5/6/7 Sense And Sensibility - Stephanie Poppins

These are chapters 5/6 and 7 of the series, Sense and Sensibility. When Marianne Dashwood falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby, she ignores her sister's warning that this impulsive behavior leaves her open to gossip. Elinor meanwhile, always sensitive to social convention, struggles to conceal her romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. In this story, the two sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

Transcript

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen Chapter 5 No sooner was her answer dispatched than Mrs.

Dashwood indulged herself in the pleasure of announcing to her son-in-law and his wife that she was provided with a house.

Mrs.

John Dashwood said nothing,

But her husband civilly hoped she would not be settled far from Norland.

She had great satisfaction in replying that she was going into Devonshire.

Edward turned hastily towards her on hearing this and in a voice of surprise and concern repeated,

Devonshire?

Are you indeed going there,

So far from hence?

And to what part of it?

She explained the situation.

It was within four miles northward of Exeter.

It is but a cottage,

She continued,

But I do hope to see many of my friends in it.

She concluded with a very kind invitation to Mr.

And Mrs.

John Dashwood to visit her at Barton,

And to Edward she gave one with still greater affection.

To separate Edward and Eleanor was as far from being her object as ever,

And she wished to show Mrs.

John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother,

How totally she disregarded her disappropriation of the match.

Mrs.

Dashwood took the house for twelve months.

It was already furnished and she might have immediate possession.

No difficulty arose on either side in the agreement,

And she waited only for the disposal of her effects at Norland,

And to determine her future household before she set off for the West.

Her eagerness to be gone from Norland was preserved from diminution by the evident satisfaction of her daughter-in-law in the prospect of her removal.

A satisfaction which was but feebly attempted to be concealed under a cold invitation to her to defer her departure.

Now was the time when her son-in-law's promise to his father might with particular propriety be fulfilled.

But Mrs.

Dashwood began shortly to give over every hope of the kind,

And to be convinced from the general drift of his discourse,

That his assistance extended no further than their maintenance for six months at Norland.

He so frequently talked of the increasing expenses of housekeeping that he seemed rather to stand in need of more money himself than to have any design of giving money away.

In a very few weeks from the day which brought Sir John Middleton's first letter to Norland,

Everything was so far settled in their future abode as to enable Mrs.

Dashwood and her daughters to begin their journey.

Many were the tears shed by them in their last adieu to a place so much loved.

Dear,

Dear Norland,

Said Marianne as she wandered alone before the house on the last evening of their being there.

O happy house,

Could you know what I suffer in now viewing you from this spot?

From whence perhaps I may view you no more,

And you,

Ye well-known trees.

But you will continue the same.

No leaf will decay because we are removed.

Nor any branch become motionless,

Although we can observe you no longer.

No,

You will continue the same,

Insensible of any change in those who walk under your shade.

But who will remain to enjoy you?

Chapter 6 The first part of their journey was performed in too melancholy a disposition to be otherwise than tedious and unpleasant.

But as they drew towards the end of it,

Their interest in the appearance of a country which they were to inhabit overcame their dejection,

And a view of Barton Valley as they entered it gave them cheerfulness.

It was a pleasant,

Fertile spot,

Well wooded and rich in pasture.

After winding along it for more than a mile,

They reached their own house.

As a house,

Barton Cottage,

Though small,

Was comfortable and compact.

But as a cottage it was defective,

For the building was regular,

The roof was tiled,

The window shutters were not painted green,

Nor were the walls covered with honeysuckles.

In comparison of Norland,

It was poor and small indeed.

But the tears which recollection called forth as they entered the house were soon dried away.

It was very early in September,

The season was fine,

And from first seeing the place under the advantage of good weather,

They received an impression in its favour which was of material service in recommending it to their lasting approbation.

The situation of the house was good.

High hills rose immediately behind,

And at no great distance on each side.

The village of Barton was chiefly on one of these hills and formed a pleasant view from the cottage windows.

The prospecting front was more extensive.

It commanded the whole of the valley and reached on to the country beyond.

With the size and the furniture of the house,

Mrs Dashwood was upon the whole well satisfied.

She had at this time ready money enough to supply all that was wanted of greater elegance to the apartments.

As for the house itself,

To be sure,

Said she,

It is too small for our family,

But we will make it ourselves tolerably comfortable for the present,

As it is too late in the year for improvements.

Perhaps in the spring,

If I have plenty of money,

As I dare say I shall,

We may think about building.

In the meantime,

They were wise enough to be contented with the house as it was,

And each of them was busy in arranging their particular concerns and endeavouring to form themselves a home.

Marianne's piano forte was unpacked and properly disposed of,

And Eleanor's drawings were affixed to the walls of their sitting room.

In such employments as these,

They were interrupted soon after breakfast the next day by the entrance of their landlord,

Who called to welcome them to Barton and to offer them every accommodation from his own house and garden in which theirs might at present be deficient.

Sir John Middleton was a good-looking man,

About forty.

His countenance was thoroughly good-humoured,

And his manners were as friendly as the style of his letter.

Their arrival seemed to afford him real satisfaction,

And their comfort to be an object of real solicitude to him.

Within an hour after he left them,

A large basket full of garden stuff and fruit arrived from the park,

Which was followed before the end of the day by a present of game.

