Mansfield Park

said Edmund the next day, after thinking some time on

he entertains me; and she is so extremely pretty

wonderful play of feature! But was there nothing in her

e with whom she has been living so many years, and who, whatever his faults may be, is so very

e struck. It was very

ungrateful

uch warm feelings and lively spirits it must be difficult to do justice to her affection for Mrs. Crawford, without throwing a shade on the Admiral. I do not pretend to know which was most to blame in their disagreements, though the Adm

y is a reflection itself upon Mrs. Crawford, as her niece has been entirely brought

kes one more sensible of the disadvantages she has been under. But I think her present home must do her good.

brother who will not give himself the trouble of writing anything worth reading to his sisters, when they are separated. I am sure William woul

by ill-humour or roughness; and there is not a shadow of either in the countenance or manner of Miss Crawford: nothing sharp, or loud, or coarse

Fanny could not follow. Miss Crawford's attractions did not lessen. The harp arrived, and rather added to her beauty, wit, and good-humour; for she played with the greatest obligingness, with an expression and taste which were peculiarly becoming, and there was something c

dwich tray, and Dr. Grant doing the honours of it, were worth looking at. Without studying the business, however, or knowing what he was about, Edmund was beginning, at the end of a week of such intercourse, to be a good deal in love; and to the credit of the lady it may be added that, without his being a man of the world or an elder brother, without any of the arts of flattery or the gaieties of small talk, he began to be agreeable to her. She felt it to be so, though she had not

ord, and not see more of the sort of fault which he had already observed, and of which she was almost always reminded by a something of the same nature whenever she was in her company; but so it was. Edmund was fond of speaking to her of Miss Crawford, but he seemed to think it enough that the Admiral had since been spared; and she scrupled to point out her own remarks to him, lest it should appear like ill-nature. The first actual pain which Miss Crawford occasioned her was the consequence of an inclination to learn to ride, which the former caught, soon after her being settled at Mansfield, from the example of the yo

ond day's trial was not so guiltless. Miss Crawford's enjoyment of riding was such that she did not know how to leave off. Active and fearless, and though rather small, strongly made, she seemed formed for a horsewoman; and to the pure genuine pleasure of the exercise, something was probably added in Edmund's attendance and instructio

her cheerful; she wondered that Edmund should forget her, and felt a pang. She could not turn her eyes from the meadow; she could not help watching all that passed. At first Miss Crawford and her companion made the circuit of the field, which was not small, at a foot's pace; then, at her apparent suggestion, they rose into a canter; and to Fanny's timid nature it was most astonishing to see how well she sat. After a few minutes they stopped entirely. Edmund was close to her; he was speaking to her; he was evidently directing her management of the bridle; he had hold of her hand; she saw it, or the imagination supplied what the eye could n

n horseback, but attended by Edmund on foot, pass through a gate into the lane, and so into the park, and make towards the spot where she

you waiting; but I have nothing in the world to say for myself-I knew it was very late, and that I was behaving extremely ill; and

as far as she ever goes," said he, "and you have been promoting her comfort by preventing her from setting off half an hour sooner: clouds are now coming up, and

rong. Nothing ever fatigues me but doing what I do not like. Miss Price, I give way to you with a very bad grace; but I sincere

her feelings of discomfort not lightened by seeing, as she looked back, that the others were walking down the hill together to the village; nor did her atten

better. She did not seem to have a thought of fear. Very different from you, miss, when you first began,

trength and courage was fully appreciated by the Miss Bertrams; her delight in riding was like th

d Julia; "she has the make for it. He

has the same energy of character. I cannot but think tha

mund asked Fanny whether she

ot if you want the m

morning, in short. She has a great desire to get as far as Mansfield Common: Mrs. Grant has been telling her of its fine views, and I have no doubt of her being perfectly equa

ave been out very often lately, and would rather stay at

wanted to go. A young party is always provided with a shady lane. Four fine mornings successively were spent in this manner, in shewing the Crawfords the country, and doing the honours of its finest spots. Everything answered; it was all gaiety and good-humour, the heat only supplying inconvenience enough to be talked of with pleasure-till the fourth day, when the happiness of one of the party was exceedingly clouded. Miss Bertram was the one. Edmund and Julia were invited to dine at the Parsonage, and she was excluded.

ook, and Lady Bertram was half-asleep; and even Mrs. Norris, discomposed by her niece's ill-humour, and having asked one or two questions about the dinner, which were not immediately attended to, seemed almost determined to say no more. For

replied Mrs. Norris; "sh

f the room, which was a very long one, told them t

work of your own, I can supply you from the poor basket. There is all the new calico, that was bought last week, not touched yet. I am sure I almost broke my back

again; and Julia, who was in high good-humour, from the pleasures of the day, did her the justice

oking at her attentively, "I a

y it, but said it

replied; "I know your looks too

ore dinner. It is n

go out in

have her stay within such a fine day as this? Were not we a

was out above an hour. I sat three-quarters of an hour in the flower-garden, while Fanny cut the roses; and very pleasant

en cutting ro

year. Poor thing! She found it hot enough; but

ache might not be caught then, sister. There is nothing so likely to give it as standing and stooping in a hot sun; but I

"she has had it ever since she came b

cutting roses; walking across the hot park to your hous

alking to Julia,

rtram; "but when the roses were gathered, your aunt wishe

ses enough to obli

and, unluckily, Fanny forgot to lock the door of the room

uld nobody be employed on such an errand but Fanny? Upon

aid, by her desire, and had promised John Groom to write to Mrs. Jefferies about his son, and the poor fellow was waiting for me half an hour. I think nobody can justly accuse me of sparing myself upon any occasion, but really I cannot do everything at once

ad half your st

he had been riding before, I should not have asked it of her. But I thought it would rather do her good after being stooping among the roses; for there is nothing so refreshing as a walk after a fatigue of that ki

aid she caught the headache there, for the heat was enough to kill anybody. It was as much as I could bear

ned, brought a glass of Madeira to Fanny, and obliged her to drink the greater part. She wished to be able

properly considered; but she had been left four days together without any choice of companions or exercise, and without any excuse for avoiding whatever her unreasonable aunts might require. He was ashamed

had been feeling neglected, and been struggling against discontent and envy for some days past. As she leant on the sofa, to which she had retreated that she might not be se