Mansfield Park

and Miss Bertram had all the distinction with each that she could wish. After the business of arriving was over, it was first necessary to eat, and the doors were thrown open to admit th

unds? Mr. Rushworth mentioned his curricle. Mr. Crawford suggested the greater desirableness of some carriage which might convey more than tw

ladies neither smiled nor spoke. Her next proposition, of shewing the house to such of them as had not been there before

r anything to anybody but Mrs. Rushworth, who had been at great pains to learn all that the housekeeper could teach, and was now almost equally well qualified to shew the house. On the present occasion she addressed herself chiefly to Miss Crawford and Fanny, but there was no comparison in the willingness of their attention; for Miss Crawford, who had seen scores of great houses, and cared for no

the others were attending Mrs. Rushworth, Henry Crawford was looking grave and shaking his head at the windows. Every ro

ind employment for housemaids, "Now," said Mrs. Rushworth, "we are coming to the chapel, which properly we ought to ente

mahogany, and the crimson velvet cushions appearing over the ledge of the family gallery above. "I am disappointed," said she, in a low voice, to Edmund. "This is not my idea of a chapel. There is nothing awful

the old chapels of castles and monasteries. It was only for the private use of the family. They have b

ot to think of all that

here is some reason to think that the linings and cushions of the pulpit and family seat were only purple cloth; but this is not quite certain. It is a handsome chapel, and was

provements," said Miss Crawf

n to Mr. Crawford; and Edmund, Fanny, and M

r times. There is something in a chapel and chaplain so much in character with a great house, with one's ide

eal of good to force all the poor housemaids and footmen to leave business and pleasure, and sa

id Edmund. "If the master and mistress do not attend the

d to kneel and gape in that gallery could have foreseen that the time would ever come when men and women might lie another ten minutes in bed, when they woke with a headache, without danger of reprobation, because chapel was missed, they would have jumped with joy and envy. Cannot you imagine with what unwilling feelings the former

ou have given us an amusing sketch, and human nature cannot say it was not so. We must all feel at times the difficulty of fixing our thoughts as we could wish; but if you are supposing it a frequent thing, that is to say, a weakn

in their favour. There would be less to distract the att

nce of the place and of example may often rouse better feelings than are begun with. The greater length of the service, however, I admit to be som

awford's attention to her sister, by saying, "Do look at Mr. Rushworth and Maria, standing side by

ard to Maria, said, in a voice which she only could hea

ecovering herself in a moment, affected to laugh, and asked

very awkwardly," was his r

m at the moment, c

e more snug and pleasant." And she talked and laughed about it with so little caution as to catch the comprehension of Mr. Rushworth and his mother, and expose her sis

rd and Fanny: "My dear Edmund, if you were but in orders now, you might perform the ceremon

rver. She looked almost aghast under the new idea she was receiving. Fanny pitied h

Crawford; "what, are y

soon after my father's ret

xion, replied only, "If I had known this before, I would have

it, with few interruptions, throughout the year. Miss Bertram, displeased with her

ough all the rooms above, if her son had not interposed with a doubt of there being time enough. "For if," said he, with the sort of self-evident proposition which many a clea

nning to arrange by what junction of carriages and horses most could be done, when the young people, meeting with an outward door, temptingly open on a fligh

h, civilly taking the hint and following them. "Here are the gr

nd something to employ us here before we go farther? I see walls of g

e the wilderness will be new to all the party. The

rawford was soon followed by Miss Bertram and Mr. Rushworth; and when, after a little time, the others began to form into parties, these three were found in busy consultation on the terrace by Edmund, Miss Crawford, and Fanny, who seemed as naturally to unite, and who, after a short participation of their regrets and difficulties, left them and walked on. The remaining three, Mrs. Rushworth, Mrs. Norris, and Julia, were still far behind; for Julia, whose happy star no longer prevailed, was obliged to keep by the side of Mrs. Rushworth, and restrain her impatient feet to that lady's slow pace, while her aunt, having fallen in with

le which opened to the wilderness. "Shall any of us object to being comfortable? Here is a nice little wood, if one can but get into it. What happi

planted wood of about two acres, and though chiefly of larch and laurel, and beech cut down, and though laid out with too much regularity, was darkness and shade, and natural beauty, compared with the bowling-green and the t

signed for some profession, and might perceive that

me. And you know there is generally an uncle or a

t not quite universal. I am one of the exception

ht that was always the lot of the youngest,

church itself ne

think it. For what is to be done in the church? Men love to distinguish themselves, and in eit

he charge of all that is of the first importance to mankind, individually or collectively considered, temporally and eternally, which has the guardianship of religion and morals, and consequently of the manners which result fro

and how can it be acquired where they are so seldom seen themselves? How can two sermons a week, even supposing them worth hearing, supposing the preacher to have the sense to prefer B

ondon, I am speaking o

agine, is a pretty fa

is neighbourhood, where the parish and neighbourhood are of a size capable of knowing his private character, and observing his general conduct, which in London can rarely be the case. The clergy are lost there in the crowds of their parishioners. They are known to the largest part only as preachers. And with regard to their influencing public manners, Miss Crawford must not misunderstand me, or suppose I mean to call them th

d Fanny, with ge

ord, "you have quite conv

d convince Mis

rised now as I was at first that you should intend to take orders. You really are fit

much ease as I was told to

being the worst wilderness of the two, but I f

not the least wit in my nature. I am a very matter-of-fact, plain-spoken being, and may

"I wonder that I should be tired with only walking in this sweet wood; but the next time we com

thoughtless I have been! I hope you are not very tired. Perhaps," turning

st time, made him a little forgetful of Fanny. "You scarcely touch me," said he. "You do not make me of any use. What a difference in the weight of a woman's

er at; for we must have walked at least a m

e was not yet so much in love as to measure dis

serpentine course, and the wood itself must be half a mile long in a straight l

tly to the end of it. We looked down the whole vista, and saw it closed

d that we have been winding in and out ever since we came into it; and therefo

ere," said Edmund, taking out his watch. "Do

A watch is always too fast or too slo

en talking of; and standing back, well shaded and sheltered, and looking over a

you speak sooner? This will be a bad day's amusement for you if you are to be knoc

r horse as I did all last week! I am ashamed of yo

more sensible of my own neglect. Fanny's intere

his morning: seeing a great house, dawdling from one room to another, straining one's eyes and one's attention, hearing what one does not understand, admi

it in the shade on a fine day, and look upo

resting fatigues me. I have looked across the ha-ha till I am weary. I must go and

you will look up the walk, you will convince yourself t

ance," said she; "I se

ing a little more about it. They would go to one end of it, in the line they were then in-for there was a straight green walk along the bottom by the side of the ha-ha-and perhaps turn a little way in some other direction, if it seemed likely to assist them, and be back in a few minutes. Fanny said she was rested, and would have moved to