Lady Middleton had sent a very civil message by him,

Denoting her intention of waiting on Mrs Dashwood as soon as she could be assured that her visit would be no inconvenience.

And as this message was answered by an invitation equally polite,

Her ladyship was introduced to them the next day.

Lady Middleton was not more than six or seven and twenty.

Her face was handsome,

Her figure tall and striking,

And her address graceful.

Her manners had all the elegance which her husband's wanted.

But they would have been improved by some share of his frankness and warmth,

And her visit was long enough to detract something from their first admiration.

By showing that though perfectly well-bred,

She was reserved,

Cold,

And had nothing to say for herself beyond the most commonplace inquiry or remark.

Conversation,

However,

Was not wanted,

For Sir John Middleton was very chatty,

And Lady Middleton had taken the wise precaution of bringing with her their eldest child,

A fine little boy about six years old,

By which means there was one subject always to be recurred to by the ladies in case of extremity.

But they had to inquire his name and age,

Admire his beauty,

And ask him questions which his mother answered for him while he hung about her and held down his head.

An opportunity was soon to be given to the Dashwoods of debating on the rest of the children as Sir John would not leave the house without securing their promise of dining at the park the next day.

Barton Park was about half a mile from the cottage.

The house was large and handsome,

And the Middletons lived in a style of equal hospitality and elegance.

They were scarcely ever without some friends staying with them in the house,

And they kept more company of every kind than any other family in the neighbourhood.

It was necessary to the happiness of both,

For however dissimilar in temper and outward behaviour,

They strongly resembled each other in that total want of talent and taste which confined their employments within a very narrow compass.

Sir John was a sportsman,

Lady Middleton a mother.

He hunted and shot,

And she humoured her children,

And these were her only resources.

Lady Middleton piqued herself upon the elegance of her table and of all her domestic arrangements,

And from this kind of vanity was her greatest enjoyment in any of the parties.

Sir John delighted at collecting about him more young people than his house would hold,

And the noisier they were,

The better he was pleased.

The arrival of a new family in the country was always a matter of joy to him,

And he was charmed by the inhabitants he had now procured for his cottage at Barton.

The Miss Dashwoods were young,

Pretty and unaffected.

The friendliness of his disposition made him happy in accommodating those whose situation might be considered,

In comparison with the past,

As unfortunate.

Mrs Dashwood and her daughters were met at the door of the house by Sir John who welcomed them to Barton Park with unaffected sincerity,

And as he attended them to the drawing room,

Repeated to the young ladies the concern which the same subject had drawn from him the day before,

At being unable to get any smart young men to meet them.

They would see,

He said,

Only one gentleman there besides himself,

A particular friend who was staying at the park,

But who was neither very young nor very gay.

Lady Middleton's mother had arrived at Barton within the last hour,

And as she was a very cheerful,

Agreeable woman,

He hoped the young ladies would not find it so very dull,

As they might imagine.

The young ladies,

As well as their mother,

Were perfectly satisfied with having two entire strangers at the party,

And wished for no more.

Mrs Jennings,

Lady Middleton's mother,

Was a good-humoured,

Merry,

Fat,

Elderly woman who talked a great deal,

Seemed very happy,

And rather vulgar.

She was full of jokes and laughter,

And before dinner was over,

Had said many witty things on the subject of lovers and husbands,

Hoped they had not left their hearts behind them in Sussex,

And pretended to see them blush,

Whether they did or not.

Colonel Brandon,

The friend of Sir John,

Was silent and grave.

His appearance,

However,

Was not unpleasing,

In spite of his being in the opinion of Marianne.

And Margaret,

An absolute old bachelor,

For he was on the wrong side of five-and-thirty.

But though his face was not handsome,

His countenance was sensible,

And his address particularly gentleman-like.

There was nothing in any of the party which could recommend them as companions to the Dashwoods,

But the cold insipidity of Lady Middleton was so particularly repulsive,

That in comparison of it to the gravity of Colonel Brandon,

And even the boisterous mirth of Sir John and his mother-in-law,

Was interesting.

In the evening,

As Marianne was discovered to be musical,

She was invited to play.

The instrument was unlocked,

Everybody prepared to be charmed,

And Marianne,

Who sang very well,

At their request,

Went through the chief of the songs which Lady Middleton had brought into the family on her marriage,

And which perhaps had lain ever since in the same position on the piano forte.

Marianne's performance was highly applauded.

Sir John was loud in his admiration at the end of every song,

And as loud in his conversation with the others while every song lasted.

Lady Middleton frequently called him to order,

Wondered how anyone's attention could be diverted from music for a moment,

And asked Marianne to sing a particular song which Marianne had just finished.

Colonel Brandon alone,

Of all the party,

Heard her without being in raptures.

He paid her only the compliment of attention,

And she felt a respect for him on the occasion,

Which the others had reasonably forfeited by their shameless want of taste.

His pleasure in music was estimable,

When contrasted against the horrible insensibility of the others,

And she was reasonable enough to allow that a man of five and thirty might well have outlived all acuteness of feeling,

And every exquisite power of enjoyment.

She was perfectly disposed to make every allowance for the colonel's advanced state of life,

Which humanity required.

© transcript Emily Beynon