Page:Austen - Mansfield Park, vol. I, 1814.djvu/354

 man, set up for a fine actor, is very ridiculous in my opinion."

From this moment, there was a return of his former jealousy, which Maria from increasing hopes of Crawford, was at little pains to remove; and the chances of Mr. Rushworth's ever attaining to the knowledge of his two and forty speeches became much less. As to his ever making any thing tolerable of them, nobody had the smallest idea of that except his Mother—She, indeed, regretted that his part was not more considerable, and deferred coming over to Manfield till they were forward enough in their rehearsal to comprehend all his scenes, but the others aspired at nothing beyond his remembering the catchword, and the first line of his speech, and being able to follow the prompter through the rest. Fanny, in her pity and kind heartedness, was at great pains to teach him how to learn, giving kim all the helps and directions in her power,