Hello.
Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,
Your go-to romantic podcast that guarantees you a calm and entertaining transition into a great night's sleep.
Come with me as we immerse ourselves in a romantic journey to a time long since forgotten.
This series follows the trials and tribulations of Elizabeth Bennet as she struggles to come to terms with Mr Darcy and all he means to her.
But before we begin,
Let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.
That's it.
Now close your eyes and feel yourself sink deeper into the support beneath you.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now and nowhere you need to go.
Happy listening.
Sense and sensibility.
By Jane Austen Chapter 32 When the particulars of this conversation were repeated by Miss Dashwood to her sister,
As they were very soon done,
The effect on her was not entirely such as the former had hoped to see.
Not that Marianne appeared to distrust the truth of any part of it,
For she listened to it all with the most steady and submissive attention,
Made neither objection nor remark,
Attempted no vindication of Willoughby,
And seemed to show by her tears she felt it to be impossible.
But though this behaviour assured Eleanor the conviction of his guilt was carried to her mind,
Though she saw with satisfaction the effect of it,
In her no longer avoiding Colonel Brandon when he called,
In her speaking to him she did not see her less wretched.
She felt the loss of Willoughby's character yet more heavily than she'd felt the loss of his heart.
His seduction and desertion of Miss Williams preyed altogether so much on her spirits she could not bring herself to speak of what she felt,
Even to Eleanor.
And brooding over her sorrows in silence gave more pain to her sister than could have been communicated by the most open and frequent confession of them.
To give the feelings or the language of Mrs Dashwood on receiving and answering Eleanor's letter would be only to give repetition of what her daughters had already felt and said,
Of a disappointment hardly less painful than Marianne's and an indignation even greater than Eleanor's.
Against the interest of her own individual comfort,
Mrs Dashwood determined it would be better for Marianne to be anywhere at that time than at Barton,
Where everything within her view would be bringing back the past in the strongest and most afflicting manner.
She recommended it to her daughters,
Therefore,
By all means not to shorten their visit to Mrs Jennings.
A variety of occupations,
Objects and company which could not be procured at Barton would be inevitable there,
And might yet,
She hoped,
Cheat Marianne at times into some interest beyond herself.
From all danger of seeing Willoughby again,
Her mother considered her to be at least equally safe in town as in the country,
Since his acquaintance must now be dropped by all who called themselves her friends.
She had yet another reason for wishing her children to remain where they were.
A letter from her son-in-law told her he and his wife were to be in town before the middle of February,
And she judged it right they should sometimes see their brother.
Marianne had promised to be guided by her mother's opinion,
And she submitted to it,
Therefore,
Without opposition,
Though it proved perfectly different from what she wished and expected,
And by requiring her long continuance in London,
It deprived her of the only possible alleviation of her wretchedness,
The personal sympathy of her mother.
But it was a matter of great consolation to her that what brought evil to herself would bring good to her sister.
And Eleanor,
On the other hand,
Suspecting it would not be in her power to avoid Edward entirely,
Comforted herself by thinking that though their longer stay would therefore militate her against her own happiness,
It would be better for Marianne than an immediate return into Devonshire.
Her carefulness in going to Her carefulness in guarding her sister from ever hearing Willoughby's name mentioned was not thrown away.
Marianne,
Though without knowing it herself,
Reaped all its advantage,
For neither Mrs Jennings nor Sir John,
Nor even Mrs Palmer herself,
Ever spoke of him before her.
Sir John could not have thought it possible.
A man of whom he had always had such reason to think well,
Such a good-natured fellow,
It was an unaccountable business.
He wished him at the devil with all his heart.
Mrs Palmer,
In her way,
Was equally angry.
She was determined to drop his acquaintance immediately,
And was very thankful she had never been acquainted with him at all.
She hated him so much,
She was resolved never to mention his name again,
And she should tell everybody she saw how good for nothing he was.
The calm and polite unconcern of Lady Middleton on the occasion was a happy relief to Eleanor's spirits.
