Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 81 Willoughby's Sudden Farewell

Mrs. Dashwood went to call on Mrs. Middleton the next day, and her two daughters went with her.Marianne did not go with her on the pretext of something trivial.Her mother concluded that she and Willoughby must have made an appointment the night before, and wished to see Marianne while they were away, and she was quite happy to leave her at home.

As soon as they returned from Barton Park, they saw Willoughby's carriage and servants waiting in front of the cottage, and Mrs. Dashwood thought she had guessed well, and the situation at hand seemed to be exactly as she expected.Unexpectedly, as soon as she walked into the room, what she saw was far beyond her expectations.No sooner had they entered the passage than Marianne hurried out of the drawing-room, looking very sad, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief, and ran upstairs without noticing them.Much astonished, they went straight into the drawing-room from which Marianne had just left, and found Willoughby leaning against the mantelpiece with his back to them.He turned around at the sound of them entering the room.It was evident from his countenance that he, like Marianne, was in a state of distress.

"What's the matter?" cried Mrs. Dashwood, as she came in. "Is she not well?"

"I hope not," answered Willoughby, with an effort of feigned pleasure.He forced a smile on his face, and said: "Perhaps I am going to be ill--for a very disappointing thing has happened to me."

"A disappointment?"

"Yes, I had an appointment with you for supper, but I can't now. This morning, Mrs. Smith, relying on her money and power, took advantage of her poor cousin who depended on her, and she sent I am on a business trip to London. I have just received an errand, and I say good-bye to Allenham. To please everyone, I have come to bid you farewell."

"To London—for this morning?"

"Leave right away."

"It's a pity. But Mrs. Smith's order must be obeyed. I hope it won't keep you from us for a long time."

Willoughby blushed, and replied: "It is very kind of you, though I don't think I shall come back to Devon immediately. I never call on Mrs Smith more than once in a year."

"Is Mrs. Smith the only friend of yours? Are you only welcome at Allenham, among the houses around here? What a shame, Willoughby! You have to wait for invitations from us." ?”

Willoughby blushed still more.With his eyes on the floor, he simply replied, "It's very kind of you."

Mrs. Dashwood looked at Eleanor in astonishment, and Elinor was equally astonished.Everyone was silent for a while.It was Mrs. Dashwood who spoke first.

"My dear Willoughby, I may add that you are always welcome at Barton Cottage. I do not wish to compel you to come back at once, for you alone can decide what will please Mrs Smith. In this respect, I Neither want to doubt your will nor your judgment."

"My present errand," replied Willoughby hurriedly, "is of such a nature—I—I dare not overestimate—"

He stopped.Mrs. Dashwood was too startled to speak, and then paused for a moment.Willoughby broke the silence, when he said, with a flat smile, "It is foolish to procrastinate like this. Why should I go on torturing myself, and why should I go on staying when I can't possibly be happy with my friends?"

Afterwards, he hurriedly bid farewell to the Dashwood mother and daughter, and walked out of the room.They watched him step into the carriage and disappear in a moment.

Mrs. Dashwood was too distressed to speak, and Donnie went out of the drawing-room to be sad by herself.Willoughby's sudden departure caused her apprehension and consternation.

Eleanor was no less worried than her mother.Thinking of what happened just now, she felt anxious and puzzled.Willoughby's farewell performances made him deeply disturbed: he looked very embarrassed, but he tried to pretend to be happy; more importantly, he refused to accept his mother's invitation, and he looked timid. Where is it like a lover?She feared from one moment that Willoughby had never meant seriously to his sister, the next that an unpleasant quarrel had arisen between him and her sister.Seeing Marianne's sad look when she walked out of the living room, the most reasonable explanation is that there was a real quarrel between the two parties.Still, considering how much Marianne loved him, a quarrel seemed unlikely.

However, no matter how they parted, the distress of the younger sister is beyond doubt.She thought with deep sympathy that Marianne must be suffering greatly.It is very likely that she not only vented out this pain to her heart's content, but also consciously used crying as a consolation.

About half an hour later, my mother returned to the living room, her face was not sad, although her eyes were red.

"Our dear Willoughby is miles and miles from Barton now, Elinor," said she, sitting down to work, "with what a heavy heart he must have been all the way!"

"It's so strange that he left so suddenly! It seemed only a moment ago. Last night, when he was with us, he was so pleasant, so pleasant, and so affectionate! Now, he only called 10 minutes earlier. He said hello and left, as if he didn't intend to come back. Something must have happened, he didn't tell us. He didn't say anything, and his behavior was abnormal. You must have seen this abnormality as I did Come on. What's the matter? Did the two of them quarrel? But why did he accept your invitation so reluctantly?"

"Eleanor, he is not reluctant! I can see clearly. He cannot accept my invitation. To be honest, I have thought about it carefully. At first I found it as strange as you, but now I can Explained everything perfectly."

"Can you really explain?"

"Yes, my explanation satisfies me perfectly. But you, Eleanor, are always skeptical—I know that my explanation will not satisfy you, but however much you disagree I do not give up my own ideas. I believe that Mrs. Smith, suspecting Willoughby of being interested in Marianne, insisted on disapproving (perhaps because she had other plans for him), and was eager to send him away. She sent him It was only an excuse for her to go to work. I think that is the case. Besides, he knew that Mrs. Smith disapproved of the marriage, so he dared not tell her now that he was engaged to Marianne. And he Being in a dependent position and having to be out of Devon for a while at her disposal. I know you'll tell me that maybe it's like this, maybe it's not. I don't want to hear you nitpick unless you say otherwise Equally satisfactory explanations can be given by means. What, then, Elinor, do you have to say?"

"No, because you have already expected how I will answer."

