CHAPTER 11
Little had Mrs. Dashwood or her daughters imagined when they first cameinto Devonshire, that so many engagements would arise to occupy theirtime as shortly presented themselves, or that they should have suchfrequent invitations and such constant visitors as to leave them littleleisure for serious employment. Yet such was the case. When Mariannewas recovered, the schemes of amusement at home and abroad, which SirJohn had been previously forming, were put into execution. The privateballs at the park then began; and parties on the water were made andaccomplished as often as a showery October would allow. In everymeeting of the kind Willoughby was included; and the ease andfamiliarity which naturally attended these parties were exactlycalculated to give increasing intimacy to his acquaintance with theDashwoods, to afford him opportunity of witnessing the excellencies ofMarianne, of marking his animated admiration of her, and of receiving,in her behaviour to himself, the most pointed assurance of heraffection.
Elinor could not be surprised at their attachment. She only wishedthat it were less openly shewn; and once or twice did venture tosuggest the propriety of some self-command to Marianne. But Marianneabhorred all concealment where no real disgrace could attend unreserve;and to aim at the restraint of sentiments which were not in themselvesillaudable, appeared to her not merely an unnecessary effort, but adisgraceful subjection of reason to common-place and mistaken notions.Willoughby thought the same; and their behaviour at all times, was anillustration of their opinions.
When he was present she had no eyes for any one else. Every thing hedid, was right. Every thing he said, was clever. If their evenings atthe park were concluded with cards, he cheated himself and all the restof the party to get her a good hand. If dancing formed the amusementof the night, they were partners for half the time; and when obliged toseparate for a couple of dances, were careful to stand together andscarcely spoke a word to any body else. Such conduct made them ofcourse most exceedingly laughed at; but ridicule could not shame, andseemed hardly to provoke them.
Mrs. Dashwood entered into all their feelings with a warmth which lefther no inclination for checking this excessive display of them. To herit was but the natural consequence of a strong affection in a young andardent mind.
This was the season of happiness to Marianne. Her heart was devoted toWilloughby, and the fond attachment to Norland, which she brought withher from Sussex, was more likely to be softened than she had thought itpossible before, by the charms which his society bestowed on herpresent home.
Elinor's happiness was not so great. Her heart was not so much atease, nor her satisfaction in their amusements so pure. They affordedher no companion that could make amends for what she had left behind,nor that could teach her to think of Norland with less regret thanever. Neither Lady Middleton nor Mrs. Jennings could supply to her theconversation she missed; although the latter was an everlasting talker,and from the first had regarded her with a kindness which ensured her alarge share of her discourse. She had already repeated her own historyto Elinor three or four times; and had Elinor's memory been equal toher means of improvement, she might have known very early in theiracquaintance all the particulars of Mr. Jennings's last illness, andwhat he said to his wife a few minutes before he died. Lady Middletonwas more agreeable than her mother only in being more silent. Elinorneeded little observation to perceive that her reserve was a merecalmness of manner with which sense had nothing to do. Towards herhusband and mother she was the same as to them; and intimacy wastherefore neither to be looked for nor desired. She had nothing to sayone day that she had not said the day before. Her insipidity wasinvariable, for even her spirits were always the same; and though shedid not oppose the parties arranged by her husband, provided everything were conducted in style and her two eldest children attended her,she never appeared to receive more enjoyment from them than she mighthave experienced in sitting at home;--and so little did her presenceadd to the pleasure of the others, by any share in their conversation,that they were sometimes only reminded of her being amongst them by hersolicitude about her troublesome boys.
In Colonel Brandon alone, of all her new acquaintance, did Elinor finda person who could in any degree claim the respect of abilities, excitethe interest of friendship, or give pleasure as a companion.Willoughby was out of the question. Her admiration and regard, evenher sisterly regard, was all his own; but he was a lover; hisattentions were wholly Marianne's, and a far less agreeable man mighthave been more generally pleasing. Colonel Brandon, unfortunately forhimself, had no such encouragement to think only of Marianne, and inconversing with Elinor he found the greatest consolation for theindifference of her sister.
Elinor's compassion for him increased, as she had reason to suspectthat the misery of disappointed love had already been known to him.This suspicion was given by some words which accidentally dropped fromhim one evening at the park, when they were sitting down together bymutual consent, while the others were dancing. His eyes were fixed onMarianne, and, after a silence of some minutes, he said, with a faintsmile, Your sister, I understand, does not approve of secondattachments.
No, replied Elinor, her opinions are all romantic.
Or rather, as I believe, she considers them impossible to exist.
I believe she does. But how she contrives it without reflecting onthe character of her own father, who had himself two wives, I know not.A few years however will settle her opinions on the reasonable basis ofcommon sense and observation; and then they may be more easy to defineand to justify than they now are, by any body but herself.
This will probably be the case, he replied; and yet there issomething so amiable in the prejudices of a young mind, that one issorry to see them give way to the reception of more general opinions.
I cannot agree with you there, said Elinor. There areinconveniences attending such feelings as Marianne's, which all thecharms of enthusiasm and ignorance of the world cannot atone for. Hersystems have all the unfortunate tendency of setting propriety atnought; and a better acquaintance with the world is what I look forwardto as her greatest possible advantage.
After a short pause he resumed the conversation by saying,--
Does your sister make no distinction in her objections against asecond attachment? or is it equally criminal in every body? Are thosewho have been disappointed in their first choice, whether from theinconstancy of its object, or the perverseness of circumstances, to beequally indifferent during the rest of their lives?
Upon my word, I am not acquainted with the minutiae of her principles.I only know that I never yet heard her admit any instance of a secondattachment's being pardonable.
This, said he, cannot hold; but a change, a total change ofsentiments--No, no, do not desire it; for when the romantic refinementsof a young mind are obliged to give way, how frequently are theysucceeded by such opinions as are but too common, and too dangerous! Ispeak from experience. I once knew a lady who in temper and mindgreatly resembled your sister, who thought and judged like her, but whofrom an inforced change--from a series of unfortunate circumstances--Here he stopt suddenly; appeared to think that he had said too much,and by his countenance gave rise to conjectures, which might nototherwise have entered Elinor's head. The lady would probably havepassed without suspicion, had he not convinced Miss Dashwood that whatconcerned her ought not to escape his lips. As it was, it required buta slight effort of fancy to connect his emotion with the tenderrecollection of past regard. Elinor attempted no more. But Marianne,in her place, would not have done so little. The whole story wouldhave been speedily formed under her active imagination; and every thingestablished in the most melancholy order of disastrous love.