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@@@@@ Fanny?s immediate concerns, as far as they involved MrCrawford, made no part of their conversationWilliam knew what had passed, and from his heart lamented that his sister?s feelings should be so cold towards a man whom he must consider as the first of human characters; but he was of an age to be all for love, and therefore unable to blame; and knowing her wish on the subject, he would not distress her by the slightest allusion She had reason to suppose herself not yet forgotten by MrShe had heard repeatedly from his sister within the three weeks which had passed since their leaving Mansfield, and in each letter there had been a few lines from himself, warm and deter327 Jane Austen mined like his speechesIt was a correspondence which Fanny found quite as unpleasant as she had fearedMiss Crawford?s style of writing, lively and affectionate, was itself an evil, independent of what she was thus forced into reading from the brother?s pen, for Edmund would never rest till she had read the chief of the letter to him; and then she had to listen to his admiration of her language, and the warmth of her attachmentsThere had, in fact, been so much of message, of allusion, of recollection, so much of Mansfield in every letter, that Fanny could not but suppose it meant for him to hear; and to find herself forced into a purpose of that kind, compelled into a correspondence which was bringing her the addresses of the man she did not love, and obliging her to administer to the adverse passion of the man she did, was cruelly mortifyingHere, too, her present removal promised advantageWhen no longer under the same roof with Edmund, she trusted that Miss Crawford would have no motive for writing strong enough to overcome the trouble, and that at Portsmouth their correspondence would dwindle into nothing With such thoughts as these, among ten hundred others, Fanny proceeded in her journey safely and cheerfully, and as expeditiously as could rationally be hoped in the dirty month of FebruaryThey entered Oxford, but she could take only a hasty glimpse of Edmund?s college as they passed along, and made no stop anywhere till they reached Newbury, where a comfortable meal, uniting dinner and supper, wound up the enjoyments and fatigues of the day The next morning saw them off again at an early hour; and with no events, and no delays, they regularly advanced, and were in the environs of Portsmouth while there was yet daylight for Fanny to look around her, and wonder at the new buildingsThey passed the drawbridge, and entered the town; and the light was only beginning to fail as, guided by William?s powerful voice, they were rattled into a narrow street, leading from the High Street, and drawn up before the door of a small house now inhabited by Mr Fanny was all agitation and flutter; all hope and apprehension The moment they stopped, a trollopy-looking maidservant, seemingly in waiting for them at the door, stepped forward, and more intent on telling the news than giving them any help, immediately 328 Mansfield Park began with, ?The Thrush is gone out of harbour, please sir, and one of the officers has been here to?? She was interrupted by a fine tall boy of eleven years old, who, rushing out of the house, pushed the maid aside, and while William was opening the chaise-door himself, called out, ?You are just in timeWe have been looking for you this half-hourThe Thrush went out of harbour this morningIt was a beautiful sightAnd they think she will have her orders in a day or twoCampbell was here at four o?clock to ask for you: he has got one of the Thrush?s boats, and is going off to her at six, and hoped you would be here in time to go with him A stare or two at Fanny, as William helped her out of the carriage, was all the voluntary notice which this brother bestowed; but he made no objection to her kissing him, though still entirely engaged in detailing farther particulars of the Thrush?s going out of harbour, in which he had a strong right of interest, being to commence his career of seamanship in her at this very time Another moment and Fanny was in the narrow entrance-passage of the house, and in her mother?s arms, who met her there with looks of true kindness, and with features which Fanny loved the more, because they brought her aunt Bertram?s before her, and there were her two sisters: Susan, a well-grown fine girl of fourteen, and Betsey, the youngest of the family, about five?both glad to see her in their way, though with no advantage of manner in receiving her But manner Fanny did not wantWould they but love her, she should be satisfi