‘But it is not to be imagined that she lives up to her income.Few people of common prudence will do that;and whatever she saves,she will be able to dispose of.’
‘And do you not think it more likely that she should leave it to her daughters,than to us?’
‘Her daughters are both exceedingly well married,and therefore I cannot perceive the necessity of her remembering them farther.Whereas,in my opinion,by her taking so much notice of you,and treating you in this kind of way,she has given you a sort of claim on her future consideration,which a conscientious woman would not disregard.Nothing can be kinder than her behaviour;and she can hardly do all this,without being aware of the expectations she raises.’
‘But she raises none in those most concerned.Indeed,brother,your anxiety for our welfare and prosperity carries you too far.’
‘Why,to be sure,’said he,seeming to recollect himself,‘people have little,have very little in their power.But,my dear Elinor,what is the matter with Marianne?-she looks very unwell,has lost her colour,and is grown quite thin.Is she ill?’
‘She is not well,she has had a nervous complaint on her for several weeks.’
‘I am sorry for that.At her time of life,anything of an illness destroys the bloom for ever!Hers has been a very short one!She was as handsome a girl last September as any I ever saw,and as likely to attract the men.There was something in her style of beauty to please them particularly.I remember Fanny used to say that she would marry sooner and better than you did;not but what she is exceedingly fond of you-but so it happened to strike her.She will be mistaken,however.I question whether Marianne now will marry a man worth more than five or six hundred a-year at the utmost,and I am very much deceived if you do not do better.Dorsetshire!I know very little of Dorsetshire,but,my dear Elinor,I shall be exceedingly glad to know more of it;and I think I can answer for your having Fanny and myself among the earliest and best pleased of your visitors.’
Elinor tried very seriously to convince him that there was no likelihood of her marrying Colonel Brandon;but it was an expectation of too much pleasure to himself to be relinquished,and he was really resolved on seeking an intimacy with that gentleman,and promoting the marriage by every possible attention.He had just compunction enough for having done nothing for his sisters himself,to be exceedingly anxious that everybody else should do a great deal;and an offer from Colonel Brandon,or a legacy from Mrs Jennings,was the easiest means of atoning for his own neglect.
They were lucky enough to find Lady Middleton at home,and Sir John came in before their visit ended.Abundance of civilities passed on all sides.Sir John was ready to like anybody,and though Mr Dashwood did not seem to know much about horses,he soon set him down as a very good-natured fellow;while Lady Middleton saw enough of fashion in his appearance to think his acquaintance worth having;and Mr Dashwood went away delighted with both.
‘I shall have a charming account to carry to Fanny,’said he,as he walked back with his sister.‘Lady Middleton is really a most elegant woman!such a woman as I am sure Fanny will be glad to know.And Mrs Jennings too,an exceedingly well-behaved woman,though not so elegant as her daughter.Your sister need not have any scruple even of visiting her,which,to say the truth,has been a little the case,and very naturally;for we only knew that Mrs Jennings was the widow of a man who had got all his money in a low way;and Fanny and Mrs Ferrars were both strongly prepossessed that neither she nor her daughters were such kind of women as Fanny would like to associate with.But now I can carry her a most satisfactory account of both.’
Chapter 34
Mrs John Dashwood had so much confidence in her husband's judgment,that she waited the very next day both on Mrs Jennings and her daughter;and her confidence was rewarded by finding even the former,even the woman with whom her sisters were staying,by no means unworthy her notice;and as for Lady Middleton,she found her one of the most charming women in the world!
Lady Middleton was equally pleased with Mrs Dashwood.There was a kind of cold-hearted selfishness on both sides,which mutually attracted them;and they sympathised with each other in an insipid propriety of demeanour,and a general want of understanding.
The same manners,however,which recommended Mrs John Dashwood to the good opinion of Lady Middleton,did not suit the fancy of Mrs Jennings,and to her she appeared nothing more than a little proud-looking woman of uncordial address,who met her husband's sisters without any affection,and almost without having anything to say to them;for of the quarter of an hour bestowed on Berkeley Street,she sat at least seven minutes and a half in silence.
Elinor wanted very much to know,though she did not choose to ask,whether Edward was then in town;but nothing would have induced Fanny voluntarily to mention his name before her,till able to tell her that his marriage with Miss Morton was resolved on,or till her husband's expectations on Colonel Brandon were answered;because she believed them still so very much attached to each other,that they could not be too sedulously divided in word and deed on every occasion.The intelligence,however,which she would not give,soon flowed from another quarter.Lucy came very shortly to claim Elinor's compassion on being unable to see Edward,though he had arrived in town with Mr and Mrs Dashwood.He dared not come to Bartlett's Buildings for fear of detection,and though their mutual impatience to meet was not to be told,they could do nothing at present but write.
Edward assured them himself of his being in town,within a very short time,by twice calling in Berkeley Street.Twice was his card found on the table,when they returned from their morning's engagements.Elinor was pleased that he had called,and still more pleased that she had missed him.
