Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 93 Surprise and Disappointment

Next morning, at breakfast together, Mrs. Jennings said: "Sir John will not leave Barton until next week if the weather stays this warm. Those who like to hunt will lose a day's hunting opportunity. It's awful. Poor fellows! I pity them when they're in trouble, and they seem to take it too seriously."

"Indeed," said Marianne, in a cheerful tone, going to the window to check the weather, "I hadn't thought of that. Many hunters would stay in the country in weather like this." Willing to go."

Fortunately, thinking about it this way, she became cheerful again. "It's a charming day for them," she went on, seated at the table with an air of merriment. "They must have had a good time! But," her apprehension resumed, "you can't expect the weather to be this good all the time! There have been several rains at this time of year, and of course they won't continue. The frost will soon be over." To begin with, nine times out of ten it will be very strong, perhaps just for a day or two. This extreme mild weather will hardly last—oh, there may be a freeze tonight!"

Elinor knew what Marianne was thinking, and she didn't want Mrs. Jennings to see through her sister's mind, so she said, "In any case, Sir John and Lady Middleton will be in town by the end of next week."

"Oh, dear, I'm sure it'll be all right. Marianne always wants people to listen to her."

"Look," thought Elinor, "she's writing to Combe, and she'll be sending it off today."

However, even if Marianne did this, it would be invisible, and no matter how vigilant Eleanor was, she still didn't realize the truth.Whatever the truth, and however displeased Elinor might be, she could not be too self-conscious about seeing Marianne in high spirits.Marianne was indeed in high spirits, glad of the warm weather and of the coming frost.

The greater part of the morning was devoted to delivering cards to Mrs. Jennings's acquaintances, informing them that she had returned to town.Marianne has been observing the direction of the wind, paying attention to the various changes in the sky, imagining that the sky is about to change.

"Eleanor, don't you think it's colder than it was this morning? I seem to feel it quite differently. Even with the muff on, my hands don't feel warm. I don't think it was like that yesterday. The clouds are parting too. Open, the sun will come out in a while, and it will be sunny in the afternoon."

Elinor's heart was alternately joyful and sorrowful, but Marianne was always excited, and she saw every night by the light of the fire, and every morning by the sky, the sure signs of the approaching frost.

Mrs. Jennings was always so kind to the Miss Dashwoods that they had no reason not to be displeased.Likewise, they have no reason to be dissatisfied with their wives' way of life and their friends.She arranged the affairs of the house with the utmost tolerance and openness, and never visited anyone except a few old friends in the city, lest she disturb her young companion.To Mrs. Middleton's regret, her mother refused to disown her old friends.Eleanor was delighted to find that she was in a better place socially than she had imagined, and she gave up their really meaningless meetings.Whether these parties were held in her own home or in other people's homes, at best they were just games of cards, which did not interest her much.

Colonel Bland was a frequent visitor to the Jennings family, and came to accompany them almost every day.He came here first to see Marianne, and secondly to talk to Eleanor.Eleanor got on well with him, and this often gave her greater satisfaction than she could get from other ordinary affairs.But at the same time she noted with great concern that the colonel remained affectionate for her sister.She worries about the growing affection.She saw the Colonel often looking at Marianne with the most affectionate eyes, which made Eleanor very sad.His mood was obviously more depressed than when he was in Barton.

It was not until about a week after they had been in town that they learned for sure that Willoughby was in town too.When they came back from a trip in the car that morning, they saw his business card on the table. "My God!" exclaimed Marianne, "he was here when we went out." Elinor, delighted to learn that Willoughby was in London, said hastily, "Don't worry, He'll be back to-morrow." Marianne didn't seem to hear her, and as soon as Mrs. Jennings entered the room, she slipped away with the precious card.

The incident both raised Elinor's spirits, restored her sister's, and made Marianne more agitated than before.From this moment on, her mood has never been calm at all. She is looking forward to seeing him all the time, which makes her feel like doing nothing.The next morning, when everyone went out, she insisted on staying home.

Elinor, when she came out, was preoccupied with Beckley Street, the street where Mrs. Jennings' London flats were.possible situations.But when they came back, she only glanced at her sister to know that Willoughby was not coming.Just at this moment, the servant brought a note and put it on the table.

"For me!" cried Marianne, rushing forward.

"No, miss, it's for the wife."

But Marianne refused to believe it, and immediately picked it up and looked at it.

"It's for Mrs. Jennings, indeed, and it's irritating!"

"Then you are waiting for the letter?" Eleanor asked, unable to hold back any longer.

"Yes! A little—but not in a hurry."

After a moment's pause, Elinor said: "Marian, you don't trust me."

"Come on, Eleanor, you still have the face to blame me, you don't trust anyone!"

"Me!" Eleanor responded with some embarrassment, "Marian, I really have nothing to say."

"Neither have I," replied Marianne forcefully; "then our case is the same. We both have nothing to say, you because you have nothing to say, and I because I have nothing to hide." of."

Eleanor was troubled by the accusation of indecency, which she could not get rid of.In such a case, there was nothing she could do to get Marianne to speak frankly again.

Mrs. Jennings was soon back, and read the note aloud as soon as she received it.The letter was from Lady Middleton, saying that they had been in Condit Street the night before, and that her mother and two cousins ​​and nieces were to be their guests on the morrow evening.Sir John's business, and she herself had a bad cold, and could not call on Beckley Street.They accepted the invitation, but when the time for keeping the appointment drew near, and though it was necessary, out of courtesy to Mrs. Jennings, for the sisters to accompany her, Elinor had some difficulty in persuading her sister to go with her. , because Marianne didn't even see Willoughby's shadow, and she didn't want to let him go out, but she went out to play.

