Chapter 35 Summary
Edmund insists that Fanny walk with him around the grounds of Mansfield Park so that they can talk. He begins by telling her that he would never suggest that she marry for anything less than love. This lightens Fanny’s heart. She had been thinking Edmund was as disappointed in her as Sir Thomas is, but Edmund is not content to leave the subject of Henry alone. He talks of Henry’s merits and believes that in time Fanny will see them too. Fanny insists that no matter what Henry does, he will never win her heart.
At this, Edmund is a little saddened. He says she does not sound like the Fanny he once knew. She sounds irrational, whereas the Fanny he knows is open minded and clear thinking. Edmund says if he had been home sooner, he would have advised Henry on how to approach Fanny. Henry should not have admitted his feelings so abruptly. Edmund knows that Fanny is not impressed with novelty. She is more comfortable with habit.
Fanny insists that no matter how he had confronted her, he and she would never get along together. They are so different. They would never be happy. She would be miserable if she married him.
Edmund disagrees. From his point of view, both Fanny and Henry are warm hearted. They both love literature, as was proven the previous night while Henry was reading Shakespeare and Fanny was enthralled. Although Fanny is more serious than Henry is, Edmund advises her that Henry’s cheerfulness will lift her spirits. Some opposition in a marriage is good, Edmund says. When he says this, Fanny wonders if Edmund is also thinking of his relationship with Mary.
Fanny refers to the days when the group was rehearsing to put on the play while Sir Thomas was still in Antigua. She reminds Edmund how objectionable Henry was acting. He was very insulting of Mr. Rushworth and acted completely unconcerned with his feelings.
Henry tells her not to remind him of those days. Everyone was wrong. He includes himself as well as his sisters in this statement. Those times, Edmund says, were not a good reflection of people’s characters. Then Edmund adds that although Henry appeared frivolous and unconcerned back then, his love of Fanny has greatly improved him. Edmund then excuses both Henry’s and Mary’s character flaws by referring to their incompetent upbringings.
Edmund concludes their conversation by talking of his previous night’s discussion with the Crawfords and the Grants. Edmund says Mrs. Grant is very excited about the prospects of Fanny’s marrying Henry, and Mary so admires Fanny. Fanny tells Edmund that she was afraid that both women were angry with her for not accepting Henry’s proposal. Edmund reassures Fanny that they feel nothing but love for her.
Fanny is not moved. Instead, she feels quietly disappointed. She wonders why both women do not see that she cannot love their brother. There was never any hint of love from Henry until just a few days ago when he announced it to Fanny. As women, Fanny thinks, Mrs. Grant and Mary should understand her reluctance.
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