38 Sense And Sensibility Read By Stephanie Poppins

When Mr. Dashwood dies, he must leave the bulk of his estate to the son of his first marriage. This leaves his second wife and their three daughters Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret in difficult circumstances. They are taken in by a kindly cousin, but their lack of fortune affects the marriageability of practical Elinor and romantic Marianne.

When Elinor forms an attachment for the wealthy Edward Ferrars his family disapproves and separates them. And though Mrs. Jennings tries to match the rich and kind Colonel Brandon to Marianne, she finds the dashing and fiery John Willoughby more to her taste.

In this episode, Anne Steele tells Elinor of a conversation she heard when listening in at the door...

Transcript

Hello.

Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

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Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.

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Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen Chapter 38 Mrs Jennings was very warm in her praise of Edward's conduct.

But only Eleanor and Marianne understood its true merit.

They only knew how little he had had to tempt him to be disobedient and how small was the consolation,

Beyond the consciousness of doing right,

That could remain to him in the loss of friends and fortune.

It was not a subject on which either of them was fond of dwelling when alone.

Eleanor avoided it upon principle as tending to fix still more upon her thoughts by the too warm,

Too positive assurances of Marianne that belief of Edward's continued affection for herself,

Which she rather wished to do away.

And Marianne's courage soon failed her in trying to converse upon a subject which always left her more dissatisfied with herself than ever,

By the compassion of Edward and his By the comparison he had necessarily produced between Eleanor's conduct and her own.

Nothing new was heard by them for a day or two afterwards of affairs in Harley Street or Bartlett's buildings.

But though so much of the matter was known to them already,

That Mrs Jennings might have had enough to do in spreading that knowledge further,

Without seeking after more,

She had resolved from the first to pay a visit of inquiry to her cousins as soon as she could,

And nothing but the hindrance of more visitors than usual had prevented her going to them within that time.

The third day,

Succeeding their knowledge of the particulars,

Was so fine a Sunday as to draw many more to Kensington Gardens.

Mrs Jennings and Eleanor were off the number,

But Marianne,

Who knew the Willoughbys were again in town,

Chose rather to stay at home than venture into such public a place.

An intimate acquaintance of Mrs Jennings joined them soon after they entered the gardens,

And Eleanor was not sorry that by her continuing with them and engaging all Mrs Jennings' conversation,

She was herself left to quiet reflection.

She saw nothing of the Willoughbys,

Nothing of Edward,

And for some time,

Nothing of anybody who could by any chance be interesting to her.

But at last she found herself accosted by Miss Steele,

Who,

Though looking rather shy,

Expressed great satisfaction in meeting them,

And on receiving encouragement from the particular kindness of Mrs Jennings,

Left her own party for a short time to join theirs.

Mrs Jennings immediately whispered to Eleanor,

Get it all out of her,

My dear.

She will tell you anything if you ask.

You see,

I cannot leave Mrs Clarke.

I'm so glad to meet you,

Said Miss Steele,

For I wanted to see you of all things in the world,

And then,

Lowering her voice,

I suppose Mrs Jennings has heard all about it.

Is she angry?

Not at all,

I believe,

With you,

Said Eleanor.

That is a good thing.

And Lady Middleton,

Is she angry?

I cannot suppose it possible that she should be.

I am monstrous glad of it,

Said Miss Steele.

Good gracious,

I never saw Lucy in such a rage in all my life.

She vowed at first she'd never trim me up a new bonnet or do anything else for me again as long as she lived.

But now she's quite come to,

And we're as good friends as ever.

Look,

She made me this bow to my hat and put in the feather last night.

There now,

You are going to laugh at me too,

But why should I not wear pink ribbons?

Miss Steele had wandered away to a subject on which Eleanor had nothing to say,

And therefore soon judged it expedient to find her way back to the firm.

Well,

But Miss Dashwood,

Steele continued triumphantly,

People may say what they choose about Mr.

Ferris declaring he wouldn't have Lucy,

For it's no such a thing,

I can tell you.

Whatever Lucy might think about it herself,

It was of no business to other people to set it down for certain.

I never heard anything of the kind hinted at before,

I assure you,

Said Eleanor.

Oh,

Did not you?

But it was said,

I know very well,

And by more than one.

For Miss Godby has told Miss Sparks nobody in their senses could expect Mr.

Ferris to give up a woman like Miss Morton with thirty thousand pounds to her fortune,

For Lucy Steele had nothing at all.

I do believe in my heart Lucy gave it all up for lost,

Till we came away from your brothers on Wednesday.

Then we saw nothing of him,

Not at all,

Thursday,

Friday or Saturday,

But this morning he came out just as we came home from church.

Then it all came out,

How he'd been sent for,

And been talked to by his mother and all of them,

And how he'd declared before them all he loved nobody but Lucy,

And nobody but Lucy would he have.

How he had been so worried about what passed,

That as soon as he'd woken up he'd been lost,

That as soon as he'd went away from his mother's house he'd rode into the country somewhere or another,

And he'd stayed about to the end all Thursday and Friday on purpose to get the better of it.

After thinking it all over again he said it seemed to him as if now he had no fortune,

It would be quite unkind to keep her on to the engagement because it must be for her loss,

For he had nothing but two thousand pounds and no hope of anything else.

He could not bear to think of her doing no better,

So he begged,

If she had the least mind for it to put an end to the matter directly and leave him to shift for himself.

