41 And 42 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, Lucy and Edward are both equally happy and grateful to Elinor and Colonel Brandon. The former has been a good friend, (in spite of her hidden conflicted feelings, and the latter has gifted Edward a parsonage and living therein.

Transcript

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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 41 Edward,

Having carried his thanks to Colonel Brandon,

Proceeded with his happiness to Lucy,

And such was the excess of it by the time he reached Barclayt's buildings,

She was able to assure Mrs.

Jennings she had never seen him in such spirits before in her life.

Her own happiness and spirits were at least very certain,

And she joined Mrs.

Jennings most heartily in her expectation of their being all comfortably of their being all comfortably together in Delaford Parsonage before Michaelmas.

So far was she at the same time from any backwardness to give Eleanor that credit which Edward would give her,

That she spoke of her friendship for them both with a most grateful warmth and was ready to own all their obligation to her.

As for Colonel Brandon,

She was not only ready to worship him as a saint,

But moreover truly anxious he should be treated as one in all worldly concerns,

And secretly resolved to avail herself at Delaford,

As far as she possibly could,

Of his servants,

His carriage,

His cows,

And his poultry.

It was now above a week since John Dashwood had called in Barclay Street,

And as since that time no notice had been taken by them of his wife's indisposition beyond one verbal inquiry,

Eleanor began to feel it necessary to pay her a visit.

Marianne,

Not contented with absolutely refusing to go herself,

Was very urgent to prevent her sisters going at all,

And Mrs.

Jennings so much disliked Mrs.

John Dashwood that not even her curiosity to see how she looked after the late discovery could overcome her unwillingness to be in her company again.

The consequence was that Eleanor set out by herself.

Mrs.

Dashwood was denied,

But before the carriage could turn from the house,

Her husband accidentally came out.

He expressed great pleasure in meeting Eleanor,

And assuring her that Fanny would be very glad to see her,

Invited her to come in.

They walked upstairs into the drawing room,

But nobody was there.

"'Fanny's in her own room,

I suppose,

' said he.

"'I'll go to her presently,

For I'm sure she will not have the least objection in the world to seeing you.

Why would not Marianne come?

' Eleanor made what excuse she could.

"'I'm not sorry to see you alone,

' he replied,

"'for I have a good deal to say to you.

This living of Colonel Brandon's,

Has he really given it to Edward?

I heard yesterday by chance,

And was coming to you on purpose to inquire further about it.

' "'It is perfectly true.

' "'Really?

Well,

That is very astonishing,

And now that living's fetched such a price.

What was the value of this?

' "'About two hundred a year.

' "'Very well,

And for the next presentation to a living of that value,

Supposing the old incumbent,

To have been old and sickly,

And likely to vacate it soon,

He might have got,

I dare say,

Fourteen hundred pounds.

But how came he not to have settled that matter before this person's death?

Now,

Indeed,

It would be too late to sell it,

But a man of Colonel Brandon's sense.

I suppose,

However,

Edward's only to hold the living till the person,

To whom the Colonel has really sold the presentation,

Is old enough to take it.

' "'Eleanor contradicted this,

However,

And by relating she had herself been employed in conveying the offer from Colonel Brandon to Edward,

Obliged him to submit to her authority.

"'It is truly astonishing,

' he cried,

After hearing what she said.

"'What could be the Colonel's motive?

' "'A very simple one,

' Eleanor replied.

"'To be of use to Mr.

Ferrars.

' "'Well,

Well,

Whatever Colonel Brandon may be,

Edward is a very lucky man.

You will not mention the matter to Fanny,

However.

She will not like to hear it much talked of.

' "'Eleanor had some difficulty here to refrain from observing.

She thought Fanny might have borne with composure an acquisition of wealth to her brother,

To which neither she nor her child could be possibly impoverished.

"'Mrs.

Ferrars,

' added he,

"'knows nothing about it at present,

And I believe it will be best to keep it entirely concealed from her,

As long as may be.

' "'But why should such precaution be used?

' Eleanor persisted.

"'Though it is not to be supposed that Mrs.

Ferrars can have the small dissatisfaction in knowing her son has money enough to live upon,

Yet why,

After her late behaviour,

Is she supposed to feel it all?

"'She has done with her son,

She has cast him off forever.

She would not be so weak as to throw away the comfort of a child,

And yet retain the anxiety of a parent.

' "'Ah,

Eleanor,

' said John,

"'your reasoning is very good,

But it is founded on ignorance of human nature.

When Edward's unhappy match takes place,

Depend upon it,

His mother will feel as much as if she had never discarded him.

Mrs.

Ferrars can never forget Edward is her son.

