Mansfield Park: Chapter 10 Summary & Analysis

Twenty minutes go by and Fanny is still sitting on the bench, surprised to be left for so long. Maria, Mr. Rushworth, and Henry stumble upon her. Fanny explains her exhaustion and Edmund and Mary’s abandonment. Maria, Mr. Rushworth, and Henry sit down on the bench as well. They discuss the improvements Henry suggests, with Mr. Rushworth complacently agreeing to everything he mentions.

Maria says she would like to go through the iron gate into the park. Everyone agrees, and they decide to go to a knoll that they spot, that looks like it’s about a half mile away. Mr. Rushworth, however, has forgotten the key to the gate, and so he heads back to the house to get it.

With Mr. Rushworth gone, Maria and Henry discuss his thoughts on the house. Henry says it is bigger and grander than he expected, and then whispers that next summer he imagines he would not enjoy it as much. Maria is embarrassed, and replies with her doubts, which Henry protests.

There is a silence between them, and then Maria comments that Henry seemed to enjoy driving with Julia that morning. Henry says he does not even remember, and then recollects that he was telling her a story about an uncle’s servant, and that she loves to laugh. Maria asks if he finds Julia more light-hearted than herself, and Henry replies that she is more easily amused. Maria replies that, unlike Julia, she has more important things to think of, and Henry agrees, but thinks Maria should smile more anyway, since she has a lot to smile about. Maria agrees, but mentions that the iron gate is making her feel trapped.

Henry proposes that they jump the fence instead of waiting for the key. Maria agrees. Henry says that even if they are out of sight before he returns, Fanny can tell him where they’ve gone. Fanny protests that Maria will hurt herself climbing the fence, but as she is speaking Maria and Henry take off.

Fanny, alone again, is annoyed that Henry and Maria would do something so bold. She thinks sadly of Edmund and Mary, who seem to have forgotten her. Suddenly, Fanny hears footsteps, and Julia approaches, asking where everyone is. Fanny explains where Maria and Henry have gone, and Julia decides to try to catch up to them.

Fanny suggests that Julia should wait for Mr. Rushworth to arrive with the key, but Julia says that she has “had enough” of the Rushworths, having spent so much time with Mrs. Rushworth that morning. Fanny asks if Julia has at least seen Mr. Rushworth on her way from the house. Julia tells her she did, and that he was in a rush to get the key. Julia then jumps the fence and walks away.

Five minutes after Julia leaves, Mr. Rushworth shows up, and when Fanny explains that the others have not waited for him, he is upset. He stands before the gate, unsure of whether to cross. He says that by the time he would get to the knoll, they would likely already be gone, and sits down. Fanny does her best to console him.

Mr. Rushworth asks Fanny if she likes Henry as much as everyone else seems to, saying that he does not understand the appeal. Fanny says she does not think he is handsome, and Mr. Rushworth agrees, saying they were better off without the Crawfords. Fanny continues to try to sooth Mr. Rushworth’s hurt feelings, then tries to encourage him to catch up with Maria, Julia, and Henry. At last Mr. Rushworth agrees and sets off, going through the gate with his key and walking away.

Fanny turns her thoughts back to Mary and Edmund, and decides to go look for them. She finds them mid-laughter, having just crossed back into the woods. Fanny, whose romantic feelings for Edmund are by now fairly established, is upset that they had forgotten her.

On their way back toward the house, they run into Mrs. Rushworth and Mrs. Norris, who are just arriving to the woods. Mrs. Norris has enjoyed her time at the house so far because she has received cheese from Mrs. Rushworth and a heath plant from the gardener. They all return to the house to lounge in the salon and wait for the others to return.

Maria, Julia, Henry, and Mr. Rushworth return late. Things are still a little tense because Maria did not wait for her fiancé at the gate, and Julia and Mr. Rushworth seem gloomy. Henry and Maria are more spirited.

They all have dinner together, and then everyone loads back into the carriage for the drive back. Mrs. Norris settles in with all her gifts from Mrs. Rushworth and her staff. Henry suggests that Julia sit with him again up front, much to Julia’s delight and Maria’s disappointment. Mr. Rushworth says goodbye to Maria, helping her into the carriage.

As they drive away, Mrs. Norris comments that it was a good day for Fanny, and that she expects her to be grateful as a result. Maria makes a snarky comment about how Mrs. Norris has left with so many presents and is taking up so much carriage space with them. Mrs. Norris prattles on about where she got each of her gifts. When she is done, the carriage is quiet.