3/4 Sense And Sensibility - Stephanie Poppins

These are chapters 3 and 4 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 behaviour 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 3 Mrs.

Dashwood remained at Northern several months.

Not from any disinclination to move when the sight of every well-known spot ceased to raise the violent emotion which she produced for a while.

For when her spirits began to revive,

She was impatient to be gone.

But she could hear of no situation that at once answered the notions of comfort and ease,

And suited the prudence of her eldest daughter,

Whose steadier judgment rejected several houses as too large for their income,

Which her mother would have approved.

Mrs.

Dashwood had been informed by her husband of the solemn promise on the part of his son in their favour.

She doubted the sincerity of this assurance no more than he had doubted it himself,

And she thought of it for her daughter's sake with satisfaction.

For their brother's sake too,

She rejoiced.

His attentive behaviour to herself and his sisters convinced her that their welfare was dear to him,

And for a long time she firmly relied on the liberality of his intentions.

The contempt which he had very early in their acquaintance felt for her daughter-in-law was very much increased by the further knowledge of her character,

Which half a year's residence in her family afforded.

The two ladies might have found it impossible to have lived together so long had not a particular circumstance occurred to give still greater eligibility,

According to the opinions of Mrs.

Dashwood,

To her daughter's continuance at Norland.

This circumstance was a growing attachment between her eldest girl and the brother of Mrs.

John Dashwood.

A gentleman-like and pleasing young man who was introduced to their acquaintance soon after his sister's establishment at Norland.

Some mothers might have encouraged the intimacy from motives for interest,

For Edward Ferrars was the eldest son of a man who had died very rich.

But it was enough for Mrs.

Dashwood that he appeared to be amiable,

That he loved her daughter,

And that Eleanor returned the partiality.

Edward Ferrars was not handsome,

And he was too diffident to do justice to himself.

But when his natural shyness was overcome,

His behaviour gave every indication of an open affectionate heart.

But he was neither fitted by abilities nor disposition to answer the wishes of his mother and sister,

Who longed to see him distinguished,

As they hardly knew what.

His mother wished to get him into Parliament,

Or to see him connected with some of the great men of the day.

Mrs.

John Dashwood wished it likewise,

But in the meanwhile it would have quieted her ambition to see him driving a barouche.

But Edward had no turn for great men or barouches.

All his wishes centered in domestic comfort and the quiet of private life.

Edward had been staying several weeks in the house before he engaged much of Mrs.

Dashwood's attention,

For she was,

At that time,

In such affliction as rendered her careless of surrounding objects.

She saw only that he was quiet and unobtrusive,

And she liked him for it.

She was first called to observe and approve him further by a reflection which Eleanor chanced one day to make on the difference between him and his sister.

It was a contrast which recommended him most forcibly to her mother.

It is enough,

Said she,

To say he is unlike Fanny.

It implies everything amiable.

I love him already.

I think you will like him,

Said Eleanor,

When you know more of him.

Mrs.

Dashwood now took pains to get acquainted with him.

She speedily comprehended all his merits.

The persuasion of his regard for Eleanor perhaps assisted her penetration,

But she felt really assured of his worth.

And even that quietness of manner was no longer uninteresting when she knew his heart to be warm and his temper affectionate.

No sooner did she perceive any symptom of love in his behavior to Eleanor,

Then she considered their serious attachment as certain and looked forward to their marriage as rapidly approaching.

In a few months,

My dear Marianne,

Said she,

Eleanor will in all probability be settled for life.

Oh,

Mama,

How shall we do without her?

My love,

It will scarcely be a separation.

We shall live within a few miles of each other.

You will gain a brother,

A real affectionate brother.

But you look grave,

Marianne.

Do you disapprove your sister's choice?

Perhaps,

Said Marianne,

I may consider it with some surprise.

Edward is very amiable,

And I love him tenderly.

But yet there is something wanting.

His figure is not striking.

It has none of that grace which I should expect in the man who could seriously attach my sister.

And besides all this,

I am afraid,

Mama,

He has no real taste.

Music seems scarcely to attract him,

And though he admires Eleanor's drawings very much,

It is not the admiration of a person who can understand their worth.

He admires as a lover,

Not as a connoisseur.

Oh,

Mama,

How spiritless,

How tame was Edward's manner in reading to us last night.

I could hardly keep my seat.

To hear those beautiful lines,

Which have frequently almost driven me wild,

With such impenetrable calmness,

Such dreadful indifference.

He would certainly have done more justice to simple and elegant prose.

I thought so at the time,

But you would give him Cowper.

Nay,

Mama,

If he is not to be animated by Cowper.

But we must allow for difference of taste.

It would have broke my heart had I loved him to hear him read with so little sensibility.

Mama,

The more I know of the world,

The more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love.

I require so much.

He must have all Edward's virtues,

And his person and manners must ornament his goodness with every possible charm.

Remember,

My love,

That you are not seventeen.

It is yet too early in life to despair of such a happiness.

Chapter 4 What a pity it is,

Eleanor,

Said Marianne,

That Edward should have no taste for drawing.

No taste for drawing?

Replied Eleanor.

Why should you think so?

He does not draw himself,

Indeed,

But he has great pleasure in seeing the performances of other people.

He distrusts his own judgment in such matters so much that he is always unwilling to give his opinion on any picture.

But he has an innate propriety and simplicity of taste which in general direct him perfectly right.

Marianne was afraid of offending and said no more on the subject.

But the kind of approbation which Eleanor described as excited in him by the drawings of other people was very far from that rapturous delight which,

In her opinion,

Could alone be called taste.

I hope,

Marianne,

Continued Eleanor,

You do not consider him as deficient in general taste.

