Elinor's office was a painful one.-She was going to remove what she really believed to be her sister's chief consolation,-to give such particulars of Edward,as she feared would ruin him for ever in her good opinion,-and to make Marianne,by a resemblance in their situations,which to her fancy would seem strong,feel all her own disappointment over again.But unwelcome as such a task must be,it was necessary to be done,and Elinor therefore hastened to perform it.
She was very far from wishing to dwell on her own feelings,or to represent herself as suffering much,any otherwise than as the self-command she had practised since her first knowledge of Edward's engagement,might suggest a hint of what was practicable to Marianne.Her narration was clear and simple;and though it could not be given without emotion,it was not accompanied by violent agitation,nor impetuous grief.-That belonged rather to the hearer,for Marianne listened with horror,and cried excessively.Elinor was to be the comforter of others in her own distresses,no less than in theirs;and all the comfort that could be given by assurances of her own composure of mind,and a very earnest vindication of Edward from every charge but of imprudence,was readily offered.
But Marianne for some time would give credit to neither.Edward seemed a second Willoughby;and acknowledging as Elinor did,that she had loved him most sincerely,could she feel less than herself!As for Lucy Steele,she considered her so totally unamiable,so absolutely incapable of attaching a sensible man,that she could not be persuaded at first to believe,and afterwards to pardon,any former affection of Edward for her.She would not even admit it to have been natural;and Elinor left her to be convinced that it was so,by that which only could convince her,a better knowledge of mankind.
Her first communication had reached no farther than to state the fact of the engagement,and the length of time it had existed.Marianne's feelings had then broken in,and put an end to all regularity of detail;and for some time all that could be done was to soothe her distress,lessen her alarms,and combat her resentment.The first question on her side,which led to farther particulars,was-
‘How long has this been known to you,Elinor?Has he written to you?’
‘I have known it these four months.When Lucy first came to Barton Park last November,she told me in confidence of her engagement.’
At these words,Marianne's eyes expressed the astonishment which her lips could not utter.After a pause of wonder,she exclaimed-
‘Four months!-Have you known of this four months?’
Elinor confirmed it.
‘What!-while attending me in all my misery,has this been on your heart?and I have reproached you for being happy!’
‘It was not fit that you should then know how much I was the reverse.’
‘Four months!’cried Marianne again.‘So calm!so cheerful!How have you been supported?’
‘By feeling that I was doing my duty.My promise to Lucy obliged me to be secret.I owed it to her,therefore,to avoid giving any hint of the truth;and I owed it to my family and friends not to create in them a solicitude about me,which it could not be in my power to satisfy.’
Marianne seemed much struck.
‘I have very often wished to undeceive yourself and my mother,’added Elinor;‘and once or twice I have attempted it;-but without betraying my trust,I never could have convinced you.’
‘Four months!-and yet you loved him!’
‘Yes.But I did not love only him;-and while the comfort of others was dear to me,I was glad to spare them from knowing how much I felt.Now,I can think and speak of it with little emotion.I would not have you suffer on my account;for I assure you I no longer suffer materially myself.I have many things to support me.I am not conscious of having provoked the disappointment by any imprudence of my own,and I have borne it as much as possible without spreading it farther.I acquit Edward of all essential misconduct.I wish him very happy;and I am so sure of his always doing his duty,that though now he may harbour some regret,in the end he must become so.Lucy does not want sense,and that is the foundation on which everything good may be built.And after all,Marianne,after all that is bewitching in the idea of a single and constant attachment,and all that can be said of one's happiness depending entirely on any particular person,it is not meant-it is not fit-it is not possible that it should be so.Edward will marry Lucy;he will marry a woman superior in person and understanding to half her sex;and time and habit will teach him to forget that he ever thought another superior to her.’
‘If such is your way of thinking,’said Marianne,‘if the loss of what is most valued is so easily to be made up by something else,your resolution,your self-command,are perhaps a little less to be wondered at.They are brought more within my comprehension.’
