I agree. Mary’s callousness is visible early when she complacently watches Henry’s progress making both the Miss Bertrams in love with him and especially when she left Fanny to her fate after Henry explained his plan to put a hole in her heart. Mary was astonished at Mrs. Norris’ tirade in Ch. 15 and is kind to Fanny I feel partly from empathy. In her opinion Henry’s conquests are for the most part unworthy of empathy: “there is this to be said, that very few young ladies have any affections worth caring for (36). She has been increasing cruel to Edmund in her attacks on him and the clergy and of course she had no empathy for Maria’s broken heart or she would not torture her with Henry. I feel there is a trail of callousness through the text that leads to and makes her lack of empathy for a dying Tom and his family just another more icky degree of callousness that we have seen before rather than a new trait. I think on each reread of MP these feelings are more pronounced or rather perhaps standout more from the appealing nature of her wit, charm and lively manner. (:D)