Chapter 10

by Jane Austen

　　Marianne's preserver, as Margaret, with more elegancethan precision, styled Willoughby, called at the cottageearly the next morning to make his personal enquiries.He was received by Mrs. Dashwood with more than politeness;with a kindness which Sir John's account of him and her owngratitude prompted; and every thing that passed duringthe visit tended to assure him of the sense, elegance,mutual affection, and domestic comfort of the familyto whom accident had now introduced him. Of theirpersonal charms he had not required a second interviewto be convinced.Miss Dashwood had a delicate complexion,regular features, and a remarkably pretty figure.Marianne was still handsomer. Her form, though not socorrect as her sister's, in having the advantage of height,was more striking; and her face was so lovely, that whenin the common cant of praise, she was called a beautiful girl,truth was less violently outraged than usually happens.Her skin was very brown, but, from its transparency,her complexion was uncommonly brilliant; her featureswere all good; her smile was sweet and attractive;and in her eyes, which were very dark, there was a life,a spirit, an eagerness, which could hardily be seenwithout delight. From Willoughby their expression was atfirst held back, by the embarrassment which the remembranceof his assistance created. But when this passed away,when her spirits became collected, when she saw that to theperfect good-breeding of the gentleman, he united franknessand vivacity, and above all, when she heard him declare,that of music and dancing he was passionately fond,she gave him such a look of approbation as secured thelargest share of his discourse to herself for the restof his stay.It was only necessary to mention any favouriteamusement to engage her to talk. She could not besilent when such points were introduced, and shehad neither shyness nor reserve in their discussion.They speedily discovered that their enjoyment of dancingand music was mutual, and that it arose from a generalconformity of judgment in all that related to either.Encouraged by this to a further examination of his opinions,she proceeded to question him on the subject of books;her favourite authors were brought forward and dweltupon with so rapturous a delight, that any young man offive and twenty must have been insensible indeed, not tobecome an immediate convert to the excellence of such works,however disregarded before. Their taste was strikingly alike.The same books, the same passages were idolized by each--or if any difference appeared, any objection arose,it lasted no longer than till the force of her argumentsand the brightness of her eyes could be displayed.He acquiesced in all her decisions, caught all her enthusiasm;and long before his visit concluded, they conversedwith the familiarity of a long-established acquaintance."Well, Marianne," said Elinor, as soon as he had left them,"for one morning I think you have done pretty well.You have already ascertained Mr. Willoughby's opinion inalmost every matter of importance. You know what he thinksof Cowper and Scott; you are certain of his estimatingtheir beauties as he ought, and you have received everyassurance of his admiring Pope no more than is proper.But how is your acquaintance to be long supported, under suchextraordinary despatch of every subject for discourse?You will soon have exhausted each favourite topic.Another meeting will suffice to explain his sentimentson picturesque beauty, and second marriages, and thenyou can have nothing farther to ask."--"Elinor," cried Marianne, "is this fair? is thisjust? are my ideas so scanty? But I see what you mean.I have been too much at my ease, too happy, too frank.I have erred against every common-place notion of decorum;I have been open and sincere where I ought to havebeen reserved, spiritless, dull, and deceitful--hadI talked only of the weather and the roads, and had Ispoken only once in ten minutes, this reproach would havebeen spared.""My love," said her mother, "you must not be offendedwith Elinor--she was only in jest. I should scoldher myself, if she were capable of wishing to checkthe delight of your conversation with our new friend."--Marianne was softened in a moment.Willoughby, on his side, gave every proof of hispleasure in their acquaintance, which an evident wishof improving it could offer. He came to them every day.To enquire after Marianne was at first his excuse; but theencouragement of his reception, to which every day gavegreater kindness, made such an excuse unnecessary before ithad ceased to be possible, by Marianne's perfect recovery.She was confined for some days to the house; but never hadany confinement been less irksome. Willoughby was a youngman of good abilities, quick imagination, lively spirits,and open, affectionate manners. He was exactly formedto engage Marianne's heart, for with all this, he joinednot only a captivating person, but a natural ardourof mind which was now roused and increased by the exampleof her own, and which recommended him to her affectionbeyond every thing else.His society became gradually her most exquisite enjoyment.They read, they talked, they sang together; his musicaltalents were considerable; and he read with all thesensibility and spirit which Edward had unfortunately wanted.In Mrs. Dashwood's estimation he was as faultlessas in Marianne's; and Elinor saw nothing to censure in himbut a propensity, in which he strongly resembled and peculiarlydelighted her sister, of saying too much what he thought onevery occasion, without attention to persons or circumstances.In hastily forming and giving his opinion of other people,in sacrificing general politeness to the enjoymentof undivided attention where his heart was engaged,and in slighting too easily the forms of worldly propriety,he displayed a want of caution