"Then you will say to me: It may be so, and it may not be so. Oh, Eleanor, your mind is so elusive! You always prefer to think of the worst than to believe that there will be good. You would rather worry." Marianne's anguish and Willoughby's fault, nor will you seek an excuse for Willoughby. You insist that Willoughby is to blame for not being as affectionate as usual when he bid us farewell. Don't you think about it? Could his depression be due to his negligence, or a recent disappointment? Although we are not [-]% sure of our own judgment, should we not consider these possibilities just because of this? We have a thousand Shouldn't we be fair to him, with one reason to love Willoughby, and no reason to despise him? Can't you think that there is still a possibility that his motives are justifiable in themselves, and have to be kept secret for the time being? After all, what exactly do you suspect him of?"

"I can't quite tell. But we must suspect that something unpleasant happened when we saw his abnormal appearance just now. However, you are very reasonable in insisting on seeking an excuse for him, and I judge A man likes to be honest and fair. Willoughby may indeed have very good reasons for being so, and I hope so. But it would be more in his character if he would admit them at once. Secrecy may be justified, But I cannot help but wonder how he, a man, should suddenly keep his secrets."

"Don't accuse him of violating his character, but of violating what he ought to. So you really think my defense of him is fair and reasonable? I'm so glad--he's acquitted."

"Not quite. They were engaged (if they were at all) in private, and there may have been good reasons for keeping it from Mrs. Smith. If so, Willoughby should have kept his publicity in Devonshire as little as possible for the time being. It's the best policy. But they have no reason to hide it from us."

"Hiding from us! My dear, you accuse Willoughby and Marianne of keeping from us? That's very strange, for don't you wink at them for their indiscretion every day?"

"I don't think their relationship is a problem," Eleanor said, "but I need proof of their engagement."

"I'm a big believer in both."

"But neither of them has said a word to you in this matter."

"Let's say what is obvious in action. Hasn't his behavior towards Marianne and us all for the past fortnight at least shown that he loves Marianne and considers her his fiancée? He Doesn’t he treat us as a family because he is so attached to us? Don’t we already know about this? Doesn’t his look, his manner, his hospitality and respect, not every day beg me Do you agree? My Eleanor, how can you doubt their engagement? How can you have such a thought? Willoughby knows that your sister loves him, and this may be a few months away, such Under the circumstances, how can you imagine that he left without telling her the truth? How could they break up without even saying a heartfelt word?"

"Really," replied Elinor, "everything else can be said, but there is one circumstance which does not prove that they are engaged, and that is that they have both kept silent on the subject. It seems to me that This situation is more important than any other situation.”

"How strange it is! You think so badly of Willoughby, that you doubt their relationship, when they are so open and frank. After all this time, has he thought of your sister's The actions are all pretended? Do you think he is really indifferent to her? "

"No, I don't think so. I'm sure he loves Marianne."

"But he did leave her with the coldness and recklessness with which he was assigned. If there is such a thing, is it not a marvelous love?"

"My good mother, don't you forget that I have never had any prejudices in this matter. I admit that I have doubts about them, but they are not as serious as they were before, and they will soon disappear completely. If we Knowing that the two of them corresponded by correspondence, all my apprehensions would be dispelled."

"You can really assume. Don't you think they're getting married only when you see them standing at the altar? You're a mad girl! I don't need such proof. Let me see, this thing." There is nothing to doubt. There is nothing ulterior in what they have done, and it has been above board from beginning to end. You cannot doubt your sister's wishes, so it must be Willoughby you doubt. But why? Could it be? Is he not a man of integrity and affection? Is there anything inconsistency about his words and deeds to make a fuss about? Is he a liar?"

"I hope he won't, and I don't believe he won't," cried Elinor. "I like Willoughby, I like him with all my heart. It hurts you to suspect him of dishonesty, and I can't be more bitter than that." You have a good time. My suspicion is unconscious, and I don't intend to let it develop. To be honest, I was really scared by the change in his attitude this morning. He talked abnormally. Sincerely. But all this can be explained by the situation you imagine him in. He has just parted with my sister and watched her go away in grief. He is afraid of offending Mrs. Smith and wants to come back sooner. I dare not, but he knows that refusing your invitation and saying that he will be away for a few days will leave a suspicious impression on our family, and he will definitely feel embarrassed. In this case, I think it would be more dignified and more in keeping with his character for him to be blunt about his difficulties - but I don't want to think that a person sees differently from us, or Not being as consistent and decent as we thought it would be to take issue with his actions."

"You are quite right. Willoughby should not be suspected. Though we have known him only a short time, he is no stranger here. Has anyone ever said anything against him? If he could have his own way, It would be strange to be married right away and not tell us everything right away before we go. But that's not the case. In some respects, it was an engagement that didn't go very well at the beginning, because marriage was still a long way off So maybe it's wise to keep it a secret for now."

Marguerite came in and interrupted their conversation.Only then was Eleanor free to consider carefully what her mother had said, and admit that some of it was reasonable, and hope that it was all true.

They did not see Marianne until dinnertime, when she entered the dining-room and sat down at the table in silence.Her eyes were red and swollen, and it looked like she was struggling to hold back her tears.She tried her best to avoid the eyes of everyone, neither eating nor speaking.After a while, the mother held her hand silently with kindness and pity.Immediately, her insignificant perseverance was completely destroyed—she burst into tears and ran out of the room.

Throughout the night, Marianne was in a state of extreme grief and depression.She couldn't restrain herself, and she didn't want to restrain herself.She could not stand the slightest mention of Willoughby.It was impossible to speak without involving Willoughby at all, and without touching her feelings, though the whole family did their best to comfort her and spare her distress.

(End of this chapter)