Murder at Mansfield Park

But this was immediately opposed by Tom Bertram, who asserted the part of Amelia to be in every respect the property of Miss Crawford, if she would accept it. A short silence followed. Fanny and Maria each felt the best claim to Agatha, and was hoping to have it pressed on her by the rest. But Mr Rushworth, who with seeming carelessness was turning over the first act, soon settled the business. "I must entreat Miss Bertram," said he, "not to contemplate any character but that of Amelia. That, in my opinion, is by far the most difficult character in the whole piece. The last time I saw Lovers’ Vows the actress in the part gave quite the most deplorable performance (and in my opinion, the whole play was sadly wanting — if they had accepted my advice, they might have brought the thing round in a trice, but though I offered my services to the manager, the scoundrel had the insolence to turn me down). But as I was saying, a proper representation of Amelia demands considerable delicacy — the sort of delicacy we may confidently expect from Maria Bertram."

For a moment Miss Bertram wavered: his words were of a piece with his previous compliments; but that was before the ball, when he had danced with her only once, and with Fanny three times. Since then he had hardly spoken to her. Was he now seeking only to induce her to overlook these previous affronts? She distrusted him; he was, she now suspected, at treacherous play with her, but as she hesitated, her brother interposed once again with Miss Crawford’s better claim.

"No, no, no, Maria must not be Amelia," said Tom. "The part is fit for Miss Crawford, and Miss Crawford only. She looks the part, and sounds the part, and I am persuaded will do it admirably."

Maria looked narrowly at Fanny; the smile of triumph which she was trying to suppress afforded a yet stronger suspicion of there now being something of a private understanding between her and Rushworth, the man Maria had been thinking of as her own avowed admirer only a few days before. Maria knew her cousin, and knew that opposition would only expose her to public shame and humiliation. She had had enough.

"Oh! Do not be afraid of my wanting to act," she cried; "I am not to be Agatha, and as to Amelia — such a pert, upstart girl. Most suitable for someone such as — "

She stopped and reddened, and then walked hastily out of the room, leaving awkward feelings for more than one.

The concerns of the theater were suspended during dinner, but the spirits of evening giving fresh courage, Tom, Mr Rushworth, and Mr Yates seated themselves once again in committee, when an interruption was given by the entrance of the Grants and the Crawfords, who had come, late as it was, to drink tea with them. Mr Rushworth stepped forward with great alacrity to tell them the agreeable news.

"We have got a play," said he.

"I must congratulate you, sir," said Dr Grant. "And what have you decided upon?"

"It is to be Lovers’ Vows."

"Indeed," said Dr Grant, who had once attended a performance in London. "That is not the play I would have chosen for a private theatre."

"Now, Dr Grant, do not be disagreeable," said his wife. "Nobody loves a play better than you do. And are you to act, Miss Price?" she continued, taking a seat next to her by the fire."

"I am to play Agatha," replied Miss Price with happy complacency.

"And I take Frederick," said Mr Rushworth carelessly. "I was equally willing to have the Baron, but the others pressed me so hard, insisting that the whole play would be indescribably the weaker unless I should undertake it, that at the last I agreed to take it on, merely to be obliging."

"I see," replied Dr Grant, in a heavy tone. "In that case, I must tell you, sir, that I think it exceedingly improper, in the circumstances, for you to act with Miss Price."

"You must excuse me, sir, but I cannot agree," said Mr Rushworth peremptorily. "We shall, of course, shorten some of the speeches, and so forth, but otherwise I can see no objection on the grounds of propriety. The play has been staged in many respectable private theatres — indeed, I saw it put on at Pemberley only last year, though their cast was infinitely inferior to our own, even if I do say so myself."

"That may be," said Dr Grant heavily, "but my opinion remains the same. I think certain scenes in this play wholly unfit for private representation."

"Do not act anything improper, Fanny," said Lady Bertram, who had heard some part of their conversation from her position on the sopha. "Sir Thomas would not like it."

"I hope you will never have cause to reprove my conduct, Lady Bertram," said Fanny, modestly. "I am sure you never have before."

"Well, I have no such fears, sir, and no scruples worth the name," said Mr Rushworth, severely displeased with the clergyman’s interference. "If we are so very nice, we shall never act anything, and I could not wish for a finer début for my little theatre at Sotherton."