' "'You surprise me,

' said Eleanor.

"'I should think it must nearly have escaped her memory by this time.

' "'You wrong her exceedingly.

Mrs.

Ferrars is one of the most affectionate mothers in the world.

' Eleanor was silent.

"'We think now,

' continued Mr.

Dashwood,

After a short pause,

"'of Robert's marrying Miss Morton.

' "'Eleanor,

Smiling at the grave and decisive importance of her brother's tone,

Calmly replied,

"'The lady,

I suppose,

Has no choice in the affair?

' "'Choice?

How do you mean?

' "'I only mean,

I suppose,

From your manner of speaking,

It must be the same to Miss Morton whether she marry Edward or Robert.

' "'Certainly there can be no difference,

' said Mr.

Dashwood.

"'Robert will now,

To all intents and purposes,

Be considered as the eldest son.

They are both very agreeable young men,

And I do not know that one is superior to the other.

' Eleanor said no more,

And John was also,

For a short time,

Silent.

His reflections ended thus.

"'Of one thing,

My dear sister,

' he took her hand,

"'I may assure you I have good reason to think,

Whatever objections there may be,

Against a certain connection,

It would have been far preferable to her and would not have given her half the vexation that this does.

"'I was exceedingly pleased to hear Mrs.

Ferrars considered it in that light.

' "'It would have been beyond comparison,

' she said,

"'the least evil of the two.

' "'However,

All that is quite out of the question and gone by now,

But I thought I would just tell you of this because I knew how much it must please you.

"'Not that you have any reason to regret,

My dear Eleanor,

There is no doubt of your doing exceedingly well,

Quite as well or better,

Perhaps,

All things considered.

"'Has Colonel Brandon been with you lately?

' Eleanor had heard enough,

If not to gratify her vanity and raise her self-importance,

To agitate her nerves and fill her mind.

She was therefore glad to be spared from the necessity of saying much in reply and from the danger of hearing anything more from her brother.

By the entrance of Mr.

Robert Ferrars.

" After a few moments' chat,

John Dashwood,

Recollecting that Fanny was yet uninformed of his sister's being there,

Quitted the room,

And Eleanor was left to improve her acquaintance with Robert,

Who,

By the gay unconcern,

The happy self-complacency of his manner,

Was confirming her most unfavourable opinion of his head and heart.

They had scarcely been two minutes by themselves before he began to speak of Edward,

For he had too heard of the living and was very inquisitive on the subject.

Eleanor repeated the particulars of it,

As she had given them to John,

And their effect on Robert,

Though very different,

Was not less striking than it had been on him.

He laughed most immoderately.

The idea of Edward's being a clergyman diverted him beyond measure,

And when to that was added the fanciful imagery of Edward reading prayers in a white surplus and publishing the banns of marriage between John Smith and Mary Brown,

He could conceive nothing more ridiculous.

We may treat it as a joke,

He said at last,

But upon my soul it's a most serious business.

Poor Edward,

He's ruined for ever.

You must not judge of him,

Miss Dashwood,

From your slight acquaintance.

His manners are certainly not the happiest in nature,

But we are not all born,

You know,

With the same powers and the same address.

I declare and protest to you I never was so shocked in my life as when it all burst forth.

I could not believe it.

My mother was the first person who told me of it,

And immediately I said to her,

Dear Madam,

I do not know what you may intend to do on the occasion,

But as for myself,

I must say,

If Edward does marry this young woman,

I'll never see him again.

Poor Edward,

He's done for himself completely.

But as I directly said to my mother,

I'm not in the least surprised at it.

From his style of education,

It was always to be expected.

Have you ever seen the lady?

Asked Delina.

Yes,

Said Robert,

Once when she was staying in this house.

The merest awkward country girl without style or elegance and almost without beauty.

Just the kind of girl I should suppose likely to captivate poor Edward.

I offered immediately as soon as my mother related the affair to me to talk to him myself and dissuade him from the match.

But it was too late then.

If I had been informed of it a few hours earlier,

I certainly should have represented it to Edward in a very strong light.

My dear fellow,

I should have said,

You're making the most disgraceful connection and such as one as your family are unanimous in disapproving.

He must be starved,

You know,

That is certain,

Absolutely starved.

Robert had just settled this point with great composure when the entrance of Mrs.

John Dashwood put an end to the subject.

But though she never spoke of it out of her own family,

Elinor could see its influence on her mind in the something like confusion of countenance with which she entered and attempted cordiality in her behavior to herself.

She even proceeded so far as to be concerned to find that Elinor and her sister were so soon to leave town as she had hoped to see more of them.

An exertion which her husband seemed to distinguish everything that was most affectionate and graceful.