CHAPTER XXXVII

ssCrawford’snaturethatparticipationofthegeneralnatureofwomenwhichwouldleadhertoadopttheopinionsofthemanshelovedandrespectedasherown.ButassuchwereFanny’spersuasions,shesufferedverymuchfromthem,andcouldneverspeakofMissCrawfordwithoutpain. SirThomas,meanwhile,wentonwithhisownhopesandhisownobservations,stillfeelingaright,byallhisknowledgeofhumannature,toexpecttoseetheeffectofthelossofpowerandconsequenceonhisniece’sspirits,andthepastattentionsoftheloverproducingacravingfortheirreturnandhewassoonafterwardsabletoaccountforhisnotyetcompletelyandindubitablyseeingallthis,bytheprospectofanothervisitor,whoseapproachhecouldallowtobequiteenoughtosupportthespiritshewaswatching.Williamhadobtainedatendays’leaveofabsence,tobegiventoNorthamptonshire,andwascoming,thehappiestoflieutenants,becausethelatestmade,toshewhishappinessanddescribehisuniform. Hecameandhewouldhavebeendelightedtoshewhisuniformtheretoo,hadnotcruelcustomprohibiteditsappearanceexceptonduty.SotheuniformremainedatPortsmouth,andEdmundconjecturedthatbeforeFannyhadanychanceofseeingit,allitsownfreshnessandallthefreshnessofitswearer’sfeelingsmustbewornaway.Itwouldbesunkintoabadgeofdisgraceforwhatcanbemoreunbecoming,ormoreworthless,thantheuniformofalieutenant,whohasbeenalieutenantayearortwo,andseesothersmadecommandersbeforehim?SoreasonedEdmund,tillhisfathermadehimtheconfidantofaschemewhichplacedFanny’schanceofseeingthesecondlieutenantofH.M.S.Thrushinallhisgloryinanotherlight. ThisschemewasthatsheshouldaccompanyherbrotherbacktoPortsmouth,andspendalittletimewithherownfamily.IthadoccurredtoSirThomas,inoneofhisdignifiedmusings,asarightanddesirablemeasurebutbeforeheabsolutelymadeuphismind,heconsultedhisson.Edmundconsiderediteveryway,andsawnothingbutwhatwasright.Thethingwasgoodinitself,andcouldnotbedoneatabettertimeandhehadnodoubtofitbeinghighlyagreeabletoFanny.ThiswasenoughtodetermineSirThomasandadecisive“thensoitshallbe”closedthatstageofthebusinessSirThomasretiringfromitwithsomefeelingsofsatisfaction,andviewsofgoodoverandabovewhathehadcommunicatedtohissonforhisprimemotiveinsendingherawayhadverylittletodowiththeproprietyofherseeingherparentsagain,andnothingatallwithanyideaofmakingherhappy.Hecertainlywishedhertogowillingly,butheascertainlywishedhertobeheartilysickofhomebeforehervisitendedandthatalittleabstinencefromtheeleganciesandluxuriesofMansfieldParkwouldbringhermindintoasoberstate,andinclinehertoajusterestimateofthevalueofthathomeofgreaterpermanence,andequalcomfort,ofwhichshehadtheoffer. Itwasamedicinalprojectuponhisniece’sunderstanding,whichhemustconsiderasatpresentdiseased.Aresidenceofeightornineyearsintheabodeofwealthandplentyhadalittledisorderedherpowersofcomparingandjudging.Herfather’shousewould,inallprobability,teachherthevalueofagoodincomeandhetrustedthatshewouldbethewiserandhappierwoman,allherlife,fortheexperimenthehaddevised. HadFannybeenatalladdictedtoraptures,shemusthavehadastronga