CHAPTER 34
Mrs. John Dashwood had so much confidence in her husband's judgment,that she waited the very next day both on Mrs. Jennings and herdaughter; and her confidence was rewarded by finding even the former,even the woman with whom her sisters were staying, by no means unworthyher notice; and as for Lady Middleton, she found her one of the mostcharming women in the world!
Lady Middleton was equally pleased with Mrs. Dashwood. There was akind of cold hearted selfishness on both sides, which mutuallyattracted them; and they sympathised with each other in an insipidpropriety of demeanor, and a general want of understanding.
The same manners, however, which recommended Mrs. John Dashwood to thegood opinion of Lady Middleton did not suit the fancy of Mrs. Jennings,and to HER she appeared nothing more than a little proud-looking womanof uncordial address, who met her husband's sisters without anyaffection, and almost without having anything to say to them; for ofthe quarter of an hour bestowed on Berkeley Street, she sat at leastseven minutes and a half in silence.
Elinor wanted very much to know, though she did not chuse to ask,whether Edward was then in town; but nothing would have induced Fannyvoluntarily to mention his name before her, till able to tell her thathis marriage with Miss Morton was resolved on, or till her husband'sexpectations on Colonel Brandon were answered; because she believedthem still so very much attached to each other, that they could not betoo sedulously divided in word and deed on every occasion. Theintelligence however, which SHE would not give, soon flowed fromanother quarter. Lucy came very shortly to claim Elinor's compassionon being unable to see Edward, though he had arrived in town with Mr.and Mrs. Dashwood. He dared not come to Bartlett's Buildings for fearof detection, and though their mutual impatience to meet, was not to betold, they could do nothing at present but write.
Edward assured them himself of his being in town, within a very shorttime, by twice calling in Berkeley Street. Twice was his card found onthe table, when they returned from their morning's engagements. Elinorwas pleased that he had called; and still more pleased that she hadmissed him.
The Dashwoods were so prodigiously delighted with the Middletons, that,though not much in the habit of giving anything, they determined togive them--a dinner; and soon after their acquaintance began, invitedthem to dine in Harley Street, where they had taken a very good housefor three months. Their sisters and Mrs. Jennings were invitedlikewise, and John Dashwood was careful to secure Colonel Brandon, who,always glad to be where the Miss Dashwoods were, received his eagercivilities with some surprise, but much more pleasure. They were tomeet Mrs. Ferrars; but Elinor could not learn whether her sons were tobe of the party. The expectation of seeing HER, however, was enough tomake her interested in the engagement; for though she could now meetEdward's mother without that strong anxiety which had once promised toattend such an introduction, though she could now see her with perfectindifference as to her opinion of herself, her desire of being incompany with Mrs. Ferrars, her curiosity to know what she was like, wasas lively as ever.
The interest with which she thus anticipated the party, was soonafterwards increased, more powerfully than pleasantly, by her hearingthat the Miss Steeles were also to be at it.
So well had they recommended themselves to Lady Middleton, so agreeablehad their assiduities made them to her, that though Lucy was certainlynot so elegant, and her sister not even genteel, she was as ready asSir John to ask them to spend a week or two in Conduit Street; and ithappened to be particularly convenient to the Miss Steeles, as soon asthe Dashwoods' invitation was known, that their visit should begin afew days before the party took place.
Their claims to the notice of Mrs. John Dashwood, as the nieces of thegentleman who for many years had had the care of her brother, might nothave done much, however, towards procuring them seats at her table; butas Lady Middleton's guests they must be welcome; and Lucy, who had longwanted to be personally known to the family, to have a nearer view oftheir characters and her own difficulties, and to have an opportunityof endeavouring to please them, had seldom been happier in her life,than she was on receiving Mrs. John Dashwood's card.
On Elinor its effect was very different. She began immediately todetermine, that Edward who lived with his mother, must be asked as hismother was, to a party given by his sister; and to see him for thefirst time, after all that passed, in the company of Lucy!--she hardlyknew how she could bear it!
These apprehensions, perhaps, were not founded entirely on reason, andcertainly not at all on truth. They were relieved however, not by herown recollection, but by the good will of Lucy, who believed herself tobe inflicting a severe disappointment when she told her that Edwardcertainly would not be in Harley Street on Tuesday, and even hoped tobe carrying the pain still farther by persuading her that he was keptaway by the extreme affection for herself, which he could not concealwhen they were together.