Marianne hardly knew what to say.

She would not wound the feelings of her sister on any account and yet to say what she did not believe was impossible.

At length she replied,

Do not be offended,

Eleanor,

If my praise of him is not in everything equal to your sense of his merits.

I have not had so many opportunities of estimating the minute propensities of his mind,

His inclinations and tastes as you have,

But I have the highest opinion in the world of his goodness and sense.

I think him everything that is worthy and amiable.

I am sure,

Replied Eleanor with a smile,

That his dearest friends could not be dissatisfied with such a commendation as that.

Marianne was rejoiced to find her sister so easily pleased.

Of his sense and his goodness,

Continued Eleanor,

No one can,

I think,

Be in doubt who has seen him often enough to engage him in unreserved conversation.

He and I have been at times thrown a good deal together.

I have studied his sentiments and heard his opinion on subjects of literature and taste,

And upon the whole I have ventured to pronounce that his mind is well informed,

His enjoyment of books exceedingly great,

His imagination lively,

His observation just and correct and his taste delicate and pure.

At first sight,

His address is certainly not striking and his person can hardly be called handsome,

Till the expression of his eyes and the general sweetness of his countenance are perceived.

At present I know him so well that I think him really handsome.

What say you,

Marianne?

I shall very soon think him handsome,

Eleanor,

If I do not now.

When you tell me to love him as a brother,

I shall no more see imperfection in his face than I do in his heart.

Eleanor started this declaration and was sorry for the warmth she had been betrayed into speaking of him.

She felt that Edward stood very high in her opinion.

She believed the regard to be mutual,

But she required greater certainty of it to make Marianne's conviction of their attachment agreeable to her.

I do not attempt to deny,

Said she,

That I think very highly of him,

That I greatly esteem,

That I like him.

Marianne here burst forth with indignation.

Esteem him?

Like him?

Cold-hearted Eleanor.

Use those words again and I will leave the room this moment.

Eleanor could not help laughing.

Excuse me,

Said she,

And be assured that I meant no offence to you by speaking in so quiet a way of my own feelings.

Believe them to be stronger than I have declared.

But further than this,

You must not believe.

I am by no means assured of his regard for me.

There are moments when the extent of it seems doubtful.

In my heart I feel little,

Scarcely any,

Doubt of his preference,

But there are other points to be considered besides his inclination.

He is very far from being independent.

What his mother really is we cannot know,

But from Fanny's occasional mention of her conduct and opinions we have never been disposed to think her amiable.

And I am very much mistaken if Edward is not himself aware that there would be many difficulties in this way if he were to wish to marry a woman who had not either a great fortune or high rank.

And you really are not engaged to him,

Said Marianne,

Yet it certainly soon will happen.

But two advantages will proceed from this delay.

I shall not lose you too soon,

And Edward will have greater opportunity of improving that natural taste for drawing,

Your favourite pursuit,

Which must be so indispensably necessary to your future felicity.

Eleanor had given her real opinion to her sister.

There was at times a want of spirits about him which,

If it did not denote indifference,

Spoke of something almost as unpromising.

A doubt of her regard,

Supposing him to feel it,

Need not give him more than inquietitude.

It would not be likely to produce that dejection of mind which frequently attended him.

A more reasonable cause might be found in the dependent situation which forbade the indulgence of his affection.

She knew that his mother neither behaved to him so as to make his home comfortable at present,

Nor to give him any assurance that he might form a home for himself without strictly attending to her views for his aggrandisement.

Eleanor was far from depending on that result of his preference of her which her mother and sister still considered certain.

But whatever might really be its limits,

It was enough,

When perceived by his sister,

To make her uneasy and at the same time to make her uncivil.

She took the first opportunity of affronting her mother-in-law on this occasion,

Talking to her so expressively of her brother's great expectations,

Of Mrs Ferrer's resolution that both her sons should marry well,

That Mrs Dashwood could neither pretend to be unconscious nor endeavour to be calm.

She gave her an answer which marked her contempt and instantly left the room,

Resolving that her beloved Eleanor should not be exposed another week to such insinuations.

In this state of her spirits,

A letter was delivered to her from the post which contained the offer of a small house,

On very easy terms,

Belonging to a relation of her own,

A gentleman of consequence and property in Devonshire.

He understood that she was in need of a dwelling and though the house he offered her was merely a cottage,

He assured her that everything should be done to it which he might think necessary if the situation pleased her.

He earnestly pressed her to come with her daughters to Barton Park,

The place of his own residence,

From whence she might judge herself whether Barton Cottage could,

By any alteration,

Be made comfortable to her.

The whole of his letter was written in so friendly a style as could not fail of giving pleasure to his cousin,

More especially at a moment when she was suffering under the cold and unfeeling behaviour of her nearer connections.

Her resolution was formed as she read,

To quit the neighbourhood of Norland was no longer an evil,

It was a blessing in comparison of the misery of continuing her daughter-in-law's guest.

She instantly wrote to Sir John Middleton her acknowledgements of his kindness and her acceptance of his proposal and then hastened to show both letters to her daughters that she might be secure of their approbation before her answer was sent.

Eleanor had always thought it would be more prudent for them to settle at some distance from Norland than immediately amongst their present acquaintance.

The house,

Too,

As described by Sir John,

Was on so simple a scale and the rent so uncommonly moderate as to leave her no right of objection.

Therefore,

Though it was not a plan which brought any charm to her fancy,

Though it was a removal from the vicinity of Norland she made no attempt to dissuade her mother from sending her letter of acquiescence.

Reviews

Jane is so good at teasing out human nature, good and bad— and you are good with teasing us with more stories… I’m hooked on them all!❤️❤️