Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 85

Edward stayed a week at Barton Cottage.Mrs. Dashwood earnestly begged him to stay longer.But he seemed to be determined to make life difficult for him, so he insisted on leaving when he was having the happiest time with his friends.In the last two or three days, his mood, though still up and down, had changed a lot—he liked the house and its surroundings more and more—and whenever he mentioned that he was going to leave, he would sigh and say His time was completely free, and he even suspected that he didn't know where he was going after he left, but he still had to leave.He had never felt like a week had passed so quickly—he couldn't believe it had passed.He repeated this over and over again, and made other remarks that indicated changes in his feelings and contradictions in his words and deeds.He didn't enjoy living at Norland Park, and he hated living in the city, but he was going either to Norland Park or to London.He cherishes their true feelings very much, and staying with them is his greatest happiness.However, a week passed and he had to go despite their repeated attempts to stay, and he himself was reluctant to leave, and he had no time limit.

Eleanor blamed his mother for these strange actions.She felt fortunate that he had such a mother. Although she didn't know her temperament very well, Edward could find the reason for any inexplicable things from his mother.But although she was disappointed, distressed, and sometimes angry at his inconsistencies with her, on the whole she excused his behavior frankly and justified it magnanimously.She had been so lenient and considerate to Willoughby in the beginning, but it was under her mother's persuasion, and the change of attitude was more difficult than that.Edward's depression, lack of frankness, and inconsistency, which were often attributed to his mother's inability to support himself, and the more he learned of Mrs. Ferrars' temper and intentions, the more he The more uncomfortable.The reason why he insisted on leaving after living for only a few days was also that he could not do what he wanted, and that he had to obey his mother's will.The contradiction between responsibility and will, between parents and children has existed since ancient times and is deeply rooted. It is the root of all evils.She wondered in what year and month these entanglements would disappear, when this antagonism would cease--when Mrs. Ferrars would change her attitude, when her son would be free and happy.But it was all wishful thinking, and for her own comfort she was obliged to turn to new beliefs in Edward's affection for her, recalling any hint of admiration he had shown for her, in look or in speech, during his stay at Barton, In particular, the beaming sign of love that often wrapped around his fingers became her consolation.

On the last morning, when we were having breakfast together, Mrs. Dashwood said: "I think, Edward, that you would be happier if you had a career to do, and a little spice to your plans and actions. .True, it will cause some inconvenience to your friends—you will not be able to spend much time with them. But,” she said with a smile, “it will at least be beneficial to you—that is, You'll know where you're going when you leave them."

"To tell the truth," replied Edward, "I have thought long and hard about the subject you speak of. I have no necessary affairs to entangle me, no responsibilities to perform, which do not give me any independence, either then or now. Or in the future, it will always be my great misfortune. Unfortunately, due to the pickiness of myself and my relatives and friends, I have fallen into what I am now, a person who is idle and unable to support himself. In choosing a career, we have never I couldn't come to an agreement. I've always loved the priesthood, and still do. But my family didn't think it was fashionable enough. They suggested I join the Army, which was a little too fashionable for me, and out of my reach. .Being a lawyer is considered a very respectable profession. Many young people have offices in the Law Society. , even to delve into the superficial theory of law, as my family wishes. As for the navy, that is fashionable, but I was too old when the matter was first brought up on the agenda. Big. In the end, because there is no need for me to find a job, because I can wear a red uniform, referring to the traditional clothing of the British army. I can be equally beautiful and luxurious, so, in general, Idleness is the most beneficial and most respectable thing. Generally speaking, a young man does not want to be busy, and my friends advise me not to do anything. How can I refuse? So I was sent to Entered Oxford University, from then on there was really nothing to do."

"There is a consequence of this, I suppose," said Mrs. Dashwood, "that since idleness does not promote your happiness, you will bring up your son and Lumela. Richard Graves (1715) —1804), the hero in the novel Columella the Depressed Hermit, who makes his sons learn business from a generalist, so that his children may not lead a dull life like his own. Like his sons, Many jobs, many careers and many industries."

"I want to train them to be as unlike me as possible," he said in a serious tone, "not like me in emotion, action, and identity."

"Well, well, Edward, this is only the result of your present low spirits. You are depressed and think that everyone who is different from you must be happy. But don't forget that sometimes you part with your friends. Well, this pain is felt by everyone, regardless of their upbringing and status. You want to see your own happiness. You only need to have patience—or, to put it more beautifully, hope. You long for independence, Your mother will do it for you one day. It is her duty, it is, and it will be. Before long, she will not consider it her happiness to let you spend your youth in depression. A few months Time will make a big difference!"

