Chapter 421.docx
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Chapter 421.docx
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Chapter421
Chapter42
ONEothershortcallinHarleyStreet,inwhichElinorreceivedherbrother'scongratulationsontheirtravellingsofartowardsBartonwithoutanyexpense,andonColonelBrandon'sbeingtofollowthemtoClevelandinadayortwo,completedtheintercourseofthebrotherandsistersintown;andafaintinvitationfromFanny,tocometoNorlandwheneveritshouldhappentobeintheirway,whichofallthingswasthemostunlikelytooccur,withamorewarm,thoughlesspublic,assurance,fromJohntoElinor,ofthepromptitudewithwhichheshouldcometoseeheratDelaford,wasallthatforetoldanymeetinginthecountry.
ItamusedhertoobservethatallherfriendsseemeddeterminedtosendhertoDelaford;aplace,inwhich,ofallothers,shewouldnowleastchoosetovisit,orwishtoreside;fornotonlywasitconsideredasherfuturehomebyherbrotherandMrs.Jennings,butevenLucy,whentheyparted,gaveherapressinginvitationtovisitherthere.
VeryearlyinAprilandtolerablyearlyintheday,thetwopartiesfromHanoverSquareandBerkeleyStreetsetoutfromtheirrespectivehomes,tomeet,byappointment,ontheroad.FortheconvenienceofCharlotteandherchild,theyweretobemorethantwodaysontheirjourney;andMr.Palmer,travellingmoreexpeditiouslywithColonelBrandon,wastojointhematClevelandsoonaftertheirarrival.
Marianne,fewashadbeenherhoursofcomfortinLondon,andeagerasshehadlongbeentoquitit,couldnot,whenitcametothepoint,bidadieutothehouseinwhichshehadforthelasttimeenjoyedthosehopes,andthatconfidence,inWilloughby,whichwerenowextinguishedforever,withoutgreatpain.NorcouldsheleavetheplaceinwhichWilloughbyremained,busyinnewengagements,andnewschemes,inwhichshecouldhavenoshare,withoutsheddingmanytears.
Elinor'ssatisfaction,atthemomentofremoval,wasmorepositive.Shehadnosuchobjectforherlingeringthoughtstofixon;sheleftnocreaturebehind,fromwhomitwouldgiveheramoment'sregrettobedividedforever;shewaspleasedtobefreeherselffromthepersecutionofLucy'sfriendship;shewasgratefulforbringinghersisterawayunseenbyWilloughbysincehismarriage;andshelookedforwardwithhopetowhatafewmonthsoftranquilityatBartonmightdotowardsrestoringMarianne'speaceofmind,andconfirmingherown.
Theirjourneywassafelyperformed.Theseconddaybroughtthemintothecherished,ortheprohibited,countyofSomerset;forassuchwasitdweltonbyturnsinMarianne'simagination;andintheforenoonofthethirdtheydroveuptoCleveland.Clevelandwasaspacious,modern-builthouse,situatedonaslopinglawn.Ithadnopark,butthepleasure-groundsweretolerablyextensive;and,likeeveryotherplaceofthesamedegreeofimportance,ithaditsopenshrubbery,andcloserwoodwalk;aroadofsmoothgravel,windingroundaplantation,ledtothefront;thelawnwasdottedoverwithtimber;thehouseitselfwasundertheguardianshipofthefir,themountain-ash,andtheacacia,andathickscreenofthemaltogether,interspersedwithtallLombardypoplars,shutouttheoffices.
MarianneenteredthehousewithaheartswellingwithemotionfromtheconsciousnessofbeingonlyeightymilesfromBarton,andnotthirtyfromCombeMagna;andbeforeshehadbeenfiveminuteswithinitswalls,whiletheotherswerebusilyhelpingCharlottetoshowherchildtothehousekeeper,shequitteditagain,stealingawaythroughthewindingshrubberies,nowjustbeginningtobeinbeauty,togainadistanteminence;where,fromitsGreciantemple,hereye,wanderingoverawidetractofcountrytothesoutheast,couldfondlyrestonthefarthestridgeofhillsinthehorizon,andfancythatfromtheirsummitsCombeMagnamightbeseen.Insuchmomentsofprecious,ofinvaluablemisery,sherejoicedintearsofagonytobeatCleveland;andasshereturnedbyadifferentcircuittothehouse,feelingallthehappyprivilegeofcountryliberty,ofwanderingfromplacetoplaceinfreeandluxurioussolitude,sheresolvedtospendalmosteveryhourofeveryday,whilesheremainedwiththePalmers,intheindulgenceofsuchsolitaryrambles.
