Chapter 223.docx

Chapter 223.docx

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Chapter223

Chapter22

MARIANNE,whohadnevermuchtolerationforanythinglikeimpertinence,vulgarity,inferiorityofparts,orevendifferenceoftastefromherself,wasatthistimeparticularlyill-disposed,fromthestateofherspirits,tobepleasedwiththeMissesSteele,ortoencouragetheiradvances;andtotheinvariablecoldnessofherbehaviourtowardsthem,whichcheckedeveryendeavouratintimacyontheirside,Elinorprincipallyattributedthatpreferenceofherselfwhichsoonbecameevidentinthemannersofboth,butespeciallyofLucy,whomissednoopportunityofengagingherinconversation,orofstrivingtoimprovetheiracquaintancebyaneasyandfrankcommunicationofhersentiments.

Lucywasnaturallyclever;herremarkswereoftenjustandamusing;andasacompanionforhalfanhourElinorfrequentlyfoundheragreeable;butherpowershadreceivednoaidfromeducation:

shewasignorantandilliterate;andherdeficiencyofallmentalimprovement,herwantofinformationinthemostcommonparticulars,couldnotbeconcealedfromMissDashwood,inspiteofherconstantendeavourtoappeartoadvantage.Elinorsaw,andpitiedherfortheneglectofabilitieswhicheducationmighthaverenderedsorespectable;butshesaw,withlesstendernessoffeeling,thethoroughwantofdelicacy,ofrectitude,andintegrityofmind,whichherattentions,herassiduities,herflatteriesattheParkbetrayed;andshecouldhavenolastingsatisfactioninthecompanyofapersonwhojoinedinsinceritywithignorance;whosewantofinstructionpreventedtheirmeetinginconversationontermsofequality,andwhoseconducttowardothersmadeeveryshowofattentionanddeferencetowardsherselfperfectlyvalueless."Youwillthinkmyquestionanoddone,Idaresay,"saidLucytoheroneday,astheywerewalkingtogetherfromtheParktothecottage;"but,pray,areyoupersonallyacquaintedwithyoursister-in-law'smother,Mrs.Ferrars?

"Elinordidthinkthequestionaveryoddone,andhercountenanceexpressedit,assheansweredthatshehadneverseenMrs.Ferrars."Indeed!

"repliedLucy;"Iwonderatthat,forIthoughtyoumusthaveseenheratNorlandsometimes.Then,perhaps,youcannottellmewhatsortofawomansheis?

""No,"returnedElinor,cautiousofgivingherrealopinionofEdward'smother,andnotverydesiriousofsatisfyingwhatseemedimpertinentcuriosity;"Iknownothingofher.""Iamsureyouthinkmeverystrange,forenquiringaboutherinsuchaway,"saidLucy,eyeingElinorattentivelyasshespoke;"butperhapstheremaybereasons-IwishImightventure;but,however,IhopeyouwilldomethejusticeofbelievingthatIdonotmeantobeimpertinent."Elinormadeheracivilreply,andtheywalkedonforafewminutesinsilence.ItwasbrokenbyLucy,whorenewedthesubjectagainbysaying,withsomehesitation,"Icannotbeartohaveyouthinkmeimpertinentlycurious.IamsureIwouldratherdoanythingintheworldthanbethoughtsobyapersonwhosegoodopinionissowellworthhavingasyours.AndIamsureIshouldnothavethesmallestfearoftrustingyou;indeed,IshouldbeverygladofyouradvicehowtomanageinsuchanduncomfortablesituationasIam;but,however,thereisnooccasiontotroubleyou.IamsorryyoudonothappentoknowMrs.Ferrars.""IamsorryIdonot,"saidElinor,ingreatastonishment,"ifitcouldbeofanyusetoyoutoknowmyopinionofher.ButreallyIneverunderstoodthatyouwereatallconnectedwiththatfamily,andthereforeIamalittlesurprised,Iconfess,atsoseriousaninquiryintohercharacter.""Idaresayyouare,andIamsureIdonotatallwonderatit.ButifIdaredtellyouall,youwouldnotbesomuchsurprised.Mrs.Ferrarsiscertainlynothingtomeatpresent;butthetimemaycome-howsoonitwillcomemustdependuponherself-whenwemaybeveryintimatelyconnected."Shelookeddownasshesaidthis,amiablybashful,withonlyonesideglanceathercompaniontoobserveitseffectonher."Goodheavens!

"criedElinor,"whatdoyoumean?

AreyouacquaintedwithMr.RobertFerrars?

Canyoube?

"Andshedidnotfeelmuchdelightedwiththeideaofsuchasister-in-law."No,"repliedLucy,"nottoMr.RobertFerrars-Ineversawhiminmylife;but,"fixinghereyesuponElinor,"tohiseldestbrother."WhatfeltElinoratthatmoment?