"It seems to me," replied Edward, "that a few more months will not do me any good."

Mrs. Dashwood's sympathy for this despondency of his was, however, more painful to them all in the moment of parting which ensued.Especially for Eleanor, the pain he left her took a lot of effort and took a long time to overcome.However, she was determined to restrain this feeling, and must not appear to be more sorry than the others when Edward was gone, so she did not take the course that Marianne took in the same state of mind: a person who sought quietness, and was alone with nothing to do. Or hang around and end up getting sadder and sadder.They have different goals and different methods, but they all achieve their goals.

As soon as Edward left, Eleanor sat down at the drawing table and kept busy all day long, neither voluntarily mentioning his name nor deliberately avoiding mentioning it, taking care of the daily affairs of the family almost as usual .By doing so she did not lessen her pain, but at least it did not increase it unnecessarily, and she relieved her mother and sisters of much anxiety.

Just as she did not feel that her own behavior was necessarily inappropriate, so Marianne did not think that her sister's behavior, even if it was the opposite of hers, was necessarily commendable.She found it easy to see whether a man had restrained himself: it was impossible if the feelings were strong;She dared not deny that her sister's mood was indeed calm, and therefore her sister's feelings must be indifferent, though she was ashamed to admit it.The intensity of her own feelings had been so evident that it was inevitable that she should come to such a judgment of her sister, which to her chagrin, for she still loved and respected her sister.

Although Eleanor did not isolate herself from the family, did not deliberately avoid them, left the house and went out alone, and did not spend sleepless nights in meditation, she still had some spare time every day to think about Edward and review his life. Every move, and at different times, due to different moods, her attitude towards him is also different: sometimes tenderness, sometimes pity, sometimes approval, sometimes blame, sometimes doubt, really everything that one expects to find.There were also times when, in this state of solitude, her mind would be fully revealed, if it were not for the absence of the mother and sisters, or at least because they were busy with some important business, and could not talk to her.Her mind is bound to run free, but she doesn't think elsewhere.Those questions that are directly related to her, and the previous and subsequent scenes will always appear in front of her, attracting her attention, and arousing her memories, reveries and fantasies.

One morning not long after Edward's departure, she was sitting at the drawing table lost in thought, when a visitor interrupted her contemplation.It happened that she was alone in the house, and the closing of the small door at the entrance to the green courtyard in front of the house caused her to look up to the window and see a large group of people approaching the door.Among the visitors were Sir John, Lady Middleton, and Mrs. Jennings, and two others, a man and a woman, whom she had never seen, were sitting near the window, and as soon as Sir John spotted her, he sent someone to knock at the door. , but he walked straight across the lawn to Eleanor's house, and Eleanor had to open the window to talk to him.In fact, the distance between the door and the window is very close, standing in one place and talking can be heard in the other.

"Well," said the sergeant, "I have brought you two strangers. Do you like them?"

"Hush! They'll hear."

"It doesn't matter if you hear it, it's just the Palmers. I can tell you that Charlotte means Mrs. Jennings's second daughter, Mrs. Palmer's wife. Very pretty. You can see her from here."

Elinor knew that she would see her in a while, so she didn't act rashly, and asked his forgiveness.

"Where is Marianne? Did she see us come and slip away? I saw her piano was still on."

"Probably on a walk."

At this moment, Mrs. Jennings approached.She couldn't wait to open the door to tell her story, and she came up and called to the window: "How are you, dear? How is Mrs. Dashwood? Where are your two sisters? What?" You're all alone! You must like to have company. I've brought my other son-in-law and daughter to see you. You see how sudden they come! At tea last night I thought I heard a carriage but I never expected it to be either of them. I thought it was Colonel Bland coming back. So I said to Sir John: 'I must have heard the sound of the carriage, perhaps Colonel Bland is coming back-- '"

After listening to her halfway through, Eleanor had to turn around to welcome the other guests.Lady Middleton introduced two rare visitors.At this moment Mrs. Dashwood and Margaret came downstairs, and sat down, looking at me and at you.Mrs. Jennings, accompanied by Sir John, went from the corridor into the drawing-room, continuing to babble on with her story.

