AboutthirtyyearsagoMissMariaWard，ofHuntingdon，withonlyseventhousandpounds，hadthegoodlucktocaptivateSirThomasBertram，ofMansfieldPark，inthecountyofNorthampton，andtobetherebyraisedtotherankofabaronet’slady，withallthecomfortsandconsequencesofanhandsomehouseandlargeincome。
AllHuntingdonexclaimedonthegreatnessofthematch，andheruncle，thelawyer，himself，allowedhertobeatleastthreethousandpoundsshortofanyequitableclaimtoit。
Shehadtwosisterstobebenefitedbyherelevation；
andsuchoftheiracquaintanceasthoughtMissWardandMissFrancesquiteashandsomeasMissMaria，didnotscrupletopredicttheirmarryingwithalmostequaladvantage。
Buttherecertainlyarenotsomanymenoflargefortuneintheworldasthereareprettywomentodeservethem。
MissWard，attheendofhalfadozenyears，foundherselfobligedtobeattachedtotheRev。Mr。Norris，afriendofherbrother-in-law，withscarcelyanyprivatefortune，andMissFrancesfaredyetworse。
MissWard’smatch，indeed，whenitcametothepoint，wasnotcontemptible：SirThomasbeinghappilyabletogivehisfriendanincomeinthelivingofMansfield；
andMr。andMrs。Norrisbegantheircareerofconjugalfelicitywithverylittlelessthanathousandayear。
ButMissFrancesmarried，inthecommonphrase，todisobligeherfamily，andbyfixingonalieutenantofmarines，withouteducation，fortune，orconnexions，diditverythoroughly。Shecouldhardlyhavemadeamoreuntowardchoice。SirThomasBertramhadinterest，which，fromprincipleaswellaspride——fromageneralwishofdoingright，andadesireofseeingallthatwereconnectedwithhiminsituationsofrespectability，hewouldhavebeengladtoexertfortheadvantageofLadyBertram’ssister；butherhusband’sprofessionwassuchasnointerestcouldreach；andbeforehehadtimetodeviseanyothermethodofassistingthem，anabsolutebreachbetweenthesistershadtakenplace。
Itwasthenaturalresultoftheconductofeachparty，andsuchasaveryimprudentmarriagealmostalwaysproduces。
Tosaveherselffromuselessremonstrance，Mrs。Priceneverwrotetoherfamilyonthesubjecttillactuallymarried。
LadyBertram，whowasawomanofverytranquilfeelings，andatemperremarkablyeasyandindolent，wouldhavecontentedherselfwithmerelygivinguphersister，andthinkingnomoreofthematter；butMrs。Norrishadaspiritofactivity，whichcouldnotbesatisfiedtillshehadwrittenalongandangrylettertoFanny，topointoutthefollyofherconduct，andthreatenherwithallitspossibleillconsequences。Mrs。Price，inherturn，wasinjuredandangry；andananswer，whichcomprehendedeachsisterinitsbitterness，andbestowedsuchverydisrespectfulreflectionsontheprideofSirThomasasMrs。Norriscouldnotpossiblykeeptoherself，putanendtoallintercoursebetweenthemforaconsiderableperiod。
Theirhomesweresodistant，andthecirclesinwhichtheymovedsodistinct，asalmosttoprecludethemeansofeverhearingofeachother’sexistenceduringtheelevenfollowingyears，or，atleast，tomakeitverywonderfultoSirThomasthatMrs。Norrisshouldeverhaveitinherpowertotellthem，asshenowandthendid，inanangryvoice，thatFannyhadgotanotherchild。
Bytheendofelevenyears，however，Mrs。Pricecouldnolongeraffordtocherishprideorresentment，ortoloseoneconnexionthatmightpossiblyassisther。Alargeandstillincreasingfamily，anhusbanddisabledforactiveservice，butnotthelessequaltocompanyandgoodliquor，andaverysmallincometosupplytheirwants，madehereagertoregainthefriendsshehadsocarelesslysacrificed；
andsheaddressedLadyBertraminaletterwhichspokesomuchcontritionanddespondence，suchasuperfluityofchildren，andsuchawantofalmosteverythingelse，ascouldnotbutdisposethemalltoareconciliation。
Shewaspreparingforherninthlying-in；andafterbewailingthecircumstance，andimploringtheircountenanceassponsorstotheexpectedchild，shecouldnotconcealhowimportantshefelttheymightbetothefuturemaintenanceoftheeightalreadyinbeing。Hereldestwasaboyoftenyearsold，afinespiritedfellow，wholongedtobeoutintheworld；butwhatcouldshedo？
WasthereanychanceofhisbeinghereafterusefultoSirThomasintheconcernsofhisWestIndianproperty？
Nosituationwouldbebeneathhim；orwhatdidSirThomasthinkofWoolwich？orhowcouldaboybesentouttotheEast？
Theletterwasnotunproductive。Itre-establishedpeaceandkindness。SirThomassentfriendlyadviceandprofessions，LadyBertramdispatchedmoneyandbaby-linen，andMrs。Norriswrotetheletters。
Suchwereitsimmediateeffects，andwithinatwelvemonthamoreimportantadvantagetoMrs。Priceresultedfromit。
