Murder at Mansfield Park

foolish trick, Julia, to be idling away all the day in the garden, when there is so much needlework to be done. If you have no work of
your own, I can supply you from the poor-basket here. There is all this new calico that your mother bought last week, not touched yet.’
    Julia was taking the work very quietly, when her aunt suddenly exclaimed once more. ‘Oh! For shame, Julia! How can you shew yourself in the drawing-room in such a disgraceful
state!—Look at you, quite covered with paint, and to be sure you have ruined this entire roll of cloth with your thoughtlessness. Do you have no thought for the waste of money?
Be off with you now, and wash yourself, before your father sees you and mistakes you for one of the lesser servants.’
    There was indeed a very small speck of ink, quite dry, on Julia’s hand, but she knew better than to contradict her aunt, however unjust her accusations, and returned to her room to remedy
it, her heart swelling with repressed injury at being so publicly mortified for so little cause. When she reappeared downstairs she was just in time to hear the name of her new friend. Maria had
not long returned from her daily ride with the old coachman, and related, with much liveliness, that he had never seen a young lady sit a horse better than Miss Crawford, when first put on.
    ‘I was sure she would ride well,’ Maria continued, ‘she has the make for it. Her figure is so neat and light.’
    ‘I am sure you are a fair judge, Maria,’ said Lady Bertram, ‘since you ride so well yourself. I only wish you could persuade Julia to learn. It is such a nice accomplishment
for a young lady.’
    Mrs Norris, who was still in a decidedly ill temper, seemed to find this inoffensive remark particularly provoking, and after muttering some thing about ‘the nonsense and folly of
people’s stepping out of their rank and trying to appear above themselves’, she observed in a louder tone, ‘I am sure Miss Crawford’s enjoyment of riding has much to do with
the fact that she is contriving to learn at no expense to herself . Or perhaps it is Edmund’ s attendance and instructions that make her so unwilling to dismount. Indeed, I cannot
see why Edmund should always have to prove his good-nature by everyone , however insignificant they are. What is Miss Crawford to us ?’
    ‘I admit,’ said Fanny, after a little consideration, ‘that I am a little surprised that Edmund can spend so many hours with Miss Crawford, and not see more of the sort
of fault which I observe every time I am with her. She has such a loud opinion of her own cleverness, and such an ill-bred insistence on commanding everyone’s attention, whenever she is in
company. And her manners, without being exactly coarse, can hardly be called refined . But needless to say I have scrupled to point out my observations to Edmund, lest it should appear like
ill-nature.’
    ‘Quite so,’ agreed Mrs Norris. ‘Miss Crawford lacks delicacy, and has neither refinement nor elegance. Ease, but not elegance. No elegance at all. Indeed, she is quite
the vainest, most affected, husband-hunting butterfly I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.’
    The gentlemen soon joined them, and Mr Norris took a seat by Miss Price, and being unaware of the conversation that had passed, ventured to ask her whether she wished him to
ride with her again the next day.
    ‘No, not if you have other plans,’ was her sweetly unselfish answer.
    ‘I do not have plans for myself,’ said he, ‘but I think Miss Crawford would be glad to have the chance to ride for a longer time. I am sure she would enjoy the circuit to
Mansfield-common. But I am, of course, unwilling to check a pleasure of yours,’ he said quickly, perhaps aware of the dead silence now reigning in the room, and his mother’s black
looks. ‘Indeed,’ he said, with sudden inspiration, turning to his cousins, ‘why should not more of us go? Why should we not make a little party?’
    All the young people were soon wild for the scheme, and even Fanny, once properly pressed and persuaded, eventually assented. Mrs Norris, on the other hand, was still trying to make up her mind
as to whether there was any necessity that Miss Crawford should be of the party at all, but all her hints to her son producing nothing, she was forced to content herself with merely recommending
that it should be Mr Bertram, rather than Mr Norris, who should walk down to the parsonage in the morning to