CHAPTER XLVIII

religion,butneverrequiredtobringitintodailypractice.Tobedistinguishedforeleganceandaccomplishments,theauthorisedobjectoftheiryouth,couldhavehadnousefulinfluencethatway,nomoraleffectonthemind.Hehadmeantthemtobegood,buthiscareshadbeendirectedtotheunderstandingandmanners,notthedispositionandofthenecessityofself-denialandhumility,hefearedtheyhadneverheardfromanylipsthatcouldprofitthem. Bitterlydidhedeploreadeficiencywhichnowhecouldscarcelycomprehendtohavebeenpossible.Wretchedlydidhefeel,thatwithallthecostandcareofananxiousandexpensiveeducation,hehadbroughtuphisdaughterswithouttheirunderstandingtheirfirstduties,orhisbeingacquaintedwiththeircharacterandtemper. ThehighspiritandstrongpassionsofMrs.Rushworth,especially,weremadeknowntohimonlyintheirsadresult.ShewasnottobeprevailedontoleaveMr.Crawford.Shehopedtomarryhim,andtheycontinuedtogethertillshewasobligedtobeconvincedthatsuchhopewasvain,andtillthedisappointmentandwretchednessarisingfromtheconvictionrenderedhertempersobad,andherfeelingsforhimsolikehatred,astomakethemforawhileeachother’spunishment,andtheninduceavoluntaryseparation. ShehadlivedwithhimtobereproachedastheruinofallhishappinessinFanny,andcarriedawaynobetterconsolationinleavinghimthanthatshehaddividedthem.Whatcanexceedthemiseryofsuchamindinsuchasituation? Mr.Rushworthhadnodifficultyinprocuringadivorceandsoendedamarriagecontractedundersuchcircumstancesastomakeanybetterendtheeffectofgoodlucknottobereckonedon.Shehaddespisedhim,andlovedanotherandhehadbeenverymuchawarethatitwasso.Theindignitiesofstupidity,andthedisappointmentsofselfishpassion,canexcitelittlepity.Hispunishmentfollowedhisconduct,asdidadeeperpunishmentthedeeperguiltofhiswife.Hewasreleasedfromtheengagementtobemortifiedandunhappy,tillsomeotherprettygirlcouldattracthimintomatrimonyagain,andhemightsetforwardonasecond,and,itistobehoped,moreprosperoustrialofthestate:ifduped,tobedupedatleastwithgoodhumourandgoodluckwhileshemustwithdrawwithinfinitelystrongerfeelingstoaretirementandreproachwhichcouldallownosecondspringofhopeorcharacter. Whereshecouldbeplacedbecameasubjectofmostmelancholyandmomentousconsultation.Mrs.Norris,whoseattachmentseemedtoaugmentwiththedemeritsofherniece,wouldhavehadherreceivedathomeandcountenancedbythemall.SirThomaswouldnothearofitandMrs.Norris’sangeragainstFannywassomuchthegreater,fromconsideringherresidencethereasthemotive.Shepersistedinplacinghisscruplestoheraccount,thoughSirThomasverysolemnlyassuredherthat,hadtherebeennoyoungwomaninquestion,hadtherebeennoyoungpersonofeithersexbelongingtohim,tobeendangeredbythesocietyorhurtbythecharacterofMrs.Rushworth,hewouldneverhaveofferedsogreataninsulttotheneighbourhoodastoexpectittonoticeher.Asadaughter,hehopedapenitentone,sheshouldbeprotectedbyhim,andsecuredineverycomfort,andsupportedbyeveryencouragementtodoright,whichtheirrelativesituationsadmittedbutfartherthanthathecouldnotgo.Mariahaddestroyedherowncharacter,andhewouldnot,byavainattempttorestorewhatnevercouldberestored,byaffordinghissanctiontovice,orinseekingtolessenitsdisgrace,beanywiseaccessorytointroducingsuchmiseryinanotherman’sfamilyashehadknownhimself. ItendedinMrs.Norris’sresolvingtoquitMansfieldanddevoteherselftoherunfortunateMaria,andinanestablishmentbeingformedfortheminanothercountry,remoteandprivate,where,shutuptogetherwithlittlesociety,ononesidenoaffection,ontheothernojudgment,itmaybereasonablysupposedthattheirtempersbecametheirmutualpunishment. Mrs.Norris’sremovalfromMansfieldwasthegreatsupplementarycomfortofSirThomas’slife.HisopinionofherhadbeensinkingfromthedayofhisreturnfromAntigua:ineverytransactiontogetherfromthatperiod,intheirdailyintercourse,inbusiness,orinchat,shehadbeenregularlylosinggroundinhisesteem,andconvincinghimthateithertimehaddonehermuchdisservice,orthathehadconsiderablyover-ratedhersense,andwonderfullybornewithhermannersbefore.Hehadfeltherasanhourlyevil,whichwassomuchtheworse,asthereseemednochanceofitsceasingbutwithlifesheseemedapartofhimselfthatmustbeborneforever.Toberelievedfromher,therefore,wassogreatafelicitythat,hadshenotleftbitterremembrancesbehindher,theremighthavebeendangerofhislearningalmosttoapprovetheevilwhichproducedsuchagood. ShewasregrettedbynooneatMansfield.ShehadneverbeenabletoattacheventhoseshelovedbestandsinceMrs.Rushworth’selopement,herte