Chapter 146.docx

Chapter 146.docx

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Chapter146

Chapter14

THEsuddenterminationofColonelBrandon'svisitatthePark,withhissteadinessinconcealingitscause,filledthemind,andraisedthewonder,ofMrs.Jenningsfortwoorthreedays:

shewasagreatwonderer,aseveryonemustbewhotakesaverylivelyinterestinallthecomingsandgoingsofalltheiracquaintance.Shewondered,withlittleintermission,whatcouldbethereasonofit;wassuretheremustbesomebadnews,andthoughtovereverykindofdistressthatcouldhavebefallenhim,withafixeddeterminationthatheshouldnotescapethemall."Somethingverymelancholymustbethematter,Iamsure,"saidshe."Icouldseeitinhisface.Poorman!

Iamafraidhiscircumstancesmaybebad.TheestateatDelafordwasneverreckonedmorethantwothousandayear,andhisbrotherlefteverythingsadlyinvolved.Idothinkhemusthavebeensentforaboutmoneymatters,forwhatelsecanitbe?

Iwonderwhetheritisso.Iwouldgiveanythingtoknowthetruthofit.PerhapsitisaboutMissWilliamsand,bytheby,Idaresayitis,becausehelookedsoconsciouswhenImentionedher.Maybesheisillintown;nothingintheworldmorelikely,forIhaveanotionsheisalwaysrathersickly.IwouldlayanywageritisaboutMissWilliams.Itisnotsoverylikelyheshouldbedistressedinhiscircumstancesnow,forheisaveryprudentman,andtobesuremusthaveclearedtheestatebythistime.Iwonderwhatitcanbe!

MaybehissisterisworseatAvignon,andhassentforhimover.Hissettingoffinsuchahurryseemsverylikeit.Well,Iwishhimoutofallhistrouble,withallmyheart,andagoodwifeintothebargain."Sowondered,sotalkedMrs.Jennings.Heropinionvaryingwitheveryfreshconjecture,andallseemingequallyprobableastheyarose.Elinor,thoughshefeltreallyinterestedinthewelfareofColonelBrandon,couldnotbestowallthewonderonhisgoingsosuddenlyaway,whichMrs.Jenningswasdesirousofherfeeling;forbesidesthatthecircumstancedidnot,inheropinion,justifysuchlastingamazementorvarietyofspeculation,herwonderwasotherwisedisposedof.ItwasengossedbytheextraordinarysilenceofhersisterandWilloughbyonthesubject,whichtheymustknowtobepeculiarlyinterestingtothemall.Asthissilencecontinued,everydaymadeitappearmorestrangeandmoreincompatiblewiththedispositionofboth.Whytheyshouldnotopenlyacknowledgetohermotherandherself,whattheirconstantbehaviourtoeachotherdeclaredtohavetakenplace,Elinorcouldnotimagine.Shecouldeasilyconceivethatmarriagemightnotbeimmediatelyintheirpower;forthoughWilloughbywasindependent,therewasnoreasontobelievehimrich.HisestatehadbeenratedbySirJohnataboutsixorsevenhundredayear;buthelivedatanexpensetowhichthatincomecouldhardlybeequal,andhehadhimselfoftencomplainedofhispoverty.Butforthisstrangekindofsecrecy,maintainedbythemrelativetotheirengagement,which,infact,concealednothingatall,shecouldnotaccount;anditwassowhollycontradictorytotheirgeneralopinionsandpractice,thatadoubtsometimesenteredhermindoftheirbeingreallyengaged,andthisdoubtwasenoughtopreventhermakinganyenquiryofMarianne.

NothingcouldbemoreexpressiveofattachmenttothemallthanWilloughby'sbehaviour.ToMarianneithadallthedistinguishingtendernesswhichalover'sheartcouldgive,andtotherestofthefamilyitwastheaffectionateattentionofasonandabrother.Thecottageseemedtobeconsideredandlovedbyhimashishome;manymoreofhishourswerespenttherethanatAllenham;andifnogeneralengagementcollectedthematthePark,theexercisewhichcalledhimoutinthemorningwasalmostcertainofendingthere,wheretherestofthedaywasspentbyhimselfatthesideofMarianne,andbyhisfavouritepointeratherfeet.

Oneeveninginparticular,aboutaweekafterColonelBrandonleftthecountry,hisheartseemedmorethanusuallyopentoeveryfeelingofattachmenttotheobjectsaroundhim;andonMrs.Dashwood'shappeningtomentionherdesignofimprovingthecottageinthespring,hewarmlyopposedeveryalterationofaplacewhichaffectionhadestablishedasperfectwithhim."What!

