Itrequiredalongertime，however，thanMrs。Norriswasinclinedtoallow，toreconcileFannytothenoveltyofMansfieldPark，andtheseparationfromeverybodyshehadbeenusedto。Herfeelingswereveryacute，andtoolittleunderstoodtobeproperlyattendedto。
Nobodymeanttobeunkind，butnobodyputthemselvesoutoftheirwaytosecurehercomfort。
TheholidayallowedtotheMissBertramsthenextday，onpurposetoaffordleisureforgettingacquaintedwith，andentertainingtheiryoungcousin，producedlittleunion。
Theycouldnotbutholdhercheaponfindingthatshehadbuttwosashes，andhadneverlearnedFrench；andwhentheyperceivedhertobelittlestruckwiththeduettheyweresogoodastoplay，theycoulddonomorethanmakeheragenerouspresentofsomeoftheirleastvaluedtoys，andleavehertoherself，whiletheyadjournedtowhatevermightbethefavouriteholidaysportofthemoment，makingartificialflowersorwastinggoldpaper。
Fanny，whethernearorfromhercousins，whetherintheschoolroom，thedrawing-room，ortheshrubbery，wasequallyforlorn，findingsomethingtofearineverypersonandplace。ShewasdisheartenedbyLadyBertram’ssilence，awedbySirThomas’sgravelooks，andquiteovercomebyMrs。Norris’sadmonitions。
Hereldercousinsmortifiedherbyreflectionsonhersize，andabashedherbynoticinghershyness：MissLeewonderedatherignorance，andthemaid-servantssneeredatherclothes；andwhentothesesorrowswasaddedtheideaofthebrothersandsistersamongwhomshehadalwaysbeenimportantasplayfellow，instructress，andnurse，thedespondencethatsunkherlittleheartwassevere。
Thegrandeurofthehouseastonished，butcouldnotconsoleher。
Theroomsweretoolargeforhertomoveinwithease：
whatevershetouchedsheexpectedtoinjure，andshecreptaboutinconstantterrorofsomethingorother；
oftenretreatingtowardsherownchambertocry；
andthelittlegirlwhowasspokenofinthedrawing-roomwhensheleftitatnightasseemingsodesirablysensibleofherpeculiargoodfortune，endedeveryday’ssorrowsbysobbingherselftosleep。Aweekhadpassedinthisway，andnosuspicionofitconveyedbyherquietpassivemanner，whenshewasfoundonemorningbyhercousinEdmund，theyoungestofthesons，sittingcryingontheatticstairs。
“Mydearlittlecousin，“saidhe，withallthegentlenessofanexcellentnature，“whatcanbethematter？“Andsittingdownbyher，hewasatgreatpainstoovercomehershameinbeingsosurprised，andpersuadehertospeakopenly。
“Wassheill？orwasanybodyangrywithher？orhadshequarrelledwithMariaandJulia？orwasshepuzzledaboutanythinginherlessonthathecouldexplain？
Didshe，inshort，wantanythinghecouldpossiblygether，ordoforher？Foralongwhilenoanswercouldbeobtainedbeyonda“no，no——notatall——no，thankyou“；
buthestillpersevered；andnosoonerhadhebeguntoreverttoherownhome，thanherincreasedsobsexplainedtohimwherethegrievancelay。Hetriedtoconsoleher。
“YouaresorrytoleaveMama，mydearlittleFanny，“
saidhe，“whichshowsyoutobeaverygoodgirl；butyoumustrememberthatyouarewithrelationsandfriends，whoallloveyou，andwishtomakeyouhappy。Letuswalkoutinthepark，andyoushalltellmeallaboutyourbrothersandsisters。“
Onpursuingthesubject，hefoundthat，dearasallthesebrothersandsistersgenerallywere，therewasoneamongthemwhoranmoreinherthoughtsthantherest。
