Chapter 2

by Jane Austen

　　Mrs. John Dashwood now installed herself mistressof Norland; and her mother and sisters-in-law were degradedto the condition of visitors. As such, however, they weretreated by her with quiet civility; and by her husbandwith as much kindness as he could feel towards anybodybeyond himself, his wife, and their child. He reallypressed them, with some earnestness, to consider Norlandas their home; and, as no plan appeared so eligibleto Mrs. Dashwood as remaining there till she couldaccommodate herself with a house in the neighbourhood,his invitation was accepted.A continuance in a place where everything remindedher of former delight, was exactly what suited her mind.In seasons of cheerfulness, no temper could be more cheerfulthan hers, or possess, in a greater degree, that sanguineexpectation of happiness which is happiness itself.But in sorrow she must be equally carried away by her fancy,and as far beyond consolation as in pleasure she wasbeyond alloy.Mrs. John Dashwood did not at all approve of what herhusband intended to do for his sisters. To take threethousand pounds from the fortune of their dear little boywould be impoverishing him to the most dreadful degree.She begged him to think again on the subject. How couldhe answer it to himself to rob his child, and his onlychild too, of so large a sum? And what possible claimcould the Miss Dashwoods, who were related to him only byhalf blood, which she considered as no relationship at all,have on his generosity to so large an amount. It was verywell known that no affection was ever supposed to existbetween the children of any man by different marriages;and why was he to ruin himself, and their poor little Harry,by giving away all his money to his half sisters?"It was my father's last request to me," repliedher husband, "that I should assist his widow and daughters.""He did not know what he was talking of, I dare say;ten to one but he was light-headed at the time.Had he been in his right senses, he could not have thoughtof such a thing as begging you to give away half yourfortune from your own child.""He did not stipulate for any particular sum,my dear Fanny; he only requested me, in general terms,to assist them, and make their situation more comfortablethan it was in his power to do. Perhaps it wouldhave been as well if he had left it wholly to myself.He could hardly suppose I should neglect them.But as he required the promise, I could not do lessthan give it; at least I thought so at the time.The promise, therefore, was given, and must be performed.Something must be done for them whenever they leave Norlandand settle in a new home.""Well, then, let something be done for them;but that something need not be three thousand pounds.Consider," she added, "that when the money is onceparted with, it never can return. Your sisters will marry,and it will be gone for ever. If, indeed, it couldbe restored to our poor little boy--""Why, to be sure," said her husband, very gravely,"that would make great difference. The time may come whenHarry will regret that so large a sum was parted with.If he should have a numerous family, for instance, it wouldbe a very convenient addition.""To be sure it would.""Perhaps, then, it would be better for all parties,if the sum were diminished one half.--Five hundred poundswould be a prodigious increase to their fortunes!""Oh! beyond anything great! What brother on earthwould do half so much for his sisters, even if reallyhis sisters! And as it is--only half blood!--But youhave such a generous spirit!""I would not wish to do any thing mean," he replied."One had rather, on such occasions, do too much thantoo little. No one, at least, can think I have notdone enough for them: even themselves, they can hardlyexpect more.""There is no knowing what they may expect,"said the lady, "but we are not to think of theirexpectations: the question is, what you can afford to do.""Certainly--and I think I may afford to give them fivehundred pounds a-piece. As it is, without any additionof mine, they will each have about three thousand poundson their mother's death--a very comfortable fortunefor any young woman.""To be sure it is; and, indeed, it strikes me thatthey can want no addition at all. They will have tenthousand pounds divided amongst them. If they marry,they will be sure of doing well, and if they do not,they may all live very comfortably together on the interestof ten thousand pounds.""That is very true, and, therefore, I do not know whether,upon the whole, it would not be more advisable to dosomething for their mother while she lives, rather thanfor them--something of the annuity kind I mean.