The party was over, and Elinor found that human temperament does not change much because of changing circumstances, because Sir John had just arrived in the city, and before he had settled down, he gathered nearly twenty young people together. There was a dance party happily.Lady Middleton, however, disagrees with him.In the country, there is nothing wrong with throwing together an impromptu dance without prior arrangement, but in London a reputation for decency is more important than anything else, and it is not so easy to earn.Now, in order to please the young ladies, they act rashly, and let it be known that Mrs. Middleton has arranged a small ball, with only eight or nine couples and two violins, and can only take snacks from the sideboard—— This is too risky.

The Palmers were also at the ball.The ladies had not seen Mr. Palmer since he had come to town, for he was always deliberately avoiding being seen to have noticed his mother-in-law, and he never approached her.When the ladies came in, he didn't act like he knew them.He glanced at them briefly, and nodded to Mrs. Jennings from across the room.Marianne looked round the room as she entered, and she saw at once that he was not there--she sat down, thinking neither of herself nor of others.About an hour after the meeting, Mr. Palmer stepped up to the two Miss Dashwoods, and said he was surprised to see them in town.But the fact is that Colonel Bland first heard the news of their coming to the city at his house, and when he himself heard that they were coming, he also said a few inexplicable words.

"I thought you were all in Devonshire!" he said.

"Really?" Eleanor replied.

"When are you going back?"

"I don't know." Their conversation ended like this.

Never in all her life had Marianne danced so dispiritedly, or so wearily, as she had been that night.Once back on Beckley Street, she complained.

"Well," said Mrs. Jennings, "that's the reason, and we know that's why. If somebody's there, we won't name names, and you're not tired at all. In truth, We invited him and he didn't come to meet with you, it's just so disrespectful."

"Invite him!" cried Marianne.

"My daughter Lady Middleton told me so. Sir John seems to have met him somewhere in the street this morning."

Marianne said nothing more, but looked extremely sad.Seeing this scene, Eleanor was very anxious, so she tried to relieve her sister's pain.She resolved to write to her mother the next morning, expressing her concern for Marianne's health, and thus set about making inquiries that were long overdue.On the next day, after breakfast, she found Marianne again writing to Willoughby (to no one else, she thought), and she was all the more eager to write to her mother.About noon Mrs. Jennings went out alone on business, and Elinor immediately set to work.At this time, Marianne was too worried to do anything, and she was so impatient that she said nothing. She sometimes walked from one window to another, and sometimes sat in front of the fire with her head bowed in thought.Eleanor pleaded very earnestly to her mother, telling everything that happened here, explaining that she suspected Willoughby's indiscretion, imploring her mother to do her duty and love as a mother, and asking Marianne to explain that she had a relationship with Willoughby. the real situation.

She had hardly finished writing the letter when a knock at the door announced a visit.Immediately the arrival of Colonel Bland was announced.Marianne had seen him from the window, and as she did not wish to see any company, she left the room without waiting for him to enter.The colonel looked more preoccupied than ever, and his expression was very serious. Although he said he was very happy to see Eleanor alone, as if he had something very important to tell her, he sat down in silence. for a while.

Eleanor, convinced that he had something to say, and evidently news about her sister, waited eagerly for him to speak.It wasn't the first time she felt this way.Because before this, the Colonel had said more than once "Your sister seems unwell today", "Your sister looks listless", etc., as if he was going to reveal or ask about some special situation related to Marianne. .After several minutes, he finally broke the silence and asked her in a somewhat anxious voice: When can he congratulate her on getting a brother-in-law?Elinor, not expecting such a question from him, and not knowing how to answer it, resorted to the common and simple expedient of asking him what he meant?He replied with a forced smile: "It is well known that your sister is engaged to Willoughby."

"It's impossible for everyone to know," replied Eleanor, "for her own family doesn't know it yet."

The colonel seemed taken aback, and then said: "I'm afraid my question was a bit abrupt, if you will excuse me, but since they correspond openly, I suppose there can be no secrets. Everyone is discussing They're getting married."

"How is that possible? Who did you hear about it?"

"Many people--some you don't know, some you know--Mrs. Seeing in her hand a letter addressed to Willoughby in her own hand, I may not have believed it—perhaps I always try to find a little ground for doubt when I am reluctant to believe it. I came to ask Understood, but I was sure before I even asked. Is everything finalized? Is it not possible—but I have no right, nor possibility of success. Forgive me, Miss Dashwood, I know I shouldn't have said so much, but I just don't know what to do. I can trust you in your prudence. Just tell me: it's a hundred per cent settled, and it's worth fighting for—if it's possible. The remaining problem is to keep it secret for a while."

This speech seemed to Elinor an almost public confession of his love for her sister, and it moved her greatly.She couldn't speak for a while, even after she calmed down, she still thought about how to answer in her heart for a while.She herself had no idea of ​​the real relationship between Willoughby and her sister, so she tried to explain it, but she didn't know it at all. If she couldn't make it right, she might either miss the point, or go too far.Yet she was sure that Marianne loved Willoughby, and that whatever the outcome of this love, Colonel Bland had absolutely no hope of success;After much consideration, she felt that the most sensible and appropriate way was to tell as much as possible regardless of whether she really understood it or believed it was true.She confessed, therefore, that, though she had never heard them themselves say what their relation was, she had no doubt of their mutual affection, nor was she surprised that they corresponded.

The colonel listened to her in silent concentration.As soon as she had finished speaking, he rose from his chair, and said with a tone of excitement: "I wish your sister all the best, and that Willoughby will do her best to be worthy of her." go.

This conversation did not comfort Eleanor, and relieved her uneasiness on other matters.Colonel Bland's misfortune, on the contrary, left her with a melancholy feeling.She waited so intently for future facts to confirm this that she did not even want to get rid of this melancholy feeling.

(End of this chapter)