Chapter 26

by Jane Austen

　　Elinor could not find herself in the carriage with Mrs. Jennings,and beginning a journey to London under her protection,and as her guest, without wondering at her own situation,so short had their acquaintance with that lady been,so wholly unsuited were they in age and disposition,and so many had been her objections against such a measureonly a few days before! But these objections had all,with that happy ardour of youth which Marianne and her motherequally shared, been overcome or overlooked; and Elinor,in spite of every occasional doubt of Willoughby's constancy,could not witness the rapture of delightful expectationwhich filled the whole soul and beamed in the eyesof Marianne, without feeling how blank was her own prospect,how cheerless her own state of mind in the comparison,and how gladly she would engage in the solicitude ofMarianne's situation to have the same animating objectin view, the same possibility of hope. A short, a veryshort time however must now decide what Willoughby'sintentions were; in all probability he was already in town.Marianne's eagerness to be gone declared her dependenceon finding him there; and Elinor was resolved not only upongaining every new light as to his character which herown observation or the intelligence of others could give her,but likewise upon watching his behaviour to her sisterwith such zealous attention, as to ascertain what he wasand what he meant, before many meetings had taken place.Should the result of her observations be unfavourable,she was determined at all events to open the eyesof her sister; should it be otherwise, her exertionswould be of a different nature--she must then learnto avoid every selfish comparison, and banish every regretwhich might lessen her satisfaction in the happiness of Marianne.They were three days on their journey, and Marianne'sbehaviour as they travelled was a happy specimen of whatfuture complaisance and companionableness to Mrs. Jenningsmight be expected to be. She sat in silence almost allthe way, wrapt in her own meditations, and scarcely evervoluntarily speaking, except when any object of picturesquebeauty within their view drew from her an exclamationof delight exclusively addressed to her sister. To atonefor this conduct therefore, Elinor took immediate possessionof the post of civility which she had assigned herself,behaved with the greatest attention to Mrs. Jennings,talked with her, laughed with her, and listened to herwhenever she could; and Mrs. Jennings on her sidetreated them both with all possible kindness, was solicitouson every occasion for their ease and enjoyment, and onlydisturbed that she could not make them choose their owndinners at the inn, nor extort a confession of theirpreferring salmon to cod, or boiled fowls to veal cutlets.They reached town by three o'clock the third day, glad tobe released, after such a journey, from the confinementof a carriage, and ready to enjoy all the luxury of a good fire.The house was handsome, and handsomely fitted up,and the young ladies were immediately put in possessionof a very comfortable apartment. It had formerlybeen Charlotte's, and over the mantelpiece still hunga landscape in coloured silks of her performance,in proof of her having spent seven years at a great schoolin town to some effect.As dinner was not to be ready in less than twohours from their arrival, Elinor determined to employthe interval in writing to her mother, and sat down forthat purpose. In a few moments Marianne did the same."I am writing home, Marianne," said Elinor; "had not youbetter defer your letter for a day or two?""I am not going to write to my mother,"replied Marianne, hastily, and as if wishing to avoidany farther inquiry. Elinor said no more; it immediatelystruck her that she must then be writing to Willoughby;and the conclusion which as instantly followed was,that, however mysteriously they might wish to conductthe affair, they must be engaged. This conviction,though not entirely satisfactory, gave her pleasure,and she continued her letter with greater alacrity.Marianne's was finished in a very few minutes;in length it could be no more than a note; it was thenfolded up, sealed, and directed with eager rapidity.Elinor thought she could distinguish a large W inthe direction; and no sooner was it complete than Marianne,ringing the bell, requested the footman who answered itto get that letter conveyed for her to the two-penny post.This decided the matter at once.Her spirits still continued very high; but therewas a flutter in them which prevented their giving muchpleasure to her sister, and this agitation increased asthe evening drew on. She could scarcely eat any