Page:Austen - Mansfield Park, vol. I, 1814.djvu/303

 —that she need not be so scrupulous as I might feel necessary. I am sure she would argue so. No, you must excuse me, I cannot retract my consent. It is too far settled; every body would be so disappointed. Tom would be quite angry; and if we are so very nice, we shall never act any thing."

"I was just going to say the very same thing," said Mrs. Norris. "If every play is to be objected to, you will act nothing—and the preparations will be all so much money thrown away—and I am sure that would be a discredit to us all. I do not know the play, but as Maria says, if there is anything a little too warm (and it is so with most of them) it can be easily left out.—We must not be over precise Edmund. As Mr. Rushworth is to act too, there can be no harm.—I only wish Tom had known his own mind when the carpenters began, for there was the loss of half a day's work about those side doors.—The curtain will be a good job, however. The maids