asthedestroyerofallthis,andsufferingthemorefromthatinvoluntaryforbearancewhichhischaracterandmannercommanded,andfromnotdaringtorelieveherselfbyasingleattemptatthrowingridiculeonhiscause. Alltheagreeableofherspeculationwasoverforthathour.Itwastimetohavedonewithcards,ifsermonsprevailedandshewasgladtofinditnecessarytocometoaconclusion,andbeabletorefreshherspiritsbyachangeofplaceandneighbour. Thechiefofthepartywerenowcollectedirregularlyroundthefire,andw