dinner,and when they afterwards returned to the drawing room,seemed anxiously listening to the sound of every carriage.It was a great satisfaction to Elinor that Mrs. Jennings,by being much engaged in her own room, could see littleof what was passing. The tea things were brought in,and already had Marianne been disappointed more than onceby a rap at a neighbouring door, when a loud one was suddenlyheard which could not be mistaken for one at any other house,Elinor felt secure of its announcing Willoughby's approach,and Marianne, starting up, moved towards the door.Every thing was silent; this could not be borne many seconds;she opened the door, advanced a few steps towards the stairs,and after listening half a minute, returned into the roomin all the agitation which a conviction of having heardhim would naturally produce; in the ecstasy of herfeelings at that instant she could not help exclaiming,"Oh, Elinor, it is Willoughby, indeed it is!" and seemedalmost ready to throw herself into his arms, when ColonelBrandon appeared.It was too great a shock to be borne with calmness,and she immediately left the room. Elinor was disappointed too;but at the same time her regard for Colonel Brandon ensuredhis welcome with her; and she felt particularly hurt thata man so partial to her sister should perceive that sheexperienced nothing but grief and disappointment in seeing him.She instantly saw that it was not unnoticed by him,that he even observed Marianne as she quitted the room,with such astonishment and concern, as hardly left himthe recollection of what civility demanded towards herself."Is your sister ill?" said he.Elinor answered in some distress that she was,and then talked of head-aches, low spirits, and over fatigues;and of every thing to which she could decently attributeher sister's behaviour.He heard her with the most earnest attention,but seeming to recollect himself, said no more on the subject,and began directly to speak of his pleasure at seeing themin London, making the usual inquiries about their journey,and the friends they had left behind.In this calm kind of way, with very little intereston either side, they continued to talk, both of them outof spirits, and the thoughts of both engaged elsewhere.Elinor wished very much to ask whether Willoughby werethen in town, but she was afraid of giving him painby any enquiry after his rival; and at length, by wayof saying something, she asked if he had been in Londonever since she had seen him last. "Yes," he replied,with some embarrassment, "almost ever since; I have beenonce or twice at Delaford for a few days, but it has neverbeen in my power to return to Barton."This, and the manner in which it was said,immediately brought back to her remembrance all thecircumstances of his quitting that place, with theuneasiness and suspicions they had caused to Mrs. Jennings,and she was fearful that her question had impliedmuch more curiosity on the subject than she had ever felt.Mrs. Jennings soon came in. "Oh! Colonel," said she,with her usual noisy cheerfulness, "I am monstrous gladto see you--sorry I could not come before--beg yourpardon, but I have been forced to look about me a little,and settle my matters; for it is a long while since Ihave been at home, and you know one has always a worldof little odd things to do after one has been away forany time; and then I have had Cartwright to settle with--Lord, I have been as busy as a bee ever since dinner!But pray, Colonel, how came you to conjure out that I shouldbe in town today?""I had the pleasure of hearing it at Mr. Palmer's,where I have been dining.""Oh, you did; well, and how do they all do at theirhouse? How does Charlotte do? I warrant you she is a finesize by this time.""Mrs. Palmer appeared quite well, and I am commissionedto tell you, that you will certainly see her to-morrow.""Ay, to be sure, I thought as much. Well, Colonel,I have brought two young ladies with me, you see--that is,you see but one of them now, but there is another somewhere.Your friend, Miss Marianne, too--which you will not besorry to hear. I do not know what you and Mr. Willoughbywill do between you about her. Ay, it is a fine thingto be young and handsome. Well! I was young once, but Inever was very handsome--worse luck for me. However, I gota very good husband, and I don't know what the greatestbeauty can do more. Ah! poor man! he has been deadthese eight years and better. But Colonel, where haveyou been to since we parted? And how does your businessgo on? Come, come, let's have no secrets among friends."He replied with his accustomary mildness to allher inquiries, but without satisfying her in any.Elinor now began to make the tea, and Marianne