Austen Said:

"I am very strong. Nothing ever fatigues me but doing what I do not like. Miss Price, I give way to you with a very bad grace; but I sincerely hope you will have a pleasant ride, and that I may have nothing but good to hear of this dear, delightful, beautiful animal."

"It is a pleasure to see a lady with such a good heart for riding!"

"I never see one sit a horse better. She did not seem to have a thought of fear. Very different from you, miss, when you first began, six years ago come next Easter. Lord bless you! how you did tremble when Sir Thomas first had you put on!"

"I was sure she would ride well,"

"she has the make for it. Her figure is as neat as her brother's."

"Yes,"

"and her spirits are as good, and she has the same energy of character. I cannot but think that good horsemanship has a great deal to do with the mind."

whether she meant to ride the next day.

"No, I do not know— ot if you want the mare,"

"I do not want her at all for myself,"

"but whenever you are next inclined to stay at home, I think Miss Crawford would be glad to have her a longer time— for a whole morning, in short. She has a great desire to get as far as Mansfield Common: Mrs. Grant has been telling her of its fine views, and I have no doubt of her being perfectly equal to it. But any morning will do for this. She would be extremely sorry to interfere with you. It would be very wrong if she did. She rides only for pleasure; you for health."

"I shall not ride to-morrow, certainly,"

"I have been out very often lately, and would rather stay at home. You know I am strong enough now to walk very well."

Edmund and Julia were invited to dine at the Parsonage, and she was excluded.

"But where is Fanny? Is she gone to bed?"

she was on the sofa.

"I must say, ma'am, that Fanny is as little upon the sofa as anybody in the house."

"Fanny,"

"I am sure you have the headache."

it was not very bad.

"I can hardly believe you,"

"I know your looks too well. How long have you had it?"

"Since a little before dinner. It is nothing but the heat."

"Did you go out in the heat?"

"Fanny has been cutting roses, has she?"

"What!"

"has she been walking as well as cutting roses; walking across the hot park to your house, and doing it twice, ma'am? No wonder her head aches."

"But were there roses enough to oblige her to go twice?"

"And could nobody be employed on such an errand but Fanny? Upon my word, ma'am, it has been a very ill-managed business."

"I wish Fanny had half your strength, ma'am."

His own forgetfulness of her was worse than anything which they had done. Nothing of this would have happened had she been properly considered; but she had been left four days together without any choice of companions or exercise, and without any excuse for avoiding whatever her unreasonable aunts might require.

for four days together she had not had the power of riding,

however unwilling he must be to check a pleasure of Miss Crawford's, that it should never happen again.

her losses, both of health and pleasure, would be soon made good.

the properest thing to be done was for him to walk down to the Parsonage directly, and call on Mr. Crawford, and inquire whether Wednesday would suit him or not.

the barouche would hold four perfectly well, independent of the box, on which one might go with him.

"But why is it necessary,"

"that Crawford's carriage, or his only, should be employed? Why is no use to be made of my mother's chaise? I could not, when the scheme was first mentioned the other day, understand why a visit from the family were not to be made in the carriage of the family."

"What!"

"go boxed up three in a postchaise in this weather, when we may have seats in a barouche! No, my dear Edmund, that will not quite do."

"Besides,"

"I know that Mr. Crawford depends upon taking us. After what passed at first, he would claim it as a promise."

"That would not be a very handsome reason for using Mr. Crawford's,"

"but the truth is, that Wilcox is a stupid old fellow, and does not know how to drive. I will answer for it that we shall find no inconvenience from narrow roads on Wednesday."

"There is no hardship, I suppose, nothing unpleasant,"

"in going on the barouche box."

"Unpleasant!"

"oh dear! I believe it would be generally thought the favourite seat. There can be no comparison as to one's view of the country. Probably Miss Crawford will choose the barouche-box herself."

"There can be no objection, then, to Fanny's going with you; there can be no doubt of your having room for her."

"You can have no reason, I imagine, madam,"