which Elinor could not approve,in spite of all that he and Marianne could say in its support.Marianne began now to perceive that the desperationwhich had seized her at sixteen and a half, of everseeing a man who could satisfy her ideas of perfection,had been rash and unjustifiable. Willoughby was allthat her fancy had delineated in that unhappy hourand in every brighter period, as capable of attaching her;and his behaviour declared his wishes to be in that respectas earnest, as his abilities were strong.Her mother too, in whose mind not one speculativethought of their marriage had been raised, by his prospectof riches, was led before the end of a week to hope andexpect it; and secretly to congratulate herself on havinggained two such sons-in-law as Edward and Willoughby.Colonel Brandon's partiality for Marianne, which hadso early been discovered by his friends, now first becameperceptible to Elinor, when it ceased to be noticedby them. Their attention and wit were drawn off to hismore fortunate rival; and the raillery which the otherhad incurred before any partiality arose, was removedwhen his feelings began really to call for the ridiculeso justly annexed to sensibility. Elinor was obliged,though unwillingly, to believe that the sentiments whichMrs. Jennings had assigned him for her own satisfaction,were now actually excited by her sister; and that howevera general resemblance of disposition between the partiesmight forward the affection of Mr. Willoughby, an equallystriking opposition of character was no hindrance to theregard of Colonel Brandon. She saw it with concern;for what could a silent man of five and thirty hope,when opposed to a very lively one of five and twenty? and asshe could not even wish him successful, she heartily wishedhim indifferent. She liked him--in spite of his gravityand reserve, she beheld in him an object of interest.His manners, though serious, were mild; and his reserveappeared rather the result of some oppression of spiritsthan of any natural gloominess of temper. Sir Johnhad dropped hints of past injuries and disappointments,which justified her belief of his being an unfortunate man,and she regarded him with respect and compassion.Perhaps she pitied and esteemed him the morebecause he was slighted by Willoughby and Marianne,who, prejudiced against him for being neither livelynor young, seemed resolved to undervalue his merits."Brandon is just the kind of man," said Willoughbyone day, when they were talking of him together,"whom every body speaks well of, and nobody cares about;whom all are delighted to see, and nobody remembersto talk to.""That is exactly what I think of him," cried Marianne."Do not boast of it, however," said Elinor, "for itis injustice in both of you. He is highly esteemedby all the family at the park, and I never see him myselfwithout taking pains to converse with him.""That he is patronised by you," replied Willoughby,"is certainly in his favour; but as for the esteemof the others, it is a reproach in itself. Who wouldsubmit to the indignity of being approved by such a womanas Lady Middleton and Mrs. Jennings, that could commandthe indifference of any body else?""But perhaps the abuse of such people as yourselfand Marianne will make amends for the regard of LadyMiddleton and her mother. If their praise is censure,your censure may be praise, for they are not more undiscerning,than you are prejudiced and unjust.""In defence of your protege you can even be saucy.""My protege, as you call him, is a sensible man;and sense will always have attractions for me.Yes, Marianne, even in a man between thirty and forty.He has seen a great deal of the world; has been abroad,has read, and has a thinking mind. I have found himcapable of giving me much information on various subjects;and he has always answered my inquiries with readiness ofgood-breeding and good nature.""That is to say," cried Marianne contemptuously,"he has told you, that in the East Indies the climate is hot,and the mosquitoes are troublesome.""He would have told me so, I doubt not, had I madeany such inquiries, but they happened to be pointson which I had been previously informed.""Perhaps," said Willoughby, "his observations mayhave extended to the existence of nabobs, gold mohrs,and palanquins.""I may venture to say that his observationshave stretched much further than your candour.But why should you dislike him?""I do not dislike him. I consider him, on the contrary,as a very respectable man, who has every body's good word,and nobody's notice; who, has more money than he can spend,more time than he knows how to employ, and two new coatsevery year.""Add to which," cried Marianne, "that he hasneither genius, taste, nor spirit. That his understandinghas no brilliancy, his feelings no ardour, and his voiceno expression.""You decide on his imperfections so much in the mass,"replied Elinor, "and so much on the strength of yourown imagination, that the commendation I am able to giveof him is comparatively cold and insipid. I can onlypronounce him to be a sensible man, well-bred, well-informed,of gentle address, and, I believe, possessing an amiable heart.""Miss Dashwood," cried Willoughby, "you are now usingme unkindly. You are endeavouring to disarm me by reason,and to convince me against my will. But it will not do.You shall find me as stubborn as you can be artful. I havethree unanswerable reasons for disliking Colonel Brandon;he threatened me with rain when I wanted it to be fine;he has found fault with the hanging of my curricle,and I cannot persuade him to buy my brown mare. If itwill be any satisfaction to you, however, to be told,that I believe his character to be in other respectsirreproachable, I am ready to confess it. And in returnfor an acknowledgment, which must give me some pain,you cannot deny me the privilege of disliking him as muchas ever."