Chapter 117.docx
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Chapter 117.docx
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Chapter117
Chapter11
LITTLEhadMrs.Dashwoodorherdaughtersimagined,whentheyfirstcameintoDevonshire,thatsomanyengagementswouldarisetooccupytheirtimeasshortlypresentedthemselves,orthattheyshouldhavesuchfrequentinvitationsandsuchconstantvisitorsastoleavethemlittleleisureforseriousemployment.Yetsuchwasthecase.WhenMariannewasrecovered,theschemesofamusementathomeandabroad,whichSirJohnhadbeenpreviouslyforming,wereputintoexecution.TheprivateballsattheParkthenbeganandpartiesonthewaterweremadeandaccomplishedasoftenasashoweryOctoberwouldallow.IneverymeetingofthekindWilloughbywasincluded;andtheeaseandfamiliaritywhichnaturallyattendedthesepartieswereexactlycalculatedtogiveincreasingintimacytohisacquaintancewiththeDashwoods,toaffordhimopportunityofwitnessingtheexcellenciesofMarianne,ofmarkinghisanimatedadmirationofher,andofreceiving,inherbehaviourtohimself,themostpointedassuranceofheraffection.Elinorcouldnotbesurprisedattheirattachment.Sheonlywishedthatitwerelessopenlyshown;andonceortwicedidventuretosuggesttheproprietyofsomeself-commandtoMarianne.ButMarianneabhorredallconcealmentwherenorealdisgracecouldattendunreserve;andtoaimattherestraintofsentimentswhichwerenotinthemselvesillaudable,appearedtohernotmerelyanunnecessaryeffort,butadisgracefulsubjectionofreasontocommon-placeandmistakennotions.Willoughbythoughtthesame;andtheirbehaviouratalltimes,wasanillustrationoftheiropinions.Whenhewaspresentshehadnoeyesforanyoneelse.Everythinghedidwasright.Everythinghesaidwasclever.IftheireveningsattheParkwereconcludedwithcards,hecheatedhimselfandalltherestofthepartytogetheragoodhand.Ifdancingformedtheamusementofthenight,theywerepartnersforhalfthetime;andwhenobligedtoseparateforacoupleofdances,werecarefultostandtogether,andscarcelyspokeawordtoanybodyelse.Suchconductmadethem,ofcourse,mostexceedinglylaughedat;butridiculecouldnotshame,andseemedhardlytoprovokethem.Mrs.Dashwoodenteredintoalltheirfeelingswithawarmthwhichlefthernoinclinationforcheckingthisexcessivedisplayofthem.Toheritwasbutthenaturalconsequenceofastrongaffectioninayoungandardentmind.
ThiswastheseasonofhappinesstoMarianne.HerheartwasdevotedtoWilloughby;andthefondattachmenttoNorland,whichshebroughtwithherfromSussex,wasmorelikelytobesoftenedthanshehadthoughtitpossiblebeforebythecharmswhichhissocietybestowedonherpresenthome.
Elinor'shappinesswasnotsogreat.Herheartwasnotsomuchatease,norhersatisfactionintheiramusementssopure.Theyaffordedhernocompanionthatcouldmakeamendsforwhatshehadleftbehind,northatcouldteachhertothinkofNorlandwithlessregretthanever.NeitherLadyMiddletonnorMrs.Jenningscouldsupplytohertheconversationshemissed;althoughthelatterwasaneverlastingtalker,andfromthefirsthadregardedherwithakindnesswhichensuredheralargeshareofherdiscourse.ShehadalreadyrepeatedherownhistorytoElinorthreeorfourtimes!
andhadElinor'smemorybeenequaltohermeansofimprovement,shemighthaveknown,veryearlyinheracquaintance,alltheparticularsofMr.Jenning'slastillness,andwhathesaidtohiswifeafewminutesbeforehedied.LadyMiddletonwasmoreagreeablethanhermotheronlyinbeingmoresilent.Elinorneededlittleobservationtoperceivethatherreservewasamerecalmnessofmanner,withwhichsensehadnothingtodo.Towardsherhusbandandmothershewasthesameastothem;andintimacywas,therefore,neithertobelookedfornordesired.Shehadnothingtosayonedaythatshehadnotsaidthedaybefore.Herinsipiditywasinvariable,forevenherspiritswerealwaysthesame;andthoughshedidnotopposethepartiesarrangedbyherhusband,providedeverythingwereconductedinstyle,andhertwoeldestchildrenattendedher,sheneverappearedtoreceivemoreenjoymentfromthemthanshemighthaveexperiencedinsittingathome;andsolittledidherpresenceaddtothepleasureoftheothers,byanyshareintheirconversation,thattheyweresometimesonlyremindedofherbeingamongstthembyhersolicitudeabouthertroublesomeboys.
