Chapter 5 Chapter two

The little girl completed her long journey safely, and was greeted by Mrs. Norris at Northampton.The lady felt that she had the credit for being the first to welcome her, and also led her to meet everyone, and let everyone take care of her face, so she couldn't help but feel very happy. Fanny.Price was just ten years old at this time, and although he didn't see much charm when he first arrived, at least there was nothing annoying to his relatives.She was young for her years, without brilliance in her face or other conspicuous beauty; she was too timid and shy to be noticed; but her manner, though clumsy, was not vulgar, and her voice It's pretty sweet, and when it comes to talking, the little face is pretty.Sir Thomas and his wife received her very warmly.Sir Thomas, seeing that she needed encouragement, tried to be as kind as possible, but it was not easy to do so with his natural sternness, and Lady Bertram did not need half as much effort to do so. A tenth of what he said, and a good-natured smile, would at once make the child feel that she was less formidable than Sir Thomas.

The children are all at home, and when they meet, they always behave in a very decent manner, each of them is cheerful and unrestrained, at least the two boys are like this, one is seventeen and the other is sixteen, they are taller than ordinary people of the same age, In the eyes of the little cousin, they are already adults.Due to their young age and the fact that their father was too critical of them at that time, the two girls were inevitably a little timid, so they were not as calm as the two brothers.However, they often socialize with guests and are used to hearing praise, so it is no longer possible for them to have that natural shyness.Seeing that their cousin had no confidence, they became more and more confident, and soon they could calmly and nonchalantly examine her face and blouse carefully.

This is an extremely enviable family, with two handsome sons and two very beautiful daughters, all four of them are well-developed and mature a little earlier than their actual age.If it is said that education has formed a significant difference in speech between them and their cousin, the above characteristics have formed a significant difference in appearance between them and their cousin.No one would have guessed that the age gap between cousins ​​is so close.In fact, the second cousin was only two years older than Fanny, Julia.Bertram was only twelve years old, and Maria was only one year older.How uncomfortable the little guest must be at this time.She is afraid of everyone, feels ashamed, and misses the home she just left. She dare not look up at people, dare not speak loudly, and tears will flow when she speaks.All the way from the Guos in Northamp to Mansfield, Mrs. Norris had been telling her how lucky she was, how grateful she should be, and to be good.Therefore, the child felt that his unhappiness was an act of repaying virtue with resentment, and couldn't help feeling more and more sad.The fatigue of the long journey quickly became a serious drawback.Sir Thomas' condescending kindness to her was in vain; Mrs. Norris's painstakingly repeated prophecy that she would be a good child was in vain; It didn't help; even the sight of strawberry pie still didn't make her happy.Before she had taken two mouthfuls she tearfully could not eat any more, when sleep seemed to be her most needed friend, and she was sent to bed to relieve her sorrows.

It's not a good sign at first, said Mrs. Norris, after Fanny had left the room.I had talked to her so much along the way that I thought she would behave better.I told her how important it was to be good in the first place.I hope she doesn't have a temper Her poor mother has a lot of tempers.However, we have to be considerate of such a child. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this child being sad because she left home. Although her home is not very good, it is still her home. She still doesn't know what her home is. The situation is much better than when I was at home.However, things will get better in the future.

However, it took Fanny longer to acclimate to the novel surroundings of Mansfield Park, and to her separation from all her friends, than Mrs. Norris expected.Her mood was too low for others to understand and therefore difficult to take care of.No one wanted to treat her badly, but no one went out to comfort her. The next day, the Bertrams gave the two young ladies a holiday, so that they could get acquainted with their little cousin and play with her, but the result was not very harmonious.The two found that she had only two ribbons and had never learned French, and they couldn't help but look down on her.They showed her their favorite duets, and seeing no response from her, they gave her the toy they least wanted, and let her play with it, while they played the most fashionable holiday game of the day; Fake flowers, or waste of gold paper.Fanny was all alone, with and without her cousin, in the classroom, in the drawing-room, or in the shrubbery, feeling a little frightened of everyone and everywhere.She was discouraged by Lady Bertram's silence, awed by Sir Thomas's stern face, and terrified by Mrs Norris' earnest admonitions.Two cousins ​​said that she was ashamed of her figure, and embarrassed by her shyness.Miss Li wondered why she didn't know anything, and the maid laughed at her shabby clothes.Faced with these sad events, and thinking of how she was always valued by everyone as a playmate, teacher, and nanny when she was with her brothers and sisters, her little heart became more and more depressed.The splendor of the house astonished her, but brought her no comfort.Each room was too big, and she was a little nervous to stay in it. Every time she came across something, she felt as if it would break.When the little girl left the drawing-room at night, it was said that she seemed, as everyone hoped, to realize her luck.Unexpectedly, she sobbed and fell asleep to end her day of sorrow.A week passed like this, and no one could tell from her quiet and easy demeanor that she was sad.One morning, however, her second cousin Edmund found her weeping on the attic stairs.