Mrs。Norriswasoftenobservingtotheothersthatshecouldnotgetherpoorsisterandherfamilyoutofherhead，andthat，muchastheyhadalldoneforher，sheseemedtobewantingtodomore；andatlengthshecouldnotbutownittobeherwishthatpoorMrs。Priceshouldberelievedfromthechargeandexpenseofonechildentirelyoutofhergreatnumber。“Whatiftheywereamongthemtoundertakethecareofhereldestdaughter，agirlnownineyearsold，ofanagetorequiremoreattentionthanherpoormothercouldpossiblygive？
Thetroubleandexpenseofittothemwouldbenothing，comparedwiththebenevolenceoftheaction。“LadyBertramagreedwithherinstantly。“Ithinkwecannotdobetter，“
saidshe；“letussendforthechild。“
SirThomascouldnotgivesoinstantaneousandunqualifiedaconsent。Hedebatedandhesitated；——itwasaseriouscharge；——
agirlsobroughtupmustbeadequatelyprovidedfor，ortherewouldbecrueltyinsteadofkindnessintakingherfromherfamily。Hethoughtofhisownfourchildren，ofhistwosons，ofcousinsinlove，etc。；——butnosoonerhadhedeliberatelybeguntostatehisobjections，thanMrs。Norrisinterruptedhimwithareplytothemall，whetherstatedornot。
“MydearSirThomas，Iperfectlycomprehendyou，anddojusticetothegenerosityanddelicacyofyournotions，whichindeedarequiteofapiecewithyourgeneralconduct；
andIentirelyagreewithyouinthemainastotheproprietyofdoingeverythingonecouldbywayofprovidingforachildonehadinamannertakenintoone’sownhands；
andIamsureIshouldbethelastpersonintheworldtowithholdmymiteuponsuchanoccasion。Havingnochildrenofmyown，whoshouldIlooktoinanylittlematterI
mayeverhavetobestow，butthechildrenofmysisters？——
andIamsureMr。Norrisistoojust——butyouknowIamawomanoffewwordsandprofessions。Donotletusbefrightenedfromagooddeedbyatrifle。Giveagirlaneducation，andintroduceherproperlyintotheworld，andtentoonebutshehasthemeansofsettlingwell，withoutfartherexpensetoanybody。Anieceofours，SirThomas，Imaysay，oratleastof_yours_，wouldnotgrowupinthisneighbourhoodwithoutmanyadvantages。
Idon’tsayshewouldbesohandsomeashercousins。
Idaresayshewouldnot；butshewouldbeintroducedintothesocietyofthiscountryundersuchveryfavourablecircumstancesas，inallhumanprobability，wouldgetheracreditableestablishment。Youarethinkingofyoursons——
butdonotyouknowthat，ofallthingsuponearth，_that_istheleastlikelytohappen，broughtupastheywouldbe，alwaystogetherlikebrothersandsisters？
Itismorallyimpossible。Ineverknewaninstanceofit。
Itis，infact，theonlysurewayofprovidingagainsttheconnexion。Supposeheraprettygirl，andseenbyTomorEdmundforthefirsttimesevenyearshence，andIdaresaytherewouldbemischief。Theveryideaofherhavingbeensufferedtogrowupatadistancefromusallinpovertyandneglect，wouldbeenoughtomakeeitherofthedear，sweet-temperedboysinlovewithher。Butbreedherupwiththemfromthistime，andsupposehereventohavethebeautyofanangel，andshewillneverbemoretoeitherthanasister。“
“Thereisagreatdealoftruthinwhatyousay，“
repliedSirThomas，“andfarbeitfrommetothrowanyfancifulimpedimentinthewayofaplanwhichwouldbesoconsistentwiththerelativesituationsofeach。Ionlymeanttoobservethatitoughtnottobelightlyengagedin，andthattomakeitreallyserviceabletoMrs。Price，andcreditabletoourselves，wemustsecuretothechild，orconsiderourselvesengagedtosecuretoherhereafter，ascircumstancesmayarise，theprovisionofagentlewoman，ifnosuchestablishmentshouldofferasyouaresosanguineinexpecting。“
“Ithoroughlyunderstandyou，“criedMrs。Norris，“youareeverythingthatisgenerousandconsiderate，andIamsureweshallneverdisagreeonthispoint。
WhateverIcando，asyouwellknow，IamalwaysreadyenoughtodoforthegoodofthoseIlove；and，thoughI
couldneverfeelforthislittlegirlthehundredthpartoftheregardIbearyourowndearchildren，norconsiderher，inanyrespect，somuchmyown，IshouldhatemyselfifIwerecapableofneglectingher。
Isnotsheasister’schild？andcouldIbeartoseeherwantwhileIhadabitofbreadtogiveher？
MydearSirThomas，withallmyfaultsIhaveawarmheart；
and，poorasIam，wouldratherdenymyselfthenecessariesoflifethandoanungenerousthing。So，ifyouarenotagainstit，Iwillwritetomypoorsistertomorrow，andmaketheproposal；and，assoonasmattersaresettled，_I_willengagetogetthechildtoMansfield；_you_shallhavenotroubleaboutit。Myowntrouble，youknow，Ineverregard。IwillsendNannytoLondononpurpose，andshemayhaveabedathercousinthesaddler’s，andthechildbeappointedtomeetherthere。TheymayeasilygetherfromPortsmouthtotownbythecoach，underthecareofanycreditablepersonthatmaychancetobegoing。
Idaresaythereisalwayssomereputabletradesman’swifeorothergoingup。“
ExcepttotheattackonNanny’scousin，SirThomasnolongermadeanyobjection，andamorerespectable，thoughlesseconomicalrendezvousbeingaccordinglysubstituted，everythingwasconsideredassettled，andthepleasuresofsobenevolentaschemewerealreadyenjoyed。
返回顶部