Two posts came in, and brought no refutation, public or private.

There was no second letter to explain away the first from Miss Crawford; there was no intelligence from Mansfield, though it was now full time for her to hear again from her aunt.

This was an evil omen.

She had, indeed, scarcely the shadow of a hope to soothe her mind, and was reduced to so low and wan and trembling a condition, as no mother, not unkind, except Mrs.Price could have overlooked, when the third day did bring the sickening knock, and a letter was again put into her hands.

It bore the London postmark, and came from Edmund.
"Dear Fanny,--You know our present wretchedness.