wasobliged to appear again.After her entrance, Colonel Brandon becamemore thoughtful and silent than he had been before,and Mrs. Jennings could not prevail on him to stay long.No other visitor appeared that evening, and the ladieswere unanimous in agreeing to go early to bed.Marianne rose the next morning with recovered spiritsand happy looks. The disappointment of the evening beforeseemed forgotten in the expectation of what was to happenthat day. They had not long finished their breakfast beforeMrs. Palmer's barouche stopped at the door, and in a fewminutes she came laughing into the room: so delightedto see them all, that it was hard to say whether shereceived most pleasure from meeting her mother or the MissDashwoods again. So surprised at their coming to town,though it was what she had rather expected all along;so angry at their accepting her mother's invitationafter having declined her own, though at the same timeshe would never have forgiven them if they had not come!"Mr. Palmer will be so happy to see you,"said she; "What do you think he said when he heardof your coming with Mamma? I forget what it was now,but it was something so droll!"After an hour or two spent in what her mother calledcomfortable chat, or in other words, in every variety of inquiryconcerning all their acquaintance on Mrs. Jennings's side,and in laughter without cause on Mrs. Palmer's, it wasproposed by the latter that they should all accompanyher to some shops where she had business that morning,to which Mrs. Jennings and Elinor readily consented,as having likewise some purchases to make themselves;and Marianne, though declining it at first was inducedto go likewise.Wherever they went, she was evidently always onthe watch. In Bond Street especially, where much oftheir business lay, her eyes were in constant inquiry;and in whatever shop the party were engaged, her mind wasequally abstracted from every thing actually before them,from all that interested and occupied the others.Restless and dissatisfied every where, her sister couldnever obtain her opinion of any article of purchase,however it might equally concern them both: she receivedno pleasure from anything; was only impatient to be athome again, and could with difficulty govern her vexationat the tediousness of Mrs. Palmer, whose eye was caughtby every thing pretty, expensive, or new; who was wildto buy all, could determine on none, and dawdled away hertime in rapture and indecision.It was late in the morning before they returned home;and no sooner had they entered the house than Marianne fleweagerly up stairs, and when Elinor followed, she foundher turning from the table with a sorrowful countenance,which declared that no Willoughby had been there."Has no letter been left here for me since we went out?"said she to the footman who then entered with the parcels.She was answered in the negative. "Are you quite sureof it?" she replied. "Are you certain that no servant,no porter has left any letter or note?"The man replied that none had."How very odd!" said she, in a low and disappointedvoice, as she turned away to the window."How odd, indeed!" repeated Elinor within herself,regarding her sister with uneasiness. "If she had notknown him to be in town she would not have written to him,as she did; she would have written to Combe Magna;and if he is in town, how odd that he should neithercome nor write! Oh! my dear mother, you must be wrongin permitting an engagement between a daughter so young,a man so little known, to be carried on in so doubtful,so mysterious a manner! I long to inquire; and how will myinterference be borne."She determined, after some consideration, that ifappearances continued many days longer as unpleasant as theynow were, she would represent in the strongest mannerto her mother the necessity of some serious enquiry into theaffair.Mrs. Palmer and two elderly ladies of Mrs. Jennings'sintimate acquaintance, whom she had met and invitedin the morning, dined with them. The former left themsoon after tea to fulfill her evening engagements;and Elinor was obliged to assist in making a whist tablefor the others. Marianne was of no use on these occasions,as she would never learn the game; but though her timewas therefore at her own disposal, the evening was by nomeans more productive of pleasure to her than to Elinor,for it was spent in all the anxiety of expectation and thepain of disappointment. She sometimes endeavoured for afew minutes to read; but the book was soon thrown aside,and she returned to the more interesting employmentof walking backwards and forwards across the room,pausing for a moment whenever she came to the window,in hopes of distinguishing the long-expected rap.