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Such and such-like were the reasonings of Sir Thomas, happy to
escape the embarrassing evils of a rupture, the wonder, the reflections,
the reproach that must attend it; happy to secure a marriage
which would bring him such an addition of respectability and influence,
and very happy to think anything of his daughter?s disposition
that was most favourable for the purpose
To her the conference closed as satisfactorily as to himShe was in
a state of mind to be glad that she had secured her fate beyond
recall: that she had pledged herself anew to Sotherton; that she was
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safe from the possibility of giving Crawford the triumph of governing
her actions, and destroying her prospects; and retired in proud
resolve, determined only to behave more cautiously to Mr
Rushworth in future, that her father might not be again suspecting
her
Had Sir Thomas applied to his daughter within the first three or
four days after Henry Crawford?s leaving Mansfield, before her feelings
were at all tranquillised, before she had given up every hope of
him, or absolutely resolved on enduring his rival, her answer might
have been different; but after another three or four days, when there
was no return, no letter, no message, no symptom of a softened heart,
no hope of advantage from separation, her mind became cool enough
to seek all the comfort that pride and self revenge could give
Henry Crawford had destroyed her happiness, but he should not
know that he had done it; he should not destroy her credit, her
appearance, her prosperity, tooHe should not have to think of her
as pining in the retirement of Mansfield for him, rejecting Sotherton
and London, independence and splendour, for his sakeIndependence
was more needful than ever; the want of it at Mansfield more
sensibly feltShe was less and less able to endure the restraint which
her father imposedThe liberty which his absence had given was
now become absolutely necessaryShe must escape from him and
Mansfield as soon as possible, and find consolation in fortune and
consequence, bustle and the world, for a wounded spiritHer mind
was quite determined, and varied not
To such feelings delay, even the delay of much preparation, would
have been an evil, and MrRushworth could hardly be more impatient
for the marriage than herselfIn all the important preparations
of the mind she was complete: being prepared for matrimony by an
hatred of home, restraint, and tranquillity; by the misery of disappointed
affection, and contempt of the man she was to marryThe preparations of new carriages and furniture
might wait for London and spring, when her own taste could have
fairer play
The principals being all agreed in this respect, it soon appeared
that a very few weeks would be sufficient for such arrangements as
must precede the wedding
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Mansfield Park
MrsRushworth was quite ready to retire, and make way for the
fortunate young woman whom her dear son had selected; and very
early in November removed herself, her maid, her footman, and her
chariot, with true dowager propriety, to Bath, there to parade over
the wonders of Sotherton in her evening parties; enjoying them as
thoroughly, perhaps, in the animation of a card-table, as she had
ever done on the spot; and before the middle of the same month the
ceremony had taken place which gave Sotherton another mistress
It was a very proper weddingThe bride was elegantly dressed; the
two bridesmaids were duly inferior; her father gave her away; her
mother stood with salts in her hand, expecting to be agitated; her
aunt tried to cry; and the service was impressively read by Dr
Nothing could be objected to when it came under the discussion of
the neighbourhood, except that the carriage which conveyed the bride
and bridegroom and Julia from the church-door to Sotherton was the
same chaise which MrRushworth had used for a twelvemonth before
In everything else the etiquette of the day might stand the strictest
investigation
It was done, and they were
