"Not at all--I never saw him; but I fancy he is very unlike his brother--silly and a great coxcomb.""A great coxcomb!" repeated Miss Steele, whose ear had caught those words by a sudden pause in Marianne's music.--"Oh, they are talking of their favourite beaux, I dare say.""No sister," cried Lucy, "you are mistaken there, our favourite beaux are NOT great coxcombs.""I can answer for it that Miss Dashwood's is not,"said Mrs.Jennings, laughing heartily; "for he is one of the modestest, prettiest behaved young men I ever saw;but as for Lucy, she is such a sly little creature, there is no finding out who SHE likes.""Oh," cried Miss Steele, looking significantly round at them, "I dare say Lucy's beau is quite as modest and pretty behaved as Miss Dashwood's."Elinor blushed in spite of herself.Lucy bit her lip, and looked angrily at her sister.A mutual silence took place for some time.Lucy first put an end to it by saying in a lower tone, though Marianne was then giving them the powerful protection of a very magnificent concerto--"I will honestly tell you of one scheme which has lately come into my head, for bringing matters to bear;indeed I am bound to let you into the secret, for you are a party concerned.I dare say you have seen enough of Edward to know that he would prefer the church to every other profession; now my plan is that he should take orders as soon as he can, and then through your interest, which I am sure you would be kind enough to use out of friendship for him, and I hope out of some regard to me, your brother might be persuaded to give him Norland living;which I understand is a very good one, and the present incumbent not likely to live a great while.That would be enough for us to marry upon, and we might trust to time and chance for the rest.""I should always be happy," replied Elinor, "to show any mark of my esteem and friendship for Mr.Ferrars;but do you not perceive that my interest on such an occasion would be perfectly unnecessary? He is brother to Mrs.John Dashwood--THAT must be recommendation enough to her husband.""But Mrs.John Dashwood would not much approve of Edward's going into orders.""Then I rather suspect that my interest would do very little."They were again silent for many minutes.
At length Lucy exclaimed with a deep sigh, "I believe it would be the wisest way to put an end to the business at once by dissolving the engagement.
We seem so beset with difficulties on every side, that though it would make us miserable for a time, we should be happier perhaps in the end.But you will not give me your advice, Miss Dashwood?""No," answered Elinor, with a smile, which concealed very agitated feelings, "on such a subject I certainly will not.You know very well that my opinion would have no weight with you, unless it were on the side of your wishes.""Indeed you wrong me," replied Lucy, with great solemnity; "I know nobody of whose judgment I think so highly as I do of yours; and I do really believe, that if you was to say to me, 'I advise you by all means to put an end to your engagement with Edward Ferrars, it will be more for the happiness of both of you,'
I should resolve upon doing it immediately."Elinor blushed for the insincerity of Edward's future wife, and replied, "This compliment would effectually frighten me from giving any opinion on the subject had I formed one.It raises my influence much too high;the power of dividing two people so tenderly attached is too much for an indifferent person.""'Tis because you are an indifferent person,"said Lucy, with some pique, and laying a particular stress on those words, "that your judgment might justly have such weight with me.
If you could be supposed to be biased in any respect by your own feelings, your opinion would not be worth having."Elinor thought it wisest to make no answer to this, lest they might provoke each other to an unsuitable increase of ease and unreserve; and was even partly determined never to mention the subject again.Another pause therefore of many minutes' duration, succeeded this speech, and Lucy was still the first to end it.
"Shall you be in town this winter, Miss Dashwood?"said she with all her accustomary complacency.
"Certainly not."
"I am sorry for that," returned the other, while her eyes brightened at the information, "it would have gave me such pleasure to meet you there!
But I dare say you will go for all that.To be sure, your brother and sister will ask you to come to them.""It will not be in my power to accept their invitation if they do.""How unlucky that is! I had quite depended upon meeting you there.Anne and me are to go the latter end of January to some relations who have been wanting us to visit them these several years! But I only go for the sake of seeing Edward.He will be there in February, otherwise London would have no charms for me; I have not spirits for it."Elinor was soon called to the card-table by the conclusion of the first rubber, and the confidential discourse of the two ladies was therefore at an end, to which both of them submitted without any reluctance, for nothing had been said on either side to make them dislike each other less than they had done before;and Elinor sat down to the card table with the melancholy persuasion that Edward was not only without affection for the person who was to be his wife; but that he had not even the chance of being tolerably happy in marriage, which sincere affection on HER side would have given, for self-interest alone could induce a woman to keep a man to an engagement, of which she seemed so thoroughly aware that he was weary.
From this time the subject was never revived by Elinor, and when entered on by Lucy, who seldom missed an opportunity of introducing it, and was particularly careful to inform her confidante, of her happiness whenever she received a letter from Edward, it was treated by the former with calmness and caution, and dismissed as soon as civility would allow;for she felt such conversations to be an indulgence which Lucy did not deserve, and which were dangerous to herself.
The visit of the Miss Steeles at Barton Park was lengthened far beyond what the first invitation implied.
Their favour increased; they could not be spared;Sir John would not hear of their going; and in spite of their numerous and long arranged engagements in Exeter, in spite of the absolute necessity of returning to fulfill them immediately, which was in full force at the end of every week, they were prevailed on to stay nearly two months at the park, and to assist in the due celebration of that festival which requires a more than ordinary share of private balls and large dinners to proclaim its importance.