The important Tuesday came that was to introduce the two young ladiesto this formidable mother-in-law.
Pity me, dear Miss Dashwood! said Lucy, as they walked up the stairstogether--for the Middletons arrived so directly after Mrs. Jennings,that they all followed the servant at the same time--There is nobodyhere but you, that can feel for me.--I declare I can hardly stand.Good gracious!--In a moment I shall see the person that all myhappiness depends on--that is to be my mother!--
Elinor could have given her immediate relief by suggesting thepossibility of its being Miss Morton's mother, rather than her own,whom they were about to behold; but instead of doing that, she assuredher, and with great sincerity, that she did pity her--to the utteramazement of Lucy, who, though really uncomfortable herself, hoped atleast to be an object of irrepressible envy to Elinor.
Mrs. Ferrars was a little, thin woman, upright, even to formality, inher figure, and serious, even to sourness, in her aspect. Hercomplexion was sallow; and her features small, without beauty, andnaturally without expression; but a lucky contraction of the brow hadrescued her countenance from the disgrace of insipidity, by giving itthe strong characters of pride and ill nature. She was not a woman ofmany words; for, unlike people in general, she proportioned them to thenumber of her ideas; and of the few syllables that did escape her, notone fell to the share of Miss Dashwood, whom she eyed with the spiriteddetermination of disliking her at all events.
Elinor could not NOW be made unhappy by this behaviour.-- A few monthsago it would have hurt her exceedingly; but it was not in Mrs. Ferrars'power to distress her by it now;--and the difference of her manners tothe Miss Steeles, a difference which seemed purposely made to humbleher more, only amused her. She could not but smile to see thegraciousness of both mother and daughter towards the very person-- forLucy was particularly distinguished--whom of all others, had they knownas much as she did, they would have been most anxious to mortify; whileshe herself, who had comparatively no power to wound them, satpointedly slighted by both. But while she smiled at a graciousness somisapplied, she could not reflect on the mean-spirited folly from whichit sprung, nor observe the studied attentions with which the MissSteeles courted its continuance, without thoroughly despising them allfour.
Lucy was all exultation on being so honorably distinguished; and MissSteele wanted only to be teazed about Dr. Davies to be perfectly happy.
The dinner was a grand one, the servants were numerous, and every thingbespoke the Mistress's inclination for show, and the Master's abilityto support it. In spite of the improvements and additions which weremaking to the Norland estate, and in spite of its owner having oncebeen within some thousand pounds of being obliged to sell out at aloss, nothing gave any symptom of that indigence which he had tried toinfer from it;--no poverty of any kind, except of conversation,appeared--but there, the deficiency was considerable. John Dashwoodhad not much to say for himself that was worth hearing, and his wifehad still less. But there was no peculiar disgrace in this; for it wasvery much the case with the chief of their visitors, who almost alllaboured under one or other of these disqualifications for beingagreeable--Want of sense, either natural or improved--want ofelegance--want of spirits--or want of temper.
When the ladies withdrew to the drawing-room after dinner, this povertywas particularly evident, for the gentlemen HAD supplied the discoursewith some variety--the variety of politics, inclosing land, andbreaking horses--but then it was all over; and one subject only engagedthe ladies till coffee came in, which was the comparative heights ofHarry Dashwood, and Lady Middleton's second son William, who werenearly of the same age.
Had both the children been there, the affair might have been determinedtoo easily by measuring them at once; but as Harry only was present, itwas all conjectural assertion on both sides; and every body had a rightto be equally positive in their opinion, and to repeat it over and overagain as often as they liked.
The parties stood thus:
The two mothers, though each really convinced that her own son was thetallest, politely decided in favour of the other.
The two grandmothers, with not less partiality, but more sincerity,were equally earnest in support of their own descendant.
Lucy, who was hardly less anxious to please one parent than the other,thought the boys were both remarkably tall for their age, and could notconceive that there could be the smallest difference in the worldbetween them; and Miss Steele, with yet greater address gave it, asfast as she could, in favour of each.
