happiest of lieutenants, because the latest made, to shew his
happiness and describe his uniform.
    He came; and he would have been delighted to shew his uniform there too, had
not cruel custom prohibited its appearance except on duty. So the uniform
remained at Portsmouth, and Edmund conjectured that before Fanny had any chance
of seeing it, all its own freshness, and all the freshness of its wearer's
feelings, must be worn away. It would be sunk into a badge of disgrace; for what
can be more unbecoming, or more worthless, than the uniform of a lieutenant, who
has been a lieutenant a year or two, and sees others made commanders before him?
So reasoned Edmund, till his father made him the confident of a scheme which
placed Fanny's chance of seeing the 2d lieutenant of H.M.S. Thrush, in all his
glory, in another light.
    This scheme was that she should accompany her brother back to Portsmouth,
and spend a little time with her own family. It had occurred to Sir Thomas, in
one of his dignified musings, as a right and desirable measure; but before he
absolutely made up his mind, he consulted his son. Edmund considered it every
way, and saw nothing but what was right. The thing was good in itself, and could
not be done at a better time; and he had no doubt of it being highly agreeable
to Fanny. This was enough to determine Sir Thomas; and a decisive then so it
shall be, closed that stage of the business; Sir Thomas retiring from it with
some feelings of satisfaction, and views of good over and above what he had
communicated to his son, for his prime motive in sending her away, had very
little to do with the propriety of her seeing her parents again, and nothing at
all with any idea of making her happy. He certainly wished her to go willingly,
but he as certainly wished her to be heartily sick of home before her visit
ended; and that a little abstinence from the elegancies and luxuries of
Mansfield Park, would bring her mind into a sober state, and incline her to a
juster estimate of the value of that home of greater permanence, and equal
comfort, of which she had the offer.
    It was a medicinal project upon his niece's understanding, which he must
consider as at present diseased. A residence of eight or nine years in the abode
of wealth and plenty had a little disordered her powers of comparing and
judging. Her Father's house would, in all probability, teach her the value