CHAPTER XLVIII

stofhislateinfatuation,hehadacknowledgedFanny’smentalsuperiority.Whatmustbehissenseofitnow,therefore?Shewasofcourseonlytoogoodforhimbutasnobodymindshavingwhatistoogoodforthem,hewasverysteadilyearnestinthepursuitoftheblessing,anditwasnotpossiblethatencouragementfromhershouldbelongwanting.Timid,anxious,doubtingasshewas,itwasstillimpossiblethatsuchtendernessashersshouldnot,attimes,holdoutthestrongesthopeofsuccess,thoughitremainedforalaterperiodtotellhimthewholedelightfulandastonishingtruth.Hishappinessinknowinghimselftohavebeensolongthebelovedofsuchaheart,musthavebeengreatenoughtowarrantanystrengthoflanguageinwhichhecouldclotheittoherortohimselfitmusthavebeenadelightfulhappiness.Buttherewashappinesselsewherewhichnodescriptioncanreach.Letnoonepresumetogivethefeelingsofayoungwomanonreceivingtheassuranceofthataffectionofwhichshehasscarcelyallowedherselftoentertainahope. Theirowninclinationsascertained,therewerenodifficultiesbehind,nodrawbackofpovertyorparent.ItwasamatchwhichSirThomas’swisheshadevenforestalled.Sickofambitiousandmercenaryconnexions,prizingmoreandmorethesterlinggoodofprincipleandtemper,andchieflyanxioustobindbythestrongestsecuritiesallthatremainedtohimofdomesticfelicity,hehadponderedwithgenuinesatisfactiononthemorethanpossibilityofthetwoyoungfriendsfindingtheirnaturalconsolationineachotherforallthathadoccurredofdisappointmenttoeitherandthejoyfulconsentwhichmetEdmund’sapplication,thehighsenseofhavingrealisedagreatacquisitioninthepromiseofFannyforadaughter,formedjustsuchacontrastwithhisearlyopiniononthesubjectwhenthepoorlittlegirl’scominghadbeenfirstagitated,astimeisforeverproducingbetweentheplansanddecisionsofmortals,fortheirowninstruction,andtheirneighbours’entertainment. Fannywasindeedthedaughterthathewanted.Hischaritablekindnesshadbeenrearingaprimecomfortforhimself.Hisliberalityhadarichrepayment,andthegeneralgoodnessofhisintentionsbyherdeservedit.Hemighthavemadeherchildhoodhappierbutithadbeenanerrorofjudgmentonlywhichhadgivenhimtheappearanceofharshness,anddeprivedhimofherearlyloveandnow,onreallyknowingeachother,theirmutualattachmentbecameverystrong.AftersettlingheratThorntonLaceywitheverykindattentiontohercomfort,theobjectofalmosteverydaywastoseeherthere,ortogetherawayfromit. SelfishlydearasshehadlongbeentoLadyBertram,shecouldnotbepartedwithwillinglybyher.Nohappinessofsonorniececouldmakeherwishthemarriage.Butitwaspossibletopartwithher,becauseSusanremainedtosupplyherplace.Susanbecamethestationaryniece,delightedtobesoandequallywelladaptedforitbyareadinessofmind,andaninclinationforusefulness,asFannyhadbeenbysweetnessoftemper,andstrongfeelingsofgratitude.Susancouldneverbespared.FirstasacomforttoFanny,thenasanauxiliary,andlastashersubstitute,shewasestablishedatMansfield,witheveryappearanceofequalpermanency.Hermorefearlessdispositionandhappiernervesmadeeverythingeasytoherthere.Withquicknessinunderstandingthetempersofthoseshehadtodealwith,andnonaturaltimiditytorestrainanyconsequentwishes,shewassoonwelcomeandusefultoallandafterFanny’sremovalsucceededsonaturallytoherinfluenceoverthehourlycomfortofheraunt,asgraduallytobecome,perhaps,themostbelovedofthetwo.Inherusefulness,inFanny’sexcellence,inWilliam’scontinuedgoodconductandrisingfame,andinthegeneralwell-doingandsuccessoftheothermembersofthefamily,allassistingtoadvanceeachother,anddoingcredittohiscountenanceandaid,SirThomassawrepeated,andforeverrepeated,reasontorejoiceinwhathehaddoneforthemall,andacknowledgetheadvantagesofearlyhardshipanddiscipline,andtheconsciousnessofbeingborntostruggleandendure. Withsomuchtruemeritandtruelove,andnowantoffortuneandfriends,thehappinessofthemarriedcousinsmustappearassecureasearthlyhappinesscanbe.Equallyformedfordomesticlife,andattachedtocountrypleasures,theirhomewasthehomeofaffectionandcomfortandtocompletethepictureofgood,theacquisitionofMansfieldliving,bythedeathofDr.Grant,occurredjustaftertheyhadbeenmarriedlongenoughtobegintowantanincreaseofincome,andfeeltheirdistancefromthepaternalabodeaninconvenience. OnthateventtheyremovedtoMansfieldandtheParsonagethere,which,undereachofitstwoformerowners,Fannyhadneverbeenabletoapproachbutwithsomepainfulsensationofrestraintoralarm,soongrewasdeartoherheart,andasthoroughlyperfectinhereyes,aseverythingelsewithintheviewandpatronageofMansfieldParkhadlongbeen. FINIS.