Mrs. Palmer was several years younger than Mrs. Middleton, and very different from her in every way.She is not tall, chubby, with a very beautiful face, full of joy, as good-looking as she wants.Her manners were far less elegant than her sister's, but she was more agreeable than her sister.She came in smiling--she smiled all the time of the visit, except when she laughed, and she went away as well.Her husband was twenty-five, six-year-old, unsmiling, with manners, and more knowledgeable than his wife, but not as easy-going, people-pleasing, and contented as she was.When he entered the room, he looked conceited and nodded slightly to the ladies without saying a word, then scanned the people and the room, picked up a newspaper on the table, and watched until he left.

Mrs. Palmer, on the contrary, was of a meek and jovial nature, always polite and jovial, and eloquently praised the drawing-room and everything in it before she sat down.

"Oh, what a lovely house! I have never seen such a beautiful house. Think, mother, how much it has changed since I was last here! I always think it is a pleasant place." a place, ma'am," (turning to Mrs. Dashwood) "you have made it so charming! Look, sister, how pleasantly it is all arranged! If only I could have such a house! You Don't you want to, Mr Palmer?"

Mr. Palmer ignored her, and without raising his eyelids, he just read his newspaper.

"Mr. Palmer doesn't hear me," she said, laughing. "He doesn't hear at all sometimes. How funny!"

In Mrs. Dashwood's opinion, this was quite new.Insolent, if not comical, she had never before observed that other people were present, even when slighted, with such interest, and she could not help looking at them both in amazement.

Mrs. Jennings, meanwhile, went on talking loudly and incessantly about her surprise at seeing their kindred, and did not stop until every bit of it had been told.Mrs. Palmer couldn't help laughing happily when she thought of everyone's surprised looks at that time.Everyone unanimously expressed several times: their appearance is indeed surprising.

"You may believe how glad we were all to see them," added Mrs. Jennings.Leaning forward towards Eleanor, she spoke in a low voice, as if she did not want to be heard, although they were sitting on opposite sides of the room. "However, I'm glad I'm happy, I really don't want them to hurry on the road, don't run such a long way, because they have something to do, and they came by detour from London. You know," she nodded meaningfully, pointing at her Daughter, said, "She is not well. I want her to stay home in the morning and have a good rest, but she wants to come with us. She is very eager to see your family!"

Mrs. Palmer laughed and said it was all right.

"She's due in February," went on Mrs. Jennings.

Mrs. Middleton couldn't listen any longer, so she had to ask Mr. Palmer if there was anything in the papers.

"No, nothing," he replied, and looked down again.

"Oh, here comes Marianne," cried Sir John, "Pamer, you are going to see a wonderful lady."

Immediately he went into the corridor, opened the front door, and welcomed Marianne himself into the room.As soon as Marianne appeared, Mrs. Jennings asked her if she had gone to Allenham.Mrs. Palmer burst into a hearty laugh at this, which showed she knew the story.Mr. Palmer watched Marianne enter the room, looked up at her blankly for a moment, then buried his head in his newspaper.At this time, the pictures hanging on the four walls caught Mrs. Palmer's attention.She stood up and watched carefully.

"Oh! my God, what beautiful pictures! Oh, how delightful they are! Look, mother, how lovely they are! They are so charming that if I were to look at them all my life, I would never tire of looking at them," said After all, she sat down again and forgot all about the paintings in the room in the blink of an eye.

Mrs. Middleton got up to leave, and Mr. Palmer also stood up, put down the newspaper, stretched himself, and looked around at the crowd.

"Honey, are you asleep?" said his wife, laughing.

The husband didn't answer her, but looked at the room carefully again and said that the ceiling was too low and a little crooked.Then he nodded and left with the other guests.

Sir John repeatedly invited the Dashwood mother and daughter to visit their house the next day.Mrs. Dashwood, feeling that it was a courtesy, did not wish to dine with them more often than they dined at the cottage, and she herself declined flatly, saying that it was up to her daughters to go or not.But the daughters, having no interest in seeing the Palmers eat their supper, nor expecting any other pleasure from them, declined likewise, saying that the weather was so fickle that it might not be sunny.But Sir John would not stop at anything--he said he would send for them, and they must go.Mrs. Middleton, though not compelled Mrs. Dashwood, insisted on sending her daughters.Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Palmer joined in entreaties, as if they were all afraid of their own family gatherings, and the Dashwood ladies had no choice but to give in.

"Why did they invite us?" asked Marianne as soon as the guests had left, "although our rent is relatively low, but whenever their house has guests, we have to go to their house to be with them." If you eat, then the conditions of living here are harsh enough."

"We were kindly invited to their house a few weeks ago," said Eleanor, "and it is not necessarily an unkind invitation now. If their feasts are now dull, It's not that something has changed in them. It's that we have to look elsewhere for change."

(End of this chapter)