Chapter 253.docx

Chapter 253.docx

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Chapter253

Chapter25

THOUGHMrs.Jenningswasinthehabitofspendingalargeportionoftheyearatthehousesofherchildrenandfriends,shewasnotwithoutasettledhabitationofherown.Sincethedeathofherhusband,whohadtradedwithsuccessinalesselegantpartofthetown,shehadresidedeverywinterinahouseinoneofthestreetsnearPortmanSquare.Towardsthishome,shebegan,ontheapproachofJanuary,toturnherthoughts;andthithersheonedayabruptly,andveryunexpectedlybythem,askedtheelderMissesDashwoodtoaccompanyher.Elinor,withoutobservingthevaryingcomplexionofhersister,andtheanimatedlookwhichspokenoindifferencetotheplan,immediatelygaveagratefulbutabsolutedenialforboth,inwhichshebelievedherselftobespeakingtheirunitedinclinations.Thereasonallegedwastheirdeterminedresolutionofnotleavingtheirmotheratthattimeoftheyear.Mrs.Jenningsreceivedtherefusalwithsomesurprise,andrepeatedherinvitationimmediately."Oh,Lord!

Iamsureyourmothercanspareyouverywell,andIdobegyouwillfavourmewithyourcompany,forI'vequitesetmyheartuponit.Don'tfancythatyouwillbeanyinconveniencetome,forIshan'tputmyselfatalloutofmywayforyou.ItwillonlybesendingBettybythecoach,andIhopeIcanaffordthat.Wethreeshallbeabletogoverywellinmychaise;and,whenweareintown,ifyoudonotliketogowhereverIdo,wellandgood,youmayalwaysgowithoneofmydaughters.Iamsureyourmotherwillnotobjecttoit;forIhavehadsuchgoodluckingettingmyownchildrenoffmyhandsthatshewillthinkmeaveryfitpersontohavethechargeofyou;andifIdon'tgetoneofyou,atleast,wellmarriedbeforeIhavedonewithyou,itshallnotbemyfault.Ishallspeakagoodwordforyoutoalltheyoungmen,youmaydependuponit.""Ihaveanotion,"saidSirJohn,"thatMissMariannewouldnotobjecttosuchascheme,ifhereldersisterwouldcomeintoit.Itisveryhard,indeed,thatsheshouldnothavealittlepleasure,becauseMissDashwooddoesnotwishit.SoIwouldadviseyoutwotosetofffortown,whenyouaretiredofBarton,withoutsayingawordtoMissDashwoodaboutit.""Nay,"criedMrs.Jennings,"IamsureIshallbemonstrousgladofMissMarianne'scompany,whetherMissDashwoodwillgoornot,onlythemorethemerriersayI,andIthoughtitwouldbemorecomfortableforthemtobetogether;because,iftheygottiredofme,theymighttalktooneanother,andlaughatmyoldwaysbehindmyback.Butoneortheother,ifnotbothofthem,Imusthave.Lordblessme!

howdoyouthinkIcanlivepokingbymyself;Iwhohavebeenalwaysused,tillthiswinter,tohaveCharlottewithme.Come,MissMarianne,letusstrikehandsuponthebargain,andifMissDashwoodwillchangehermindby-and-by,whysomuchthebetter.""Ithankyou,ma'am,sincerelythankyou,"saidMarianne,withwarmth:

"yourinvitationhasinsuredmygratitudeforever;anditwouldgivemesuchhappiness-yes,almostthegreatesthappinessIamcapableof-tobeabletoacceptit.Butmymother,mydearest,kindestmother-IfeelthejusticeofwhatElinorhasurged,andifsheweretobemadelesshappy,lesscomfortablebyourabsence-oh,no,nothingshouldtemptmetoleaveher.Itshouldnot,mustnotbeastruggle."Mrs.JenningsrepeatedherassurancethatMrs.Dashwoodcouldsparethemperfectlywell;andElinor,whonowunderstoodhersister,andsawtowhatindifferencetoalmosteverythingelseshewascarriedbyhereagernesstobewithWilloughbyagain,madenofartherdirectoppositiontotheplan,andmerelyreferredittohermother'sdecision,fromwhom,however,shescarcelyexpectedtoreceiveanysupportinherendeavourtopreventavisitwhichshecouldnotapproveofforMarianne,andwhich,onherownaccount,shehadparticularreasonstoavoid.WhateverMariannewasdesirousof,hermotherwouldbeeagertopromote:

-shecouldnotexpecttoinfluencethelattertocautiousnessofconductinanaffairrespectingwhichshehadneverbeenabletoinspireherwithdistrust;andshedarednotexplainthemotiveofherowndisinclinationforgoingtoLondon.ThatMarianne,fastidiousasshewas,thoroughlyacquaintedwithMrs.Jennings'smanners,andinvariablydisgustedbythem,shouldoverlookeveryinconvenienceofthatkind,shoulddisregardwhatevermustbemostwoundingtoherirritablefeelings,inherpursuitofoneobject,wassuchaproof,sostrong,sofulloftheimportanceofthatobjecttoher,asElinor,inspiteofallthathadpassed,wasnotpreparedtowitness.

