With strong concern, and with many reproaches for not being called to their aid, did Mrs.Jennings hear in the morning of what had passed.Her former apprehensions, now with greater reason restored, left her no doubt of the event; and though trying to speak comfort to Elinor, her conviction of her sister's danger would not allow her to offer the comfort of hope.Her heart was really grieved.
The rapid decay, the early death of a girl so young, so lovely as Marianne, must have struck a less interested person with concern.On Mrs.Jennings's compassion she had other claims.She had been for three months her companion, was still under her care, and she was known to have been greatly injured, and long unhappy.
The distress of her sister too, particularly a favourite, was before her;--and as for their mother, when Mrs.Jennings considered that Marianne might probably be to HER what Charlotte was to herself, her sympathy in HER sufferings was very sincere.
Mr.Harris was punctual in his second visit;--but he came to be disappointed in his hopes of what the last would produce.His medicines had failed;--the fever was unabated; and Marianne only more quiet--not more herself--remained in a heavy stupor.Elinor, catching all, and more than all, his fears in a moment, proposed to call in further advice.But he judged it unnecessary: he had still something more to try, some more fresh application, of whose success he was as confident as the last, and his visit concluded with encouraging assurances which reached the ear, but could not enter the heart of Miss Dashwood.
She was calm, except when she thought of her mother;but she was almost hopeless; and in this state she continued till noon, scarcely stirring from her sister's bed, her thoughts wandering from one image of grief, one suffering friend to another, and her spirits oppressed to the utmost by the conversation of Mrs.Jennings, who scrupled not to attribute the severity and danger of this attack to the many weeks of previous indisposition which Marianne's disappointment had brought on.
Elinor felt all the reasonableness of the idea, and it gave fresh misery to her reflections.
About noon, however, she began--but with a caution--a dread of disappointment which for some time kept her silent, even to her friend--to fancy, to hope she could perceive a slight amendment in her sister's pulse;--she waited, watched, and examined it again and again;--and at last, with an agitation more difficult to bury under exterior calmness, than all her foregoing distress, ventured to communicate her hopes.Mrs.Jennings, though forced, on examination, to acknowledge a temporary revival, tried to keep her young friend from indulging a thought of its continuance;--and Elinor, conning over every injunction of distrust, told herself likewise not to hope.But it was too late.
Hope had already entered; and feeling all its anxious flutter, she bent over her sister to watch--she hardly knew for what.
Half an hour passed away, and the favourable symptom yet blessed her.Others even arose to confirm it.
Her breath, her skin, her lips, all flattered Elinor with signs of amendment; and Marianne fixed her eyes on her with a rational, though languid, gaze.Anxiety and hope now oppressed her in equal degrees, and left her no moment of tranquillity till the arrival of Mr.Harris at four o'clock;--when his assurances, his felicitations on a recovery in her sister even surpassing his expectation, gave her confidence, comfort, and tears of joy.