Astonishment,thatwouldhavebeenaspainfulasitwasstrong,hadnotanimmediatedisbeliefoftheassertionattendedit.SheturnedtowardsLucyinsilentamazement,unabletodivinethereasonorobjectofsuchadeclaration;andthoughhercomplexionvaried,shestoodfirminincredulity,andfeltinnodangerofanhystericalfitoraswoon."Youmaywellbesurprised,"continuedLucy;"fortobesureyoucouldhavehadnoideaofitbefore;forIdaresayheneverdroppedthesmallesthintofittoyouoranyofyourfamily;becauseitwasalwaysmeanttobeagreatsecret,andIamsurehasbeenfaithfullykeptsobymetothishour.NotasoulofallmyrelationsknowofitbutAnne,andInevershouldhavementionedittoyou,ifIhadnotfeltthegreatestdependenceintheworlduponyoursecrecy;andIreallythoughtmybehaviourinaskingsomanyquestionsaboutMrs.Ferrarsmustseemsoodd,thatitoughttobeexplained.AndIdonotthinkMr.Ferrarscanbedispleased,whenheknowsIhavetrustedyou,becauseIknowhehasthehighestopinionintheworldofallyourfamily,andlooksuponyourselfandtheotherMissesDashwoodquiteashisownsisters."Shepaused.

Elinorforafewmomentsremainedsilent.Herastonishmentatwhatsheheardwasatfirsttoogreatforwords;butatlengthforcingherselftospeak,andtospeakcautiously,shesaid,withcalmnessofmannerwhichtolerablywellconcealedhersurpriseandsolicitude,"MayIaskifyourengagementisoflongstanding?

""Wehavebeenengagedthesefouryears.""Fouryears!

""Yes."Elinor,thoughgreatlyshocked,stillfeltunabletobelieveit."Ididnotknow,"saidshe,"thatyouwereevenacquaintedtilltheotherday.""Ouracquaintance,however,isofmanyyears'date.Hewasundermyuncle'scare,youknow,aconsiderablewhile.""Youruncle!

""Yes;Mr.Pratt.DidyouneverhearhimtalkofMr.Pratt?

""IthinkIhave,"repliedElinor,withanexertionofspirits,whichincreasedwithherincreaseofemotion."Hewasfouryearswithmyuncle,wholivesatLongstaple,nearPlymouth.Itwasthereouracquaintancebegun,formysisterandmewasoftenstayingwithmyuncle,anditwasthereourengagementwasformed,thoughnottillayearafterhehadquittedasapupil;buthewasalmostalwayswithusafterwards.Iwasveryunwillingtoenterintoit,asyoumayimagine,withouttheknowledgeandapprobationofhismother;butIwastooyoung,andlovedhimtoowell,tobesoprudentasIoughttohavebeen.Thoughyoudonotknowhimsowellasme,MissDashwood,youmusthaveseenenoughofhimtobesensibleheisverycapableofmakingawomansincerelyattachedtohim.""Certainly,"answeredElinor,withoutknowingwhatshesaid;butafteramoment'sreflection,sheadded,withrevivedsecurityofEdward'shonourandlove,andhercompanion'sfalsehood,"EngagedtoMr.EdwardFerrars!

-Iconfessmyselfsototallysurprisedatwhatyoutellme,thatreally-Ibegyourpardon;butsurelytheremustbesomemistakeofpersonorname.WecannotmeanthesameMr.Ferrars.""Wecanmeannoother,"criedLucy,smiling."Mr.EdwardFerrars,theeldestsonofMrs.Ferrars,ofParkStreet,andbrotherofyoursister-in-law,Mrs.JohnDashwoodisthepersonImean;youmustallowthatIamnotlikelytobedeceivedastothenameofthemanonwhomallmyhappinessdepends.""Itisstrange,"repliedElinor,inamostpainfulperplexity,"thatIshouldneverhaveheardhimevenmentionyourname.""No;consideringoursituation,itwasnotstrange.Ourfirstcarehasbeentokeepthemattersecret.Youknewnothingofme,ormyfamily,and,therefore,therecouldbenooccasionforevermentioningmynametoyou;and,ashewasalwaysparticularlyafraidofhissister'ssuspectinganything,thatwasreasonenoughforhisnotmentioningit."Shewassilent.Elinor'ssecuritysunk;butherself-commanddidnotsinkwithit."Fouryearsyouhavebeenengaged,"saidshe,withafirmvoice."Yes;andheavenknowshowmuchlongerwemayhavetowait.PoorEdward!

Itputshimquiteoutofheart."Thentakingasmallminiaturefromherpocket,sheadded,"Topreventthepossibilityofmistake,besogoodastolookatthisface.Itdoesnotdohimjustice,tobesure,butyetIthinkyoucannotbedeceivedastothepersonitwasdrewfor.Ihavehaditabovethesethreeyears."Sheputitintoherhandsasshespoke;andwhenElinorsawthepainting,whateverotherdoubtsherfearofatoohastydecision,orherwishofdetectingfalsehood,mightsuffertolingerinhermind,shecouldhavenoneofitsbeingEdward'sface.Shereturneditalmostinstantly,acknowledgingthelikeness."Ihaveneverbeenable,"continuedLucy,"togivehimmypictureinreturn,whichIamverymuchvexedat,forhehasbeenalwayssoanxioustogetit!

ButIamdeterminedtositforittheveryfirstopportunity.""Youarequiteintheright,"repliedElinor,calmly.Theythenproceededafewpacesinsilence.Lucyspokefirst."Iamsure,"saidshe,"Ihavenodoubtintheworldofyourfaithfullykeepingthissecret,becauseyoumustknowofwhatimportanceitistous,nottohaveitreachhismother;forshewouldneverapproveofit,Idaresay.Ishallhavenofortune,andIfancysheisanexceedingproudwoman.""Icertainlydidnotseekyourconfidence,"saidElinor;"butyoudomenomorethanjusticeinimaginingthatImaybedependedon.Yoursecretissafewithme;butpa