Page:Austen - Mansfield Park, vol. I, 1814.djvu/318

 be the smallest difficulty in filling it, he added.—We have but to speak the word; we may pick and chuse.—I could name at this moment at least six young men within six miles of us, who are wild to be admitted into our company, and there are one or two that would not disgrace us.—I should not be afraid to trust either of the Olivers or Charles Maddox.—Tom Oliver is a very clever fellow, and Charles Maddox is as gentlemanlike a man as you will see any where, so I will take my horse early to-morrow morning, and ride over to Stoke, and settle with one of them."

While he spoke, Maria was looking apprehensively round at Edmund in full expectation that he must oppose such an enlargement of the plan as this—so contrary to all their first protestations; but Edmund said nothing.—After a moment's thought, Miss Crawford calmly replied, "As far as I am concerned, I can have no objection to any