ItwasWilliamwhomshetalkedofmost，andwantedmosttosee。William，theeldest，ayearolderthanherself，herconstantcompanionandfriend；heradvocatewithhermother(ofwhomhewasthedarling)ineverydistress。
“Williamdidnotlikesheshouldcomeaway；hehadtoldherheshouldmissherverymuchindeed。““ButWilliamwillwritetoyou，Idaresay。““Yes，hehadpromisedhewould，buthehadtold_her_towritefirst。““Andwhenshallyoudoit？“Shehungherheadandansweredhesitatingly，“shedidnotknow；shehadnotanypaper。“
“Ifthatbeallyourdifficulty，Iwillfurnishyouwithpaperandeveryothermaterial，andyoumaywriteyourletterwheneveryouchoose。WoulditmakeyouhappytowritetoWilliam？“
“Yes，very。“
“Thenletitbedonenow。Comewithmeintothebreakfast-room，weshallfindeverythingthere，andbesureofhavingtheroomtoourselves。“
“But，cousin，willitgotothepost？“
“Yes，dependuponmeitshall：itshallgowiththeotherletters；and，asyourunclewillfrankit，itwillcostWilliamnothing。“
“Myuncle!“repeatedFanny，withafrightenedlook。
“Yes，whenyouhavewrittentheletter，Iwilltakeittomyfathertofrank。“
Fannythoughtitaboldmeasure，butofferednofurtherresistance；andtheywenttogetherintothebreakfast-room，whereEdmundpreparedherpaper，andruledherlineswithallthegoodwillthatherbrothercouldhimselfhavefelt，andprobablywithsomewhatmoreexactness。
Hecontinuedwithherthewholetimeofherwriting，toassistherwithhispenknifeorhisorthography，aseitherwerewanted；andaddedtotheseattentions，whichshefeltverymuch，akindnesstoherbrotherwhichdelightedherbeyondalltherest。HewrotewithhisownhandhislovetohiscousinWilliam，andsenthimhalfaguineaundertheseal。Fanny’sfeelingsontheoccasionweresuchasshebelievedherselfincapableofexpressing；
buthercountenanceandafewartlesswordsfullyconveyedalltheirgratitudeanddelight，andhercousinbegantofindheraninterestingobject。Hetalkedtohermore，and，fromallthatshesaid，wasconvincedofherhavinganaffectionateheart，andastrongdesireofdoingright；andhecouldperceivehertobefartherentitledtoattentionbygreatsensibilityofhersituation，andgreattimidity。Hehadneverknowinglygivenherpain，buthenowfeltthatsherequiredmorepositivekindness；
andwiththatviewendeavoured，inthefirstplace，tolessenherfearsofthemall，andgaveherespeciallyagreatdealofgoodadviceastoplayingwithMariaandJulia，andbeingasmerryaspossible。
FromthisdayFannygrewmorecomfortable。Shefeltthatshehadafriend，andthekindnessofhercousinEdmundgaveherbetterspiritswitheverybodyelse。
Theplacebecamelessstrange，andthepeoplelessformidable；
andifthereweresomeamongstthemwhomshecouldnotceasetofear，shebeganatleasttoknowtheirways，andtocatchthebestmannerofconformingtothem。
Thelittlerusticitiesandawkwardnesseswhichhadatfirstmadegrievousinroadsonthetranquillityofall，andnotleastofherself，necessarilyworeaway，andshewasnolongermateriallyafraidtoappearbeforeheruncle，nordidherauntNorris’svoicemakeherstartverymuch。
Tohercousinsshebecameoccasionallyanacceptablecompanion。
Thoughunworthy，frominferiorityofageandstrength，tobetheirconstantassociate，theirpleasuresandschemesweresometimesofanaturetomakeathirdveryuseful，especiallywhenthatthirdwasofanobliging，yieldingtemper；andtheycouldnotbutown，whentheirauntinquiredintoherfaults，ortheirbrotherEdmundurgedherclaimstotheirkindness，that“Fannywasgood-naturedenough。“