Onbeinginformedoftheinvitation,Mrs.Dashwood,persuadedthatsuchanexcursionwouldbeproductiveofmuchamusementtobothherdaughters,andperceiving,throughallheraffectionateattentiontoherself,howmuchtheheartofMariannewasinit,wouldnothearoftheirdecliningtheofferuponheraccount;insistedontheirbothacceptingitdirectly;andthenbegantoforsee,withherusualcheerfulness,avarietyofadvantagesthatwouldaccruetothemallfromthisseparation."Iamdelightedwiththeplan,"shecried,"itisexactlywhatIcouldwish.MargaretandIshallbeasmuchbenefitedbyitasyourselves.WhenyouandtheMiddletonsaregone,weshallgoonsoquietlyandhappilytogetherwithourbooksandourmusic!

YouwillfindMargaretsoimprovedwhenyoucomebackagain!

Ihavealittleplanofalterationforyourbedroomstoo,whichmaynowbeperformedwithoutanyinconveniencetoanyone.Itisveryrightthatyoushouldgototown;IwouldhaveeveryyoungwomanofyourconditioninlifeacquaintedwiththemannersandamusementsofLondon.Youwillbeunderthecareofamotherly,goodsortofwoman,ofwhosekindnesstoyouIcanhavenodoubt.Andinallprobabilityyouwillseeyourbrother;andwhatevermaybehisfaults,orthefaultsofhiswife,whenIconsiderwhosesonheis,Icannotbeartohaveyousowhollyestrangedfromeachother.""Thoughwithyourusualanxietyforourhappiness,"saidElinor,"youhavebeenobviatingeveryimpedimenttothepresentschemewhichoccurredtoyou,thereisstilloneobjectionwhich,inmyopinion,cannotbesoeasilyremoved."Marianne'scountenancesunk."Andwhat,"saidMrs.Dashwood,"ismydear,prudentElinorgoingtosuggest?

Whatformidableobstacleisshenowtobringforward?

Doletmehearawordabouttheexpenseofit.""Myobjectionisthis;thoughIthinkverywellofMrs.Jennings'sheart,sheisnotawomanwhosesocietycanafforduspleasure,orwhoseprotectionwillgiveusconsequence.""Thatisverytrue,"repliedhermother,"butofhersociety,separatelyfromthatofotherpeople,youwillscarcelyhaveanythingatall,andyouwillalmostalwaysappearinpublicwithLadyMiddleton.""IfElinorisfrightenedawaybyherdislikeofMrs.Jennings,"saidMarianne,"atleastitneednotpreventmyacceptingherinvitation.Ihavenosuchscruples;andIamsureIcouldputupwitheveryunpleasantnessofthatkindwithverylittleeffort."Elinorcouldnothelpsmilingatthisdisplayofindifferencetowardsthemannersofaperson,towhomshehadoftenhaddifficultyinpersuadingMariannetobehavewithtolerablepoliteness;andresolvedwithinherself,thatifhersisterpersistedingoing,shewouldgolikewise,asshedidnotthinkitproperthatMarianneshouldbelefttothesoleguidanceofherownjudgment,orthatMrs.JenningsshouldbeabandonedtothemercyofMarianne,forallthecomfortofherdomestichours.Tothisdeterminationshewasthemoreeasilyreconciled,byrecollectingthatEdwardFerrars,byLucy'saccount,wasnottobeintownbeforeFebruary;andthattheirvisit,withoutanyunreasonableabridgement,mightbepreviouslyfinished."Iwillhaveyoubothgo,"saidMrs.Dashwood;"theseobjectionsarenonsensical.YouwillhavemuchpleasureinbeinginLondon,andespeciallyinbeingtogether;andifElinorwouldevercondescendtoanticipateenjoyment,shewouldforeseeittherefromavarietyofsources;shewould,perhaps,expectsomefromimprovingheracquaintancewithhersister-in-law'sfamily."Elinorhadoftenwishedforanopportunityofattemptingtoweakenhermother'sdependenceontheattachmentofEdwardandherself,thattheshockmightbelesswhenthewholetruthwererevealed;andnow,onthisattack,thoughalmosthopelessofsuccess,sheforcedherselftobeginherdesign,bysaying,ascalmlyasshecould,"IlikeEdwardFerrarsverymuch,andshallalwaysbegladtoseehim;butastotherestofthefamily,itisamatterofperfectindifferencetome,whetherIameverknowntothemornot."Mrs.Dashwoodsmiled,andsaidnothing.Mariannelifteduphereyesinastonishment,andElinorconjecturedthatshemightaswellhaveheldhertongue.

Afterverylittlefartherdiscourse,itwasfinallysettledthattheinvitationshouldbefullyaccepted.Mrs.Jenningsreceivedtheinformationwithagreatdealofjoy,andmanyassurancesofkindnessandcare;norwasitamatterofpleasuremerelytoher.SirJohnwasdelighted;fortoaman,whoseprevailinganxietywasthedreadofbeingalone,theacquisitionoftwo,tothenumberofinhabitantsinLondon,wassomething.EvenLadyMiddletontookthetroubleofbeingdelighted,whichwasputtingherselfratheroutofherway;andasfortheMissesSteele,especiallyLucy,theyhadneverbeensohappyintheirlivesasthisintelligencemadethem.Elinorsubmittedtothearrangementwhichcounteractedherwisheswithlessreluctancethanshehadexpectedtofeel.Withregardtoherself,itwasnowamatterofunconcernwhethershewenttotownornot;andwhenshesawhermothersothoroughlypleasedwiththeplan,andhersisterexhilaratedbyitinlook,voice,andmanne