"heexclaimed-"improvethisdearcottage!

No.ThatIwillneverconsentto.Notastonemustbeaddedtoitswalls,notaninchtoitssize,ifmyfeelingsareregarded.""Donotbealarmed,"saidMissDashwood,"nothingofthekindwillbedone;formymotherwillneverhavemoneyenoughtoattemptit.""Iamheartilygladofit",hecried."Mayshealwaysbepoor,ifshecanemployherrichesnobetter.""Thankyou,Willoughby.ButyoumaybeassuredthatIwouldnotsacrificeonesentimentoflocalattachmentofyours,orofanyonewhomIlove,foralltheimprovementsintheworld.Dependuponitthatwhateverunemployedsummayremain,whenImakeupmyaccountsinthespring,Iwouldevenratherlayituselesslybythandisposeofitinamannersopainfultoyou.Butareyoureallysoattachedtothisplaceastoseenodefectinit?

""Iam,"saidhe."Tomeitisfaultless.Nay,more,Iconsideritastheonlyformofbuildinginwhichhappinessisattainable,andwereIrichenoughIwouldinstantlypullCombedown,andbuilditupagainintheexactplanofthiscottage.""Withdarknarrowstairsandakitchenthatsmokes,Isuppose,"saidElinor."Yes,"criedheinthesameeagertone,"withallandeverythingbelongingtoit;-innooneconvenienceorin-convenienceaboutit,shouldtheleastvariationbeperceptible.Then,andthenonly,undersucharoofImightperhapsbeashappyatCombeasIhavebeenatBarton.""Iflattermyself,"repliedElinor,"that,evenunderthedisadvantageofbetterroomsandabroaderstaircase,youwillhereafterfindyourownhouseasfaultlessasyounowdothis.""Therecertainlyarecircumstances,"saidWilloughby,"whichmightgreatlyendearittome;butthisplacewillalwayshaveoneclaimofmyaffection,whichnoothercanpossiblyshare."Mrs.DashwoodlookedwithpleasureatMarianne,whosefineeyeswerefixedsoexpressivelyonWilloughby,asplainlydenotedhowwellsheunderstoodhim."HowoftendidIwish,"addedhe,"whenIwasatAllenhamthistimetwelvemonth,thatBartoncottagewereinhabited!

Ineverpassedwithinviewofitwithoutadmiringitssituation,andgrievingthatnooneshouldliveinit.HowlittledidIthenthinkthattheveryfirstnewsIshouldbearfromMrs.Smith,whenInextcameintothecountry,wouldbethatBartoncottagewastaken;andIfeltanimmediatesatisfactionandinterestintheevent,whichnothingbutakindofprescienceofwhathappinessIshouldexperiencefromitcanaccountfor.Mustitnothavebeenso,Marianne?

"speakingtoherinaloweredvoice.Thencontinuinghisformertone,hesaid,"Andyetthishouseyouwouldspoil,Mrs.Dashwood?

Youwouldrobitofitssimplicitybyimaginaryimprovement!

andthisdearparlourinwhichouracquaintancefirstbegan,andinwhichsomanyhappyhourshavebeensincespentbyustogether,youwoulddegradetotheconditionofacommonentrance,andeverybodywouldbeeagertopassthroughtheroomwhichhashithertocontainedwithinitselfmorerealaccommodationandcomfortthananyotherapartmentofthehandsomestdimensionsintheworldcouldpossiblyafford."Mrs.Dashwoodagainassuredhimthatnoalterationofthekindshouldbeattempted."Youareagoodwoman,"hewarmlyreplied."Yourpromisemakesmeeasy.Extenditalittlefarther,anditwillmakemehappy.Tellmethatnotonlyyourhousewillremainthesame,butthatIshalleverfindyouandyoursasunchangedasyourdwelling;andthatyouwillalwaysconsidermewiththekindnesswhichhasmadeeverythingbelongingtoyousodeartome."Thepromisewasreadilygiven,andWilloughby'sbehaviourduringthewholeoftheeveningdeclaredatoncehisaffectionandhappiness."Shallweseeyouto-morrowtodinner?

"saidMrs.Dashwood,whenhewasleavingthem."Idonotaskyoutocomeinthemorning,forwemustwalktothePark,tocallonLadyMiddleton."Heengagedtobewiththembyfouro'clock.