“When do you go back again?”
“I do not know.” And thus ended their discourse.
Never had Marianne been so unwilling to dance in her life,as she was that evening,and never so much fatigued by the exercise.She complained of it as they returned to Berkeley Street.
“Aye, aye,” said Mrs. Jennings,“we know the reason of all that very well;if a certain person who shall be nameless,had been there, you would not have been a bit tired:and to say the truth it was not very pretty of him not to give you the meeting when he was invited.”
“Invited!” cried Marianne.
“So my daughter Middleton told me,for it seems Sir John met him somewhere in the street this morning.” Marianne said no more, but looked exceedingly hurt.Impatient in this situation to be doing something that might lead to her sister’s relief, Elinor resolved to write the next morning to her mother, and hoped by awakening her fears for the health of Marianne, to procure those inquiries which had been so long delayed; and she was still more eagerly bent on this measure by perceiving after breakfast on the morrow, that Marianne was again writing to Willoughby, for she could not suppose it to be to any other person.
About the middle of the day, Mrs.Jennings went out by herself on business,and Elinor began her letter directly, while Marianne,too restless for employment,too anxious for conversation,walked from one window to the other,or sat down by the fire in melancholy meditation.Elinor was very earnest in her application to her mother,relating all that had passed,her suspicions of Willoughby’s inconstancy,urging her by every plea of duty and affection to demand from Marianne an account of her real situation with respect to him.
Her letter was scarcely finished,when a rap foretold a visitor,and Colonel Brandon was announced. Marianne,who had seen him from the window,and who hated company of any kind,left the room before he entered it.He looked more than usually grave,and though expressing satisfaction at finding Miss Dashwood alone,as if he had somewhat in particular to tell her,sat for some time without saying a word. Elinor,persuaded that he had some communication to make in which her sister was concerned, impatiently expected its opening. It was not the first time of her feeling the same kind of conviction; for, more than once before, beginning with the observation of “your sister looks unwell to-day,” or “your sister seems out of spirits,” he had appeared on the point, either of disclosing, or of inquiring, something particular about her. After a pause of several minutes, their silence was broken, by his asking her in a voice of some agitation, when he was to congratulate her on the acquisition of a brother?Elinor was not prepared for such a question,and having no answer ready,was obliged to adopt the simple and common expedient,of asking what he meant?He tried to smile as he replied,“your sister’s engagement to Mr.Willoughby is very generally known.”
“It cannot be generally known,” returned Elinor,“for her own family do not know it.”
He looked surprised and said, “I beg your pardon,I am afraid my inquiry has been impertinent;but I had not supposed any secrecy intended,as they openly correspond,and their marriage is universally talked of.”
“How can that be?By whom can you have heard it mentioned?”
“By many—by some of whom you know nothing,by others with whom you are most intimate, Mrs.Jennings, Mrs. Palmer, and the Middletons.But still I might not have believed it,for where the mind is perhaps rather unwilling to be convinced,it will always find something to support its doubts,if I had not, when the servant let me in today,accidentally seen a letter in his hand, directed to Mr.Willoughby in your sister’s writing. I came to inquire,but I was convinced before I could ask the question.Is every thing finally settled?Is it impossible to—?But I have no right,and I could have no chance of succeeding. Excuse me,Miss Dashwood. I believe I have been wrong in saying so much,but I hardly know what to do,and on your prudence I have the strongest dependence.Tell me that it is all absolutely resolved on,that any attempt, that in short concealment,if concealment be possible, is all that remains.”
These words, which conveyed to Elinor a direct avowal of his love for her sister, affected her very much. She was not immediately able to say anything, and even when her spirits were recovered, she debated for a short time, on the answer it would be most proper to give. The real state of things between Willoughby and her sister was so little known to herself, that in endeavouring to explain it, she might be as liable to say too much as too little. Yet as she was convinced that Marianne’s affection for Willoughby, could leave no hope of Colonel Brandon’s success, whatever the event of that affection might be, and at the same time wished to shield her conduct from censure, she thought it most prudent and kind, after some consideration, to say more than she really knew or believed. She acknowledged, therefore, that though she had never been informed by themselves of the terms on which they stood with each other, of their mutual affection she had no doubt, and of their correspondence she was not astonished to hear.
He listened to her with silent attention,and on her ceasing to speak,rose directly from his seat,and after saying in a voice of emotion,“to your sister I wish all imaginable happiness;to Willoughby that he may endeavour to deserve her,”—took leave, and went away.
Elinor derived no comfortable feelings from this conversation,to lessen the uneasiness of her mind on other points;she was left, on the contrary,with a melancholy impression of Colonel Brandon’s unhappiness,and was prevented even from wishing it removed,by her anxiety for the very event that must confirm it.
CHAPTER XXVIII.