Elinor, having once delivered her opinion on William's side, by whichshe offended Mrs. Ferrars and Fanny still more, did not see thenecessity of enforcing it by any farther assertion; and Marianne, whencalled on for hers, offended them all, by declaring that she had noopinion to give, as she had never thought about it.
Before her removing from Norland, Elinor had painted a very pretty pairof screens for her sister-in-law, which being now just mounted andbrought home, ornamented her present drawing room; and these screens,catching the eye of John Dashwood on his following the other gentlemeninto the room, were officiously handed by him to Colonel Brandon forhis admiration.
These are done by my eldest sister, said he; and you, as a man oftaste, will, I dare say, be pleased with them. I do not know whetheryou have ever happened to see any of her performances before, but sheis in general reckoned to draw extremely well.
The Colonel, though disclaiming all pretensions to connoisseurship,warmly admired the screens, as he would have done any thing painted byMiss Dashwood; and on the curiosity of the others being of courseexcited, they were handed round for general inspection. Mrs. Ferrars,not aware of their being Elinor's work, particularly requested to lookat them; and after they had received gratifying testimony of LadyMiddletons's approbation, Fanny presented them to her mother,considerately informing her, at the same time, that they were done byMiss Dashwood.
Hum--said Mrs. Ferrars--very pretty,--and without regarding them atall, returned them to her daughter.
Perhaps Fanny thought for a moment that her mother had been quite rudeenough,--for, colouring a little, she immediately said,
They are very pretty, ma'am--an't they? But then again, the dread ofhaving been too civil, too encouraging herself, probably came over her,for she presently added,
Do you not think they are something in Miss Morton's style ofpainting, Ma'am?--She DOES paint most delightfully!--How beautifullyher last landscape is done!
Beautifully indeed! But SHE does every thing well.
Marianne could not bear this.--She was already greatly displeased withMrs. Ferrars; and such ill-timed praise of another, at Elinor'sexpense, though she had not any notion of what was principally meant byit, provoked her immediately to say with warmth,
This is admiration of a very particular kind!--what is Miss Morton tous?--who knows, or who cares, for her?--it is Elinor of whom WE thinkand speak.
And so saying, she took the screens out of her sister-in-law's hands,to admire them herself as they ought to be admired.
Mrs. Ferrars looked exceedingly angry, and drawing herself up morestiffly than ever, pronounced in retort this bitter philippic, MissMorton is Lord Morton's daughter.
Fanny looked very angry too, and her husband was all in a fright at hissister's audacity. Elinor was much more hurt by Marianne's warmth thanshe had been by what produced it; but Colonel Brandon's eyes, as theywere fixed on Marianne, declared that he noticed only what was amiablein it, the affectionate heart which could not bear to see a sisterslighted in the smallest point.
Marianne's feelings did not stop here. The cold insolence of Mrs.Ferrars's general behaviour to her sister, seemed, to her, to foretellsuch difficulties and distresses to Elinor, as her own wounded hearttaught her to think of with horror; and urged by a strong impulse ofaffectionate sensibility, she moved after a moment, to her sister'schair, and putting one arm round her neck, and one cheek close to hers,said in a low, but eager, voice,
Dear, dear Elinor, don't mind them. Don't let them make YOU unhappy.
She could say no more; her spirits were quite overcome, and hiding herface on Elinor's shoulder, she burst into tears. Every body'sattention was called, and almost every body was concerned.--ColonelBrandon rose up and went to them without knowing what he did.--Mrs.Jennings, with a very intelligent Ah! poor dear, immediately gave herher salts; and Sir John felt so desperately enraged against the authorof this nervous distress, that he instantly changed his seat to oneclose by Lucy Steele, and gave her, in a whisper, a brief account ofthe whole shocking affair.
In a few minutes, however, Marianne was recovered enough to put an endto the bustle, and sit down among the rest; though her spirits retainedthe impression of what had passed, the whole evening.
Poor Marianne! said her brother to Colonel Brandon, in a low voice,as soon as he could secure his attention,-- She has not such goodhealth as her sister,--she is very nervous,--she has not Elinor'sconstitution;--and one must allow that there is something very tryingto a young woman who HAS BEEN a beauty in the loss of her personalattractions. You would not think it perhaps, but Marianne WASremarkably handsome a few months ago; quite as handsome as Elinor.--Now you see it is all gone.