--My sisterswould feel the good effects of it as well as herself.A hundred a year would make them all perfectly comfortable."His wife hesitated a little, however, in givingher consent to this plan."To be sure," said she, "it is better than parting withfifteen hundred pounds at once. But, then, if Mrs. Dashwoodshould live fifteen years we shall be completely taken in.""Fifteen years! my dear Fanny; her life cannotbe worth half that purchase.""Certainly not; but if you observe, people alwayslive for ever when there is an annuity to be paid them;and she is very stout and healthy, and hardly forty.An annuity is a very serious business; it comes overand over every year, and there is no getting ridof it. You are not aware of what you are doing.I have known a great deal of the trouble of annuities;for my mother was clogged with the payment of threeto old superannuated servants by my father's will,and it is amazing how disagreeable she found it.Twice every year these annuities were to be paid; and thenthere was the trouble of getting it to them; and then oneof them was said to have died, and afterwards it turnedout to be no such thing. My mother was quite sick of it.Her income was not her own, she said, with such perpetualclaims on it; and it was the more unkind in my father,because, otherwise, the money would have been entirely atmy mother's disposal, without any restriction whatever.It has given me such an abhorrence of annuities, that I amsure I would not pin myself down to the payment of one forall the world.""It is certainly an unpleasant thing," replied Mr. Dashwood,"to have those kind of yearly drains on one's income.One's fortune, as your mother justly says, is not one's own.To be tied down to the regular payment of such a sum,on every rent day, is by no means desirable: it takes awayone's independence.""Undoubtedly; and after all you have no thanks for it.They think themselves secure, you do no more than whatis expected, and it raises no gratitude at all. If I were you,whatever I did should be done at my own discretion entirely.I would not bind myself to allow them any thing yearly.It may be very inconvenient some years to spare a hundred,or even fifty pounds from our own expenses.""I believe you are right, my love; it will be betterthat there should by no annuity in the case; whatever Imay give them occasionally will be of far greater assistancethan a yearly allowance, because they would only enlargetheir style of living if they felt sure of a larger income,and would not be sixpence the richer for it at the endof the year. It will certainly be much the best way.A present of fifty pounds, now and then, will preventtheir ever being distressed for money, and will, I think,be amply discharging my promise to my father.""To be sure it will. Indeed, to say the truth,I am convinced within myself that your father had no ideaof your giving them any money at all. The assistancehe thought of, I dare say, was only such as might bereasonably expected of you; for instance, such as lookingout for a comfortable small house for them, helping themto move their things, and sending them presents of fishand game, and so forth, whenever they are in season.I'll lay my life that he meant nothing farther; indeed,it would be very strange and unreasonable if he did.Do but consider, my dear Mr. Dashwood, how excessivelycomfortable your mother-in-law and her daughters may liveon the interest of seven thousand pounds, besides thethousand pounds belonging to each of the girls, which bringsthem in fifty pounds a year a-piece, and, of course,they will pay their mother for their board out of it.Altogether, they will have five hundred a-year amongst them,and what on earth can four women want for more thanthat?--They will live so cheap! Their housekeeping willbe nothing at all. They will have no carriage, no horses,and hardly any servants; they will keep no company,and can have no expenses of any kind! Only conceivehow comfortable they will be! Five hundred a year! I amsure I cannot imagine how they will spend half of it;and as to your giving them more, it is quite absurd to thinkof it. They will be much more able to give you something.""Upon my word," said Mr. Dashwood, "I believe youare perfectly right. My father certainly could meannothing more by his request to me than what you say.I clearly understand it now, and I will strictly fulfilmy engagement by such acts of assistance and kindnessto them as you have described. When my mother removesinto another house my services shall be readily givento accommodate her as far as I can. Some little presentof furniture too may be acceptable then.""Certainly," returned Mrs. John Dashwood. "But, however,one thing must be considered. When your father and mothermoved to Norland, though the furniture of Stanhillwas sold, all the china, plate, and linen was saved,and is now left to your mother. Her house will thereforebe almost completely fitted up as soon as she takes it.""That is a material consideration undoubtedly.A valuable legacy indeed! And yet some of the plate wouldhave been a very pleasant addition to our own stock here.""Yes; and the set of breakfast china is twiceas handsome as what belongs to this house. A greatdeal too handsome, in my opinion, for any place theycan ever afford to live in. But, however, so it is.Your father thought only of them. And I must say this:that you owe no particular gratitude to him, nor attentionto his wishes; for we very well know that if he could,he would have left almost everything in the world to them."This argument was irresistible. It gave to hisintentions whatever of decision was wanting before; and hefinally resolved, that it would be absolutely unnecessary,if not highly indecorous, to do more for the widowand children of his father, than such kind of neighbourlyacts as his own wife pointed out.