An elegant, moderate-sized house in the centre of family connexions; continual engagements among them; commanding the first society in the neighbourhood; looked up to, perhaps, as leading it even more than those of larger fortune, and turning from the cheerful round of such amusements to nothing worse than a _tete-a-tete_ with the person one feels most agreeable in the world.

There is nothing frightful in such a picture, is there, Miss Price?
One need not envy the new Mrs.
Rushworth with such a home as _that_." "Envy Mrs.Rushworth!" was all that Fanny attempted to say.

"Come, come, it would be very un-handsome in us to be severe on Mrs.Rushworth, for I look forward to our owing her a great many gay, brilliant, happy hours.
I expect we shall be all very much at Sotherton another year.

Such a match as Miss Bertram has made is a public blessing; for the first pleasures of Mr.Rushworth's wife must be to fill her house, and give the best balls in the country." Fanny was silent, and Miss Crawford relapsed into thoughtfulness, till suddenly looking up at the end of a few minutes, she exclaimed, "Ah! here he is." It was not Mr.Rushworth, however, but Edmund, who then appeared walking towards them with Mrs.Grant.

"My sister and Mr.
Bertram.