Murder at Mansfield Park

There was the greatest amazement at this, and expressions of astonishment and admiration on all sides.

"And yet," he said, smiling, "I have barely begun, and my next scheme is even more ambitious than the first. I will open the prospect at the rear of the house and create a vista that will be the envy of the whole country!"

"Open the prospect?" said Julia, speaking for the first time, the colour rushing from her cheeks. "But you could not do that — that would not be possible unless — unless — you felled the avenue. Surely you do not — you cannot — intend to do that?"

"My sincerest apologies to Miss Julia Bertram," said Henry in a gentler tone, "but I do not see how else it is to be done."

Seeing her distress, her father took her hand, and pressed it kindly."My dear," said Sir Thomas,"I know your attachment to the avenue, but we have brought Mr Crawford here to give us his advice. There can be no use in that if we do not take it when it is given."

"Did not I hear that you did something similar at Compton, Crawford?" asked Mr Rushworth in a complacent accent. "Cut down some twisted old trees near the house? I am often asked for my opinion on such matters, and on this occasion, I was forced to acknowledge (though rather against the bias of my inclination, I confess) that it appeared to have been something of a success. That horrid dark house at Compton has become almost liveable."

Miss Price turned at once to her uncle. "I hope you will consider Mr Rushworth’s proposition, sir," she said. "Those gloomy old trees quite overwhelm the view from my room. Julia’s silly girlish attachment to them cannot be allowed to compromise the comfort of everyone else in the house."

She spoke in a cross tone quite unlike her usual simper, which Mary took as proof that discontent and jealousy had made her briefly forgetful of the appearance of demure and tender sensibility she normally studied to affect. The effect of her words on Julia was equally apparent; it pained Mary to see that the girl had turned of a death-like paleness, and was too intent on suppressing her agitation to eat or speak anything more.

"I quite agree with you, Fanny," said Mrs Norris quickly. "Indeed, I was saying much the same to Lady Bertram only this evening. At fourteen Julia is in far too many respects exactly as she was at ten. Running about wild in the woods, tearing her clothes, and indulging in all manner of juvenile whims. If you had seen her in the drawing-room the other day, Sir Thomas — quite ragged and covered with paint from head to toe! I am sure you would have agreed with me — it is time she was taken in hand. I am at your service, sir, whenever you command me."

As a general reflection on Julia, Sir Thomas thought nothing could be more unjust, and seeing that his daughter’s tears were about to shew themselves, he tried to turn the conversation, tried repeatedly before he could succeed, but the volubility of his principal guest came at last to his aid. Mr Rushworth was a great deal too full of his own cares to think of anything else, or notice what had passed, and he resumed the subject of improvements in general, and Sotherton in particular, with unimpaired enthusiasm. After a lengthy description of the work he was intending to undertake — which was all to be done in the very best taste and without a thought for the expense — he returned once more to Compton, which he now appeared to consider owed all its picturesque new beauty to his having once had a brief conversation on the subject with its owner, more than a twelvemonth before. Mary hardly dared look at her brother, but when she did have the courage to glance across at him, she found to her surprise that he was deep in conversation with Miss Price. Judging by that young lady’s expression, Henry was doubtless supplying all the compliments Mr Rushworth had neglected to provide, but Mary wondered at the wisdom of such a proceeding for either party. Miss Price might make use of her brother’s flattery to console a wounded vanity, and he might profit from such a capital opportunity to advance his own suit, but in neither case could Mary see much good resulting from it, and a glance at Mr Norris shewed that he was not entirely free from similar apprehensions. Mary could not but agree, though to think of Edmund as agitated by jealousy, was a bitter blow indeed.

Mr Rushworth concluded his discourse with a second and even more lengthy expatiation on the new prospects that had been opened up by the felling of the avenue, and turned in conclusion to Julia, seemingly unaware that he was only adding to her distress. "But if the youngest Miss Bertram is still unpersuaded, and would prefer some blasted tree-trunks to the openness of a fine view, perhaps a visit to Compton might convince her?"

"It is a capital idea, Rushworth," said Tom quickly, "but unhappily Mr Smith is not among our acquaintance, though perhaps Mr Crawford might be able — "