It was a great comfort to her to know there was one who would meet her without feeling any curiosity after particulars or any anxiety for her sister's health.
Lady Middleton expressed her sense of the affair about once every day,
Or twice if the subject occurred,
By saying,
It really is very shocking indeed,
And by the means of this continual though gentle vent,
Was able not only to see the Miss Dashwoods from the first without the smallest emotion,
But very soon to see them without recollecting a word of the matter.
And thought herself at liberty to attend to the interest of her own assemblies,
And therefore determined that as Mrs Willoughby would at once be a woman of elegance and fortune,
To leave her card with her as soon as she married.
Colonel Brandon's delicate,
Unobtrusive inquiries were never unwelcome to Miss Dashwood.
His chief reward for the painful exertion of disclosing past sorrows and present humiliations were given in the pitying eye with which Marianne sometimes observed him,
And the gentleness of her voice whenever she was obliged to speak to him.
These assured him his exertion had produced an increase of goodwill towards himself,
And these gave Eleanor hopes of it being further augmented hereafter.
Early in February,
Eleanor had the painful office of informing her sister Willoughby was married.
She had taken care to have the intelligence conveyed to herself as soon as it was known the ceremony was over,
As she was desirous that Marianne should not receive the first notice of it from the public papers.
She received the news with resolute composure,
And at first shed no tears,
But after a short time they would burst out and for the rest of the day she was in a state hardly less pitiable than when she first learnt to expect the event.
The Willoughbys left town as soon as they were married,
And Eleanor now hoped,
As there could be no danger of her seeing either of them,
To prevail on her sister to go out again by degrees,
As she had done so before.
About this time the two Miss Steeles,
Lately arrived at their cousin's house in Barclay Buildings,
Holborn,
Presented themselves again before their more grand relations in Conduit and Barclay Street.
Eleanor only was sorry to see them.
Their presence always gave her pain,
And she hardly knew how to make a very gracious return to the overpowering delight of Lucy in finding her still in town.
I should have been quite disappointed if I had not found you here still,
Said she repeatedly,
With a strong emphasis on the word.
It would have been such a great pity to have went away before your brother and sister came,
And now to be sure you will be in no hurry to be gone.
Well,
My dear,
Said Mrs Jennings,
And how did you travel?
Not in the stage,
I assure you,
Replied Miss Steele,
With a quick exultation.
We came post all the way and had a very smart boat to attend us.
Dr Davies was coming to town,
So we thought we'd join him in a post-chase.
Oh,
Oh,
Cried Mrs Jennings,
Very pretty indeed,
And the doctor is a single man,
I warrant you.
There now,
Said Miss Steele,
Affectedly simpering,
Everyone laughs at me about the doctor,
And I cannot think why.
My cousins say they're sure I've never made a conquest,
But for my part I declared I never think about him from one hour's end to the next.
Ay,
Ay,
That is very pretty talking,
But it won't do.
The doctor is the man,
I see.
Oh,
Indeed,
Replied her cousin,
With affected earnestness,
And I beg you will contradict it if you ever hear it talked of.
Mrs Jennings directly gave her gratifying assurance that she certainly would not,
And Miss Steele was made completely happy.
I suppose you will go and stay with your brother and sister,
Miss Dashwood,
When they come to town,
Said Lucy.
No,
I do not think we shall.
What a charming thing it is that Mrs Dashwood can spare you both for so long a time together.
Long a time,
Indeed,
Interposed Mrs Jennings.
Why,
But their visit has just begun.
I'm sorry we can't see your sister,
Miss Dashwood,
Said Miss Steele.
I'm sorry she's not well.
You are very good.
My sister will be equally sorry to miss the pleasure of seeing you,
But she has been very much plagued lately with nervous headaches,
Which make her unfit for company or conversation,
Said Eleanor.
Oh,
Dear,
That is a great pity,
But such old friends as Lucy and me,
I think she might see us.
Then Eleanor,
With great civility,
Promptly declined the proposal.
