Mansfield Park by Jane Austen Chapter 22 Page 15

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