Shereturnedjustintimetojointheothers,astheyquittedthehouse,onanexcursionthroughitsmoreimmediatepremises;andtherestofthemorningwaseasilywhiledawayinloungingroundthekitchengarden,examiningthebloomuponitswalls,andlisteningtothegardener'slamentationsuponblights,-indawdlingthroughthegreenhouse,wherethelossofherfavouriteplants,unwarilyexposed,andnippedbythelingeringfrost,raisedthelaughterofCharlotte,-andinvisitingherpoultry-yard,where,inthedisappointedhopesofherdairy-maid,byhensforsakingtheirnests,orbeingstolenbyafox,orintherapiddecreaseofapromisingyoungbrood,shefoundfreshsourcesofmerriment.Themorningwasfineanddry,andMarianne,inherplanofemploymentabroad,hadnotcalculatedforanychangeofweatherduringtheirstayatCleveland.Withgreatsurprise,therefore,didshefindherselfprevented,byasettledrain,fromgoingoutagainafterdinner.ShehaddependedonatwilightwalktotheGreciantemple,andperhapsalloverthegrounds,andaneveningmerelycoldordampwouldnothavedeterredherfromit;butaheavyandsettledrainevenshecouldnotfancydryorpleasantweatherforwalking.Theirpartywassmall,andthehourspassedquietlyaway.Mrs.Palmerhadherchild,andMrs.Jenningshercarpet-work;theyhadtalkedofthefriendstheyhadleftbehind;arrangedLadyMiddleton'sengagements,andwonderedwhetherMr.PalmerandColonelBrandonwouldgetfartherthanReadingthatnight.Elinor,howeverlittleconcernedinit,joinedintheirdiscourse;andMarianne,whohadtheknackoffindingherwayineveryhousetothelibrary,howeveritmightbeavoidedbythefamilyingeneral,soonprocuredherselfabook.
NothingwaswantingonMrs.Palmer'ssidethatconstantandfriendlygoodhumourcoulddo,tomakethemfeelthemselveswelcome.Theopennessandheartinessofhermannermorethanatonedforthatwantofrecollectionandelegancewhichmadeheroftendeficientintheformsofpoliteness;herkindness,recommendedbysoprettyaface,wasengaging;herfolly,thoughevidentwasnotdisgusting,becauseitwasnotconceited;andElinorcouldhaveforgiveneverythingbutherlaugh.
Thetwogentlemenarrivedthenextdaytoaverylatedinner,affordingapleasantenlargementoftheparty,andaverywelcomevarietytotheirconversation,whichalongmorningofthesamecontinuedrainhadreducedverylow.
ElinorhadseensolittleofMr.Palmer,andinthatlittlehadseensomuchvarietyinhisaddresstohersisterandherself,thatsheknewnotwhattoexpecttofindhiminhisownfamily.Shefoundhim,however,perfectlythegentlemaninhisbehaviourtoallhisvisitors,andonlyoccasionallyrudetohiswifeandhermother;shefoundhimverycapableofbeingapleasantcompanion,andonlypreventedfrombeingsoalways,bytoogreatanaptitudetofancyhimselfasmuchsuperiortopeopleingeneral,ashemustfeelhimselftobetoMrs.JenningsandCharlotte.Fortherestofhischaracterandhabits,theyweremarked,asfarasElinorcouldperceive,withnotraitsatallunusualinhissexandtimeoflife.Hewasniceinhiseating,uncertaininhishours;fondofhischild,thoughaffectingtoslightit;andidledawaythemorningsatbilliards,whichoughttohavebeendevotedtobusiness.Shelikedhim,however,uponthewhole,muchbetterthanshehadexpected,andinherheartwasnotsorrythatshecouldlikehimnomore;notsorrytobedrivenbytheobservationofhisepicurism,hisselfishness,andhisconceit,torestwithcomplacencyontheremembranceofEdward'sgeneroustemper,simpletaste,anddiffidentfeelings.OfEdward,oratleastofsomeofhisconcerns,shenowreceivedintelligencefromColonelBrandon,whohadbeenintoDorsetshirelately;andwho,treatingheratonceasthedisinterestedfriendofMr.Ferrars,andthekindofconfidantofhimself,talkedtoheragreatdealoftheparsonageatDelaford,describeditsdeficiencies,andtoldherwhathemeanttodohimselftowardsremovingthem.Hisbehaviourtoherinthis,aswellasineveryotherparticular,hisopenpleasureinmeetingherafteranabsenceofonlytendays,hisreadinesstoconversewithher,andhisdeferenceforheropinion,mightverywelljustifyMrs.Jennings'spersuasionofhisattachment,andwouldhavebeenenough,perhaps,hadnotElinorstill,asfromthefirst,believedMariannehisrealfavourite,tomakehersuspectitherself.Butasitwas,suchanotionhadscarcelyeverenteredherhead,exceptbyMrs.Jennings'ssuggestion;andshecouldnothelpbelievingherselfthenicestobserverofthetwo:
shewatchedhiseyes,whileMrs.Jenningsthoughtonlyofhisbehaviour;andwhilehislooksofanxioussolicitudeonMarianne'sfeeling,inherheadandthroat,thebeginningofaheavycold,becauseunexpressedbywords,entirelyescapedthelatterlady'sobservation,shecoulddiscoverinthemthequickfeelings,andneedlessalarmofalover.
Twodelightedtwilightwalksonthethirdandfourtheveningsofherbeingthere,notmerelyonthedrygraveloftheshrubbery,butalloverthegrounds,andespeciallyinthemostdistantpartsofthem,wheretherewassomethingmoreofwildnessthanintherest,wherethetreesweretheoldest,andthegrasswasthelongestandwettest,had-assistedbythestillgreaterimprudenceofsittinginherwetshoesandstockings-givenMarianneacoldsoviolentas,thoughforadayortwotrifledwithordenied,wouldforceitselfbyincreasingailmentsontheconcernofevery
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