Revisit Mansfield Park by Ozcandarli Sarah

Author:Ozcandarli, Sarah
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unknown
Published: 2014-08-08T00:00:00+00:00

A Crisis, Part I

In the previous week Fanny had received frequent letters from her aunt, informing her of the substance of Edmund's daily note sent to apprise his mother and father of Tom's condition. Lady Bertram wrote serenely of her frights and her fears for the suffering invalid, possibly even enjoying the drama, because while she was comfortable on her sofa it was beyond the capacity of her imagination to realize Tom's feverish misery and aching head; and Fanny, knowing her aunt's limitations in this regard, wished she could have one line from Edmund, to explain Tom's situation without the superfluous drama her aunt used to fill out her letters.

Only when Edmund brought the invalid home to Mansfield, did Lady Bertram's letter-writing style express her very real fright at the sight of Tom, pale and wasted from his long illness, in pain, and once again feverish after his journey, and that journey taken perhaps too soon in Tom's eagerness to be at home. The fever abated after a week at Mansfield; during that week Lady Bertram was much alarmed, and her letters conveyed her deep concern to Fanny, who was very unhappy to be away from Mansfield Park at such a time when she could have been so useful to her aunt, reading to her, calming her fears, and preparing her for whatever might be; while Fanny remained in Portsmouth her aunt Bertram was instead in the care of Mrs. Norris, who would inflate any worries beyond reason, to increase her own importance. Lady Bertram's letters were eloquent in her wish that Fanny was with her at Mansfield, but no word came regarding how or when she was to be conveyed thither.

A week after bringing Tom back to Mansfield, Fanny received a short note from Edmund, which explained the views of Dr. Campbell, Mansfield's physician, with greater clarity. Though his fever was much reduced, Tom remained afflicted with the hectic symptoms tending to suggest consumption. The family were not prone to consumption, still, they were worried about Tom's lungs.

As Fanny understood more of Tom's condition, and of Edmund's and Sir Thomas' anxiety, and of Lady Bertram's earnest longing for herself, she wished urgently to be at Mansfield, and felt dejected and almost rejected to be left at her father's house, when she would have been so useful at home. Her letters to and from Mr. Crawford had alleviated her homesickness in March and the beginning of April, and Susan had made ample amends for Fanny being so long away from Mansfield, but now, reading daily of how much her aunt wanted her, Fanny yearned almost unbearably for Mansfield. Only Susan shared Fanny's interest and concern for the Bertram family, though she did not know Edmund and Lady Bertram except by Fanny's report, still Susan cared, if not absolutely as much as Fanny did, her concern for Fanny made up the difference. Fanny was astonished that Maria and Julia were not home at such a time; her aunt wrote that Julia had offered to come to Mansfield if she was wanted, but would evidently rather stay in London.

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