I will take my oath he never dropped a syllable of being tired of her or of wishing to marry Miss Morton,

Or anything like it,

But to be sure Lucy would not give ear to such kind of talking,

So she told him directly she had not the least mind in the world to be of,

For she could not live with him upon a trifle.

And how little so ever he might have,

She should be very glad to have it all.

So then he was monstrous happy and talked on some time about what they should do,

And they agreed he should take orders directly and they must wait to be married till he got to living.

Just then I could not hear any more for my cousin called from below to tell me Miss Richardson must come in her coach and would take us all to Kensington Gardens.

I was forced to go into the room and interrupt them to ask if Lucy would like to go,

But she did not care to leave Edward.

I do not understand what you mean by interrupting them,

Said Eleanor.

You were all in the same room together,

Were you not?

No,

Indeed,

Not us.

Miss Dashwood,

Do you think people make love when anybody else is by?

No,

They were shut up in the drawing room together,

And all I heard was only by listening at the door.

How,

Cried Eleanor,

Have you been repeating to me what you only learnt yourself by listening at the door?

How could you behave so unfairly by your sister?

Oh,

There's nothing in that.

I only stood at the door and heard what I could,

And I'm sure Lucy would have done just the same by me.

Eleanor tried to think of something else to talk about,

But Miss Steele could not be kept beyond a couple of minutes from what was uppermost in her mind.

Edward talks of going to Oxford soon,

Said she,

But now he's lodging at Pall Mall.

He's got some business at Oxford,

He said,

So he must go there for a time,

And after that,

As soon as he can light upon a bishop,

He will be ordained.

I wonder what curacy he'll get.

Good gracious,

Giggling as she spoke.

I'd lay my life,

I know,

For what my cousins will say when they hear of it.

They'll tell me I should write to the doctor to get Edward the curacy of his new living.

No,

They will,

But I'm sure I would not do such a thing for all the world.

Well,

Said Eleanor,

It is a comfort to be prepared against the worst.

You have got your answer ready.

Miss Steele was going to reply on the same subject,

But the approach of her own party made another more necessary.

Oh,

La,

Here come the Richardsons.

I had a vast deal more to say to you,

But I must not stay away any longer.

Goodbye.

Sorry Miss Marianne was not here.

Remember me kindly to her.

Ah,

If you have not got your spotted muslin on,

I wonder you were not afraid of it being I wonder you were not afraid of it being torn.

Such was her part in concern,

For after this she had only time to pay her farewell compliments to Mrs Jennings before her company was claimed by Mrs Richardson,

And Eleanor was left in possession of knowledge which might feed her powers of reflection some time.

Edward's marriage with Lucy was as firmly determined on,

And the time of its taking place remained as absolutely certain as she had concluded it would be.

Everything depended exactly after her expectation on his getting that preferment,

Of which there seemed not the smallest chance.

As soon as they returned to the carriage,

Mrs Jennings was eager for information,

But as Eleanor wished to spread as little as possible intelligence that had in the first place been so unfairly obtained,

She confined herself to the brief repetition of such simple particulars as she felt assured that Lucy would choose to have known.

The continuance of their engagement and the means that were to be taken for promoting its end were all her communication,

And this produced from Mrs Jennings the following natural remark.

Wait for his having a living.

They will wait a twelve month,

And finding no good comes of it,

Will settle down upon a curacy of fifty pounds a year.

Then they will have a child every year.

Lord help them,

How poor they will be.

I must see what I can give them towards furnishing their house.

The next morning brought Eleanor a letter by the two-penny post from Lucy herself.

It read as follows.

Bartlett's Buildings.

March.

I hope my dear Miss Dashwood will excuse the liberty I take of writing to her,

But I know your friendship for me will make you pleased to hear her such a good account of myself and my dear Edward after all the troubles we have been through.

We have had great trials and great persecutions,

But however at the same time gracefully acknowledge many friends,

Yourself not the least amongst them,

Whose great kindness I shall always thankfully remember,

As will Edward too,

Whom I have told of it.

I am sure you will be glad to hear as likewise day Mrs Jennings.

I spent two happy hours with him yesterday afternoon.

He would not hear of our parting,

Though earnestly did I,

As I thought my duty required,

But him to it for prudence sake,

And would have parted forever on the spot would he consent to it,

But he said he should never be.

Our prospects are not very bright,

To be sure,

But we must wait and hope for the best.

He will be ordained shortly,

And should it ever be your power to recommend him to anybody that has a living to bestow,

I am very sure you will not forget us and dear Mrs Jennings too.

I trust she will speak a good word for us to Sir John.

I hope Mrs Jennings won't think it too much trouble to give us a call should she come away any morning.

Now my paper reminds me to conclude,

And begging to be most gratefully and respectfully remembered to her and to Sir John and Lady Middleton and the dear children,

When you chance to see them,

And love to Miss Marianne.

I am etc.

Etc.

As soon as Eleanor finished it,

She performed what she concluded to be its writer's real design,

By placing it in the hands of Mrs Jennings,

Who read it aloud with many comments of satisfaction and praise.

Very well indeed!

How prettily she writes!

Ay,

That was quite proper to let him be off if he would.

Was just like Lucy.

Poor soul!

I wish I could get him a living with all my heart.

She calls me dear Mrs Jennings,

You see.

Yes,

Yes,

I will go to and see her.

Sure enough.

Thank you,

My dear,

For showing it to me.

It is as pretty a letter as ever I saw.

And does Lucy's head and heart great credit.