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He could not have chosen better; that was a topic...He could not have chosen better; that was a topic to bring back her attention and her looks almost instantlyIt was a real indulgence to her to hear or to speak of MansfieldNow so long divided from everybody who knew the place, she felt it quite the voice of a friend when he mentioned it, and led the way to her fond exclamations in praise of its beauties and comforts, and by his honourable tribute to its inhabitants allowed her to gratify her own heart in the warmest eulogium, in speaking of her uncle as all that was clever and good, and her aunt as having the sweetest of all sweet tempers He had a great attachment to Mansfield himself; he said so; he looked forward with the hope of spending much, very much, of his time there; always there, or in the neighbourhoodHe particularly built upon a very happy summer and autumn there this year; he felt that it would be so: he depended upon it; a summer and autumn infinitely superior to the lastAs animated, as diversified, as social, but with circumstances of superiority undescribable ?Mansfield, Sotherton, Thornton Lacey,? he continued; ?what a society will be comprised in those houses! And at Michaelmas, perhaps, a fourth may be added: some small hunting-box in the vicin355 Jane Austen ity of everything so dear; for as to any partnership in Thornton Lacey, as Edmund Bertram once good-humouredly proposed, I hope I foresee two objections: two fair, excellent, irresistible objections to that plan Fanny was doubly silenced here; though when the moment was passed, could regret that she had not forced herself into the acknowledged comprehension of one half of his meaning, and encouraged him to say something more of chanel bucket bag his sister and EdmundIt was a subject which she must learn to speak of, and the weakness that shrunk from it would soon be quite unpardonablePrice and his friend had seen all that they wished, or had time for, the others were ready to return; and in the course of their walk back, MrCrawford contrived a minute?s privacy for telling Fanny that his only business in Portsmouth was to see her; that he was come down for a couple of days on her account, and hers only, and because he could not endure a longer total separationShe was sorry, really sorry; and yet in spite of this and the two or three other things which she wished he had not said, she thought him altogether improved since she had seen him; he was much more gentle, obliging, and attentive to other people?s feelings than he had ever been at Mansfield; she had never seen him so agreeable?so near being agreeable; his behaviour to her father could not offend, and there was something particularly kind and proper in the notice he took of SusanHe was decidedly improvedShe wished the next day over, she wished he had come only for one day; but it was not so very bad as she would have expected: the pleasure of talking of Mansfield was so very great! Before they parted, she had to thank him for another pleasure, and one of no trivial kindHer father asked him to do them the honour of taking his mutton with them, and Fanny had time for only one thrill of horror, before he declared himself prevented by a prior engagementHe was engaged to dinner already both for that day and the next; he had met with some acquaintance at the Crown who would not be denied; he should have the honour, however, of waiting on them miu miu leather black coffer bag again on the morrow, etc and so they parted? Fanny in a state of actual felicity from escaping so horrible an evil! To have had him join their family dinner-party, and see all their 356 Mansfield Park deficiencies, would have been dreadful! Rebecca?s cookery and Rebecca?s waiting, and Betsey?s eating at table without restraint, and pulling everything about as she chose, were what Fanny herself was not yet enough inured to for her often to make a tolerable mealShe was nice only from natural delicacy, but he had been brought up in a school of luxury and epicurism 357 Jane Austen CHAPTER XLII THE PRICES were just setting off for church the next day when Mr Crawford appeared againHe came, not to stop, but to join them; he was asked to go with them to the Garrison chapel, which was exactly what he had intended, and they all walked thither together The family were now seen to advantageNature had given them no inconsiderable share of beauty, and every Sunday dressed them in their cleanest skins and best attireSunday always brought this comfort to Fanny, and on this Sunday she felt it more than ever Her poor mother now did not look so very unworthy of being Lady Bertram?s sister as she was but too apt to lookIt often grieved her to the heart to think of the contrast between them; to think that where nature had made so little difference, circumstances should have made so much, and that her mother, as handsome as Lady Bertram, and some years her junior, should have an appearance so much more worn and faded, so comfortless, so slatternly, so shabbyBut Sunday made her a very creditable and tolerably cheerful-looking Mrs Price, coming abroad with a fine family of newest chanel bag children, feeling a little respite of her weekly cares, and only discomposed if she saw her boys run into danger, or Rebecca pass by with a flower in her hat In chapel they were obliged to divide, but MrCrawford took care not to be divided from the female branch; and after chapel he still continued with them, and made one in the family party on the rampartsPrice took her weekly walk on the ramparts every fine Sunday throughout the year, always going directly after morning service and staying till dinner-timeIt was her public place: there she met her acquaintance, heard a little news, talked over the badness of the Portsmouth servants, and wound up her spirits for the six days ensuing Thither they now went; MrCrawford most happy to consider 358 Mansfield Park the Miss Prices as his peculiar charge; and before they had been there long, somehow or other, there was no saying how, Fanny could not have believed it, but he was walking between them with an arm of each under his, and she did not know how to prevent or put an end to itIt made her uncomfortable for a time, but yet there were enjoyments in the day and in the view which would be felt The day was uncommonly lovelyIt was really March; but it was April in its mild air, brisk soft wind, and bright sun, occasionally clouded for a minute; and everything looked so beautiful under the influence of such a sky, the effects of the shadows pursuing each other on the ships at Spithead and the island beyond, with the evervarying hues of the sea, now at high water, dancing in its glee and dashing against the ramparts with so fine a sound, produced altogether such a combination of charms for Fanny, as made her cartier pasha c watches gradually almost careless of the circumstances under which she felt them Nay, had she been without his arm, she would soon have known that she needed it, for she wanted strength for a two hours? saunter of this kind, coming, as it generally did, upon a week?s previous inactivityFanny was beginning to feel the effect of being debarred from her usual regular exercise; she had lost ground as to health since her being in Portsmouth; and but for MrCrawford and the beauty of the weather would soon have been knocked up now The loveliness of the day, and of the view, he felt like herselfThey often stopt with the same sentiment and taste, leaning against the wall, some minutes, to look and admire; and considering he was not Edmund, Fanny could not but allow that he was sufficiently open to the charms of nature, and very well able to express his admiration She had a few tender reveries now and then, which he could sometimes take advantage of to look in her face without detection; and the result of these looks was, that though as bewitching as ever, her face was less blooming than it ought to beShe said she was very well, and did not like to be supposed otherwise; but take it all in all, he was convinced that her present residence could not be comfortable, and therefore could not be salutary for her, and he was growing anxious for her being again at Mansfield, where her own happiness, and his in seeing her, must be so much greater ?You have been here a month, I think?? said he 359 Jane Austen ?No; not quite a monthIt is only four weeks to-morrow since I left Mansfield ?You are a most accurate and honest reckonerI should call that a month ?I did not arrive here till Tuesday chanel replica bag even2:54 AM - Friday, February 5, 2010
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