that she should be so callous (I always saw her that way), but I was surpised at the blunt directness with which she openly tell her thoughts. I find that she's usually better able to sell her case. I think she slipped up here. The letter from Mary to Fanny in Chapter 40 that we were discussing earlier confirmed her callousness to me, and is also an example of how she tried to sell her case very well (she is soooo loyal to Fanny).

I find it interesting that she writes in this letter:

"And now, do not trouble yourself to be ashamed of either my feelings or your own. Believe me, they are not only natural, they are philanthropic and virtuous. I put it to your conscience, whether ‘Sir Edmund’ would not do more good with all the Bertram property than any other possible ‘Sir.’"

I think this shows that she really assumes that Fanny (and probably Edmund and everybody else) thinks just like she does. She really finds these thoughts perfectly natural.

I suppose they are thoughts that might cross anyone's mind, the natural train of thought about what would happen if soandso died, etc., especially if that person happened to be very ill. But her thoughts go beyond this simple train of thought. She has an interest in Edmund having as much money as possible and, from her perspective, has invested a lot of her feeling in him. Now she's already seeing herself as Lady Bertram, married to the great Sir Edmund. I find this letter shows the opportunist in her yet again, able to celebrate Edmund's "promotion" by the death of his brother. This may even show her as a more devious, calculating, designing and manipulative type of person, that I have often felt her to be, but couldn't quite yet grasp.