Dear little cousin, he said tenderly, out of good nature, what is the matter with you?As he spoke, he sat down beside her, comforted her painstakingly, told her not to feel embarrassed when she was found crying, and persuaded her to speak out what was in her heart.Are you sick?Is someone mad at you?Had a quarrel with Maria, Julia?Is there anything in the homework that you don't understand and I can explain it to you?Anyway, is there anything I can get you for you, is there anything I can do for you? After asking for a long time, the answer I got was: no, no, absolutely no, thank you.But my cousin kept asking. As soon as he mentioned her original home, my cousin became more and more weeping. So he understood the reason for her sadness and comforted her.

"My dear little Fanny, you are sorry to be away from your mother," he said, which shows you are a good boy.However, you have to remember that you are with your relatives and friends, and they all love you and want to make you happy.Let's go for a walk in the garden, and tell me about your brothers and sisters. After questioning, he discovered that although her cousin was very close to all her siblings, there was one whom she missed the most.It was William who she talked about most and wanted to see most.William was the oldest child in the family, a year older than her, and was her constant companion and friend.He is still mother's favorite, whenever she gets into trouble, he always protects her.

William didn't want me to leave the house and told me he would really miss me. However, I think William will write to you. Yes, he promised to write to me, but he told me to write first. So when do you write it? The cousin lowered her head and said hesitantly: "I don't know either."I don't have stationery. If this is what you are struggling with, let me provide you with paper or something, and you can write whenever you want.Does writing to William make you happy? Yes, very happy. Then just write and write.Come with me to the breakfast room, where there are pens, ink, and paper, and there will be no one there.

But, cousin, can you deliver it to the post office? Yes, sure, with the other letters.Your uncle stamped the postage free, and William was free of charge. my uncle!Fanny repeated with horror. Yes, you have written the letter, and I will take it to my father for free stamping. Fanny thought it a little presumptuous, but she made no objection.So they came into the breakfast-room, and Edmund prepared her papers, and lined them up, with as much earnestness as her brother's, and perhaps even more scrupulousness.When my cousin was writing letters, he was always by her side, helping her sharpen her pens when she wanted to sharpen her pens, and teaching her how to spell words she could not spell.These cares had already moved the cousin quite a bit, and his kindness to her brother made her even more delighted.He wrote his greetings to Cousin William and sent him half a guinea with the letter.Fanny was overwhelmed with emotion beyond words.However, her expression and a few simple words fully expressed her joy and gratitude, and my cousin saw that she was a pleasing girl.My cousin talked to her again, and from what she said it was clear that she had a tender and kind heart, and a strong desire to behave herself.He found that she was very sensitive to her situation, always very shy, and therefore more deserving of everyone's attention.He had never deliberately caused her pain, but now he realized that she needed more real love, so he tried to reduce her fear of people first, and especially took the trouble to persuade her to play with Maria and Julia. Liven up as much as possible.

From that day on Fanny felt more at ease.She felt she had a friend, and her cousin Edmund cared so much for her that she was better with other people.This place is not so strange anymore, and the people here are not so scary anymore.Even if some people can't make her not afraid, she at least begins to understand their temperament and how to live with them.The little ignorance and clumsiness that made everyone uneasy at first, especially herself, disappeared naturally. She was no longer very frightened when she first saw her second uncle, and she was no longer frightened when she heard the voice of her aunt.The two cousins ​​are sometimes willing to play with her.Although due to her young age and frailty, she could not be with them, but the entertainment games they played sometimes required a third party to participate, especially a kind and obedient third party.When the great aunt asked her what was wrong with her, or when her elder brother Edmund asked them to take good care of her, they had to admit that Fanny had a good temper.

Edmund was always good to her, and Tom didn't give her a hard time, except to make fun of her, which a seventeen-year-old would never think too much of doing to a ten-year-old.He was new to society, full of life, with the easy-going generosity of an eldest son, who thought he was born to spend and enjoy.His concern for his little cousin was also in line with his identity and rights, and he made fun of her while giving her some beautiful little gifts. Sir Thomas and Mrs. Norris became more and more pleased with their charitable projects as Fanny's spirits improved and her face brightened.The two quickly came to the same opinion: Although the child was not intelligent, he was docile and would not cause them much trouble.And it wasn't just the two of them who thought she was stupid.Fanny could read, work, and write, but nothing else was taught her.The two cousins ​​found that there were many things they were already familiar with, which Fanny knew nothing about, and they thought she was so stupid, and during the first two or three weeks they kept bringing new discoveries in this direction to the drawing room to report.Come to think of it, dear mother, my cousin can't put together a map of Europe She can't name the major rivers in Russia She's never heard of Asia Minor She can't tell a crayon drawing from a watercolor painting!How strange!Have you ever heard of such a stupid thing? That's very bad, said my dear, understanding auntie, but you can't expect everyone to be as sensible and wise as you are. But, aunt, she really doesn't understand anything!do you know?Last night we asked her which way she would like to go if she wanted to go to Ireland.She said she crossed to the Isle of Wight.There was only one Isle of Wight in her mind, and she called it the Island, as if there were no other islands in the world.I daresay I would have been ashamed to know more than she did when I was a long way from her age.I can't remember since when I've known a great deal that she doesn't know now.How long ago, Aunt, we recited in order the names of the kings of England, the dates of their accession, and the principal events of their reign!