Nothing of all that she had been used to think of as the
proof of importance, or the employment of wealth, had brought
him to PortsmouthHe had reached it late the night before, was
come for a day or two, was staying at the Crown, had accidentally
met with a navy officer or two of his acquaintance since his arrival,
but had no object of that kind in coming
By the time he had given all this information, it was not unreasonable
to suppose that Fanny might be looked at and spoken to;
and she was tolerably able to bear his eye, and hear that he had
spent half an hour with his sister the evening before his leaving
London; that she had sent her best and kindest love, but had had no
time for writing; that he thought himself lucky in seeing Mary for
even half an hour, having spent scarcely twenty-four hours in London,
after his return from Norfolk, before he set off again; that her
cousin Edmund was in town, had been in town, he understood, a
few days; that he had not seen him himself, but that he was well,
had left them all well at Mansfield, and was to dine, as yesterday,
with the Frasers
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Fanny listened collectedly, even to the last-mentioned circumstance;
nay, it seemed a relief to her worn mind to be at any certainty;
and the words, ?then by this time it is all settled,? passed
internally, without more evidence of emotion than a faint blush
After talking a little more about Mansfield, a subject in which her
interest was most apparent, Crawford began to hint at the expediency
of an early walk?It was a lovely morning, and at that season of
the year a fine morning so often turned off, that it was wisest for
everybody not to delay their exercise?; and such hints producing
nothing, he soon proceeded to a positive recommendation to Mrs
Price and her http://www.irluxury.com/scategory_21_Tiffany-Jewelry.html" target="_blank daughters to take their walk without loss of time
Now they came to an understandingPrice, it appeared, scarcely
ever stirred out of doors, except of a Sunday; she owned she could
seldom, with her large family, find time for a walk?Would she not,
then, persuade her daughters to take advantage of such weather,
and allow him the pleasure of attending them?? MrsPrice was greatly
obliged and very complying?Her daughters were very much confined;
Portsmouth was a sad place; they did not often get out; and
she knew they had some errands in the town, which they would be
very glad to do And the consequence was, that Fanny, strange as it
was?strange, awkward, and distressing?found herself and Susan,
within ten minutes, walking towards the High Street with Mr
It was soon pain upon pain, confusion upon confusion; for they
were hardly in the High Street before they met her father, whose
appearance was not the better from its being SaturdayHe stopt;
and, ungentlemanlike as he looked, Fanny was obliged to introduce
him to MrShe could not have a doubt of the manner in
which MrCrawford must be struckHe must be ashamed and disgusted
altogetherHe must soon give her up, and cease to have the
smallest inclination for the match; and yet, though she had been so
much wanting his affection to be cured, this was a sort of cure that
would be almost as bad as the complaint; and I believe there is scarcely
a young lady in the United Kingdoms who would not rather put up
with the misfortune of being sought by a clever, agreeable man,
than have him driven away by the vulgarity of her nearest relationsCrawford probably could not regard his future father-in-law
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with any idea of taking him for a model in dress; but (as Fanny
instantly, and to her great relief, discerned) her father was a http://www.irluxury.com/categorys_94_Chanel-Purse_1.html" target="_blank very
different man, a very different MrPrice in his behaviour to this
most highly respected stranger, from what he was in his own family
at homeHis manners now, though not polished, were more than
passable: they were grateful, animated, manly; his expressions were
those of an attached father, and a sensible man; his loud tones did
very well in the open air, and there was not a single oath to be heard
Such was his instinctive compliment to the good manners of Mr
Crawford; and, be the consequence what it might, Fanny?s immediate
feelings were infinitely soothed
The conclusion of the two gentlemen?s civilities was an offer of
MrCrawford into the dockyard, which Mr
Crawford, desirous of accepting as a favour what was intended as
such, though he had seen the dockyard again and again, and hoping
to be so much the longer with Fanny, was very gratefully disposed
to avail himself of, if the Miss Prices were not afraid of the fatigue;
