Mansfield Park

spare room might have misled Sir Thomas to suppose it
really intended for Fanny.  Lady Bertram soon brought
the matter to a certainty by carelessly observing to Mrs. Norris--

"I think, sister, we need not keep Miss Lee any longer,
when Fanny goes to live with you."

Mrs. Norris almost started.  "Live with me, dear Lady
Bertram! what do you mean?"

"Is she not to live with you?  I thought you had settled
it with Sir Thomas."

"Me! never.  I never spoke a syllable about it to Sir Thomas,
nor he to me.  Fanny live with me! the last thing in the
world for me to think of, or for anybody to wish that really
knows us both.  Good heaven! what could I do with Fanny?
Me! a poor, helpless, forlorn widow, unfit for anything,
my spirits quite broke down; what could I do with a girl
at her time of life?  A girl of fifteen! the very age
of all others to need most attention and care, and put
the cheerfullest spirits to the test!  Sure Sir Thomas
could not seriously expect such a thing!  Sir Thomas is too
much my friend.  Nobody that wishes me well, I am sure,
would propose it.  How came Sir Thomas to speak to you
about it?"

"Indeed, I do not know.  I suppose he thought it best."

"But what did he say?  He could not say he _wished_ me
to take Fanny.  I am sure in his heart he could not wish
me to do it."

"No; he only said he thought it very likely; and I thought
so too.  We both thought it would be a comfort to you.
But if you do not like it, there is no more to be said.
She is no encumbrance here."

"Dear sister, if you consider my unhappy state, how can she
be any comfort to me?  Here am I, a poor desolate widow,
deprived of the best of husbands, my health gone in attending
and nursing him, my spirits still worse, all my peace
in this world destroyed, with hardly enough to support
me in the rank of a gentlewoman, and enable me to live
so as not to disgrace the memory of the dear departed--
what possible comfort could I have in taking such a charge
upon me as Fanny?  If I could wish it for my own sake,
I would not do so unjust a thing by the poor girl.
She is in good hands, and sure of doing well.  I must
struggle through my sorrows and difficulties as I can."

"Then you will not mind living by yourself quite alone?"

"Lady Bertram, I do not complain.  I know I cannot
live as I have done, but I must retrench where I can,
and learn to be a better manager.  I _have_ _been_
a liberal housekeeper enough, but I shall not be ashamed
to practise economy now.  My situation is as much
altered as my income.  A great many things were due
from poor Mr. Norris, as clergyman of the parish,
that cannot be expected from me.  It is unknown how much
was consumed in our kitchen by odd comers and goers.
At the White House, matters must be better looked after.
I _must_ live within my income, or I shall be miserable;
and I own it would give me great satisfaction to be able
to do rather more, to lay by a little at the end of
the year."

"I dare say you will.  You always do, don't you?"

"My object, Lady Bertram, is to be of use to those that
come after me.  It is for your children's good that I
wish to be richer.  I have nobody else to care for,
but I should be very glad to think I could leave a little
trifle among them worth their having."

"You are very good, but do not trouble yourself about them.
They are sure of being well provided for.  Sir Thomas
will take care of that."

"Why, you know, Sir Thomas's means will be rather straitened
if the Antigua estate is to make such poor returns."

"Oh! _that_ will soon be settled.  Sir Thomas has been
writing about it, I know."

"Well, Lady Bertram," said Mrs. Norris, moving to go,
"I can only say that my sole desire is to be of use
to your family:  and so, if Sir Thomas should ever speak
again about my taking Fanny, you will be able to say that
my health and spirits put it quite out of the question;
besides that, I really should not have a bed to give her,
for I must keep a spare room for a friend."

Lady Bertram repeated enough of this conversation
to her husband to convince him how much he had mistaken
his sister-in-law's views; and she was from that moment
perfectly safe from all expectation, or the slightest
allusion to it from him.  He could not but wonder at her
refusing to do anything for a niece whom she had been so