Edmundwasuniformlykindhimself；andshehadnothingworsetoendureonthepartofTomthanthatsortofmerrimentwhichayoungmanofseventeenwillalwaysthinkfairwithachildoften。Hewasjustenteringintolife，fullofspirits，andwithalltheliberaldispositionsofaneldestson，whofeelsbornonlyforexpenseandenjoyment。Hiskindnesstohislittlecousinwasconsistentwithhissituationandrights：
hemadehersomeveryprettypresents，andlaughedather。
Asherappearanceandspiritsimproved，SirThomasandMrs。Norristhoughtwithgreatersatisfactionoftheirbenevolentplan；
anditwasprettysoondecidedbetweenthemthat，thoughfarfromclever，sheshowedatractabledisposition，andseemedlikelytogivethemlittletrouble。Ameanopinionofherabilitieswasnotconfinedto_them_。
Fannycouldread，work，andwrite，butshehadbeentaughtnothingmore；andashercousinsfoundherignorantofmanythingswithwhichtheyhadbeenlongfamiliar，theythoughtherprodigiouslystupid，andforthefirsttwoorthreeweekswerecontinuallybringingsomefreshreportofitintothedrawing-room。“Dearmama，onlythink，mycousincannotputthemapofEuropetogether——
ormycousincannottelltheprincipalriversinRussia——
or，sheneverheardofAsiaMinor——orshedoesnotknowthedifferencebetweenwater-coloursandcrayons!——
Howstrange!——Didyoueverhearanythingsostupid？“
“Mydear，“theirconsiderateauntwouldreply，“itisverybad，butyoumustnotexpecteverybodytobeasforwardandquickatlearningasyourself。“
“But，aunt，sheisreallysoveryignorant!——Doyouknow，weaskedherlastnightwhichwayshewouldgotogettoIreland；andshesaid，sheshouldcrosstotheIsleofWight。ShethinksofnothingbuttheIsleofWight，andshecallsit_the__Island_，asiftherewerenootherislandintheworld。IamsureIshouldhavebeenashamedofmyself，ifIhadnotknownbetterlongbeforeI
wassooldassheis。IcannotrememberthetimewhenI
didnotknowagreatdealthatshehasnottheleastnotionofyet。Howlongagoitis，aunt，sinceweusedtorepeatthechronologicalorderofthekingsofEngland，withthedatesoftheiraccession，andmostoftheprincipaleventsoftheirreigns!“
“Yes，“addedtheother；“andoftheRomanemperorsaslowasSeverus；besidesagreatdealoftheheathenmythology，andallthemetals，semi-metals，planets，anddistinguishedphilosophers。“
“Verytrueindeed，mydears，butyouareblessedwithwonderfulmemories，andyourpoorcousinhasprobablynoneatall。Thereisavastdealofdifferenceinmemories，aswellasineverythingelse，andthereforeyoumustmakeallowanceforyourcousin，andpityherdeficiency。
Andrememberthat，ifyouareeversoforwardandcleveryourselves，youshouldalwaysbemodest；for，muchasyouknowalready，thereisagreatdealmoreforyoutolearn。“
“Yes，Iknowthereis，tillIamseventeen。ButImusttellyouanotherthingofFanny，sooddandsostupid。
Doyouknow，shesaysshedoesnotwanttolearneithermusicordrawing。“
“Tobesure，mydear，thatisverystupidindeed，andshowsagreatwantofgeniusandemulation。
But，allthingsconsidered，Idonotknowwhetheritisnotaswellthatitshouldbeso，for，thoughyouknow(owingtome)yourpapaandmamaaresogoodastobringherupwithyou，itisnotatallnecessarythatsheshouldbeasaccomplishedasyouare；——onthecontrary，itismuchmoredesirablethatthereshouldbeadifference。“
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