and as it was somehow or other ascertained, or inferred, or at least
acted upon, that they were not at all afraid, to the dockyard they
were all to go; and but for MrPrice would have
turned thither directly, without the smallest consideration for his
daughters? errands in the High StreetHe took care, however, that
they should be allowed to go to the shops they came out expressly to
visit; and it did not delay them long, for Fanny could so little bear
to excite impatience, or be waited for, that before the gentlemen, as
they stood at the door, could do more than begin upon the last
naval regulations, or settle the number of three-deckers now in commission,
their companions were ready to proceed
They were then to set forward for the dockyard at once, and the
walk would have been conducted?according to MrCrawford?s
opinion?in a singular manner, http://www.irluxury.com/categorys_32_Deville_2.html" target="_blank had MrPrice been allowed the entire
regulation of it, as the two girls, he found, would have been left to
follow, and keep up with them or not, as they could, while they
walked on together at their own hasty paceHe was able to introduce
some improvement occasionally, though by no means to the
extent he wished; he absolutely would not walk away from them;
and at any crossing or any crowd, when MrPrice was only calling
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Jane Austen
out, ?Come, girls; come, Fan; come, Sue, take care of yourselves;
keep a sharp lookout!? he would give them his particular attendance
Once fairly in the dockyard, he began to reckon upon some happy
intercourse with Fanny, as they were very soon joined by a brother
lounger of MrPrice?s, who was come to take his daily survey of how
things went on, and who must prove a far more worthy companion
than himself; and after a time the two officers seemed very well satisfied
going about together, and discussing matters of equal and neverfailing
interest, while the young people sat down upon some timbers
in the yard, or found a seat on board a vessel in the stocks which they
all went to look atFanny was most conveniently in want of rest
Crawford could not have wished her more fatigued or more ready to
sit down; but he could have wished her sister awayA quick-looking
girl of Susan?s age was the very worst third in the world: totally different
from Lady Bertram, all eyes and ears; and there was no introducing
the main point before herHe must content himself with being
only generally agreeable, and letting Susan have her share of entertainment,
with the indulgence, now and then, of a look or hint for
the better-informed and conscious FannyNorfolk was what he had
mostly to talk of: there he had been some time, and everything there
was rising in http://www.irluxury.com/category_3_Chloe_1.html" target="_blank importance from his present schemesSuch a man could
come from no place, no society, without importing something to
amuse; his journeys and his acquaintance were all of use, and Susan
was entertained in a way quite new to herFor Fanny, somewhat more
was related than the accidental agreeableness of the parties he had
been inFor her approbation, the particular reason of his going into
Norfolk at all, at this unusual time of year, was givenIt had been real
business, relative to the renewal of a lease in which the welfare of a
large and?he believed?industrious family was at stakeHe had suspected
his agent of some underhand dealing; of meaning to bias him
against the deserving; and he had determined to go himself, and thoroughly
investigate the merits of the caseHe had gone, had done even
more good than he had foreseen, had been useful to more than his
first plan had comprehended, and was now able to congratulate himself
upon it, and to feel that in performing a duty, he had secured
agreeable recollections for his own mindHe had introduced himself
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Mansfield Park
to some tenants whom he had never seen before; he had begun making
acquaintance with cottages whose very existence, though on his
own estate, had been hitherto unknown to himThis was aimed, and
well aimed, at FannyIt was pleasing to hear him speak so properly;
here he had been acting as he ought to doTo be the friend of the
poor and the oppressed! Nothing could be more grateful to her; and
she was on the point of giving him an approving look, when it was all
frightened off by his adding a something too pointed of his hoping
soon to have an assistant, a friend, a guide in every plan of utility or
charity for Everingham: a somebody that would make Everingham
and all about it a dearer object than it had ever been http://www.irluxury.com/categorys_103_Chanel-Necklaces_1.html" target="_blank ye