InColonelBrandonalone,ofallhernewacquaintance,didElinorfindapersonwhocould,inanydegree,claimtherespectofabilities,excitetheinterestoffriendship,orgivepleasureasacompanion.Willoughbywasoutofthequestion.Heradmirationandregard,evenhersisterlyregard,wasallhisown;buthewasalover;hisattentionswerewhollyMarianne's,andafarlessagreeablemanmighthavebeenmoregenerallypleasing.ColonelBrandon,unfortunatelyforhimself,hadnosuchencouragementtothinkonlyofMarianne,andinconversingwithElinorhefoundconsolationfortheindifferenceofhersister.
Elinor'scompassionforhimincreased,asshehadreasontosuspectthatthemiseryofdisappointedlovehadalreadybeenknowntohim.ThissuspicionwasgivenbysomewordswhichaccidentlydroppedfromhimoneeveningatthePark,whentheyweresittingdowntogetherbymutualconsent,whiletheothersweredancing.HiseyeswerefixedonMarianne,and,afterasilenceofsomeminutes,hesaid,withafaintsmile,"Yoursister,Iunderstand,doesnotapproveofsecondattachments.""No,"repliedElinor,"heropinionsareallromantic.""Orrather,asIbelieve,sheconsidersthemimpossibletoexist.""Ibelieveshedoes.Buthowshecontrivesitwithoutreflectingonthecharacterofherownfather,whohadhimselftwowives,Iknownot.Afewyears,however,willsettleheropinionsonthereasonablebasisofcommonsenseandobservation;andthentheymaybemoreeasytodefineandtojustifythantheynoware,byanybodybutherself.""Thiswillprobablybethecase,"hereplied;"andyetthereissomethingsoamiableintheprejudicesofayoungmind,thatoneissorrytoseethemgivewaytothereceptionofmoregeneralopinions.""Icannotagreewithyouthere,"saidElinor."Thereareinconveniencesattendingsuchfeelings,asMarianne's,whichallthecharmsofenthusiasmandignoranceoftheworldcannotatonefor.Hersystemshavealltheunfortunatetendencyofsettingproprietyatnought;andabetteracquaintancewiththeworldiswhatIlookforwardtoashergreatestpossibleadvantage."Afterashortpauseheresumedtheconversationbysaying,"Doesyoursistermakenodistinctioninherobjectionsagainstasecondattachment?
orisitequallycriminalineverybody?
Arethosewhohavebeendisappointedintheirfirstchoice,whetherfromtheinconstancyofitsobject,ortheperversenessofcircumstances,tobeequallyindifferentduringtherestoftheirlives?
""Uponmyword,Iamnotacquaintedwiththeminutiaeofherprinciples.IonlyknowthatIneveryetheardheradmitanyinstanceofasecondattachment'sbeingpardonable.""This,"saidhe,"cannothold;butachange,atotalchangeofsentiments-No,no,donotdesireit;forwhentheromanticrefinementsofayoungmindareobligedtogiveway,howfrequentlyaretheysucceededbysuchopinionsasarebuttoocommonandtoodangerous!
Ispeakfromexperience.Ionceknewaladywhointemperandmindgreatlyresembledyoursister,whothoughtandjudgedlikeher,butwhofromanenforcedchange-fromaseriesofunfortunatecircumstances-"Herehestoptsuddenly;appearedtothinkthathehadsaidtoomuch,andbyhiscountenancegaverisetoconjectureswhichmightnototherwisehaveenteredElinor'shead.TheladywouldprobablyhavepassedwithoutsuspicionhadhenotconvincedMissDashwoodthatwhatconcernedheroughtnottoescapehislips.Asitwas,itrequiredbutaslighteffortoffancytoconnecthisemotionwiththetenderrecollectionofpastregard.Elinorattemptednomore.ButMarianne,inherplace,wouldnothavedonesolittle.Thewholestorywouldhavebeenspeedilyformedunderheractiveimagination;andeverythingestablishedinthemostmelancholyorderofdisastrouslove.
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