第91章

Lord! how snug they might live in such another cottage as yours--or a little bigger--with two maids, and two men;and I believe I could help them to a housemaid, for my Betty has a sister out of place, that would fit them exactly."Here Mrs.Jennings ceased, and as Elinor had had time enough to collect her thoughts, she was able to give such an answer, and make such observations, as the subject might naturally be supposed to produce.

Happy to find that she was not suspected of any extraordinary interest in it; that Mrs.Jennings (as she had of late often hoped might be the case) had ceased to imagine her at all attached to Edward; and happy above all the rest, in the absence of Marianne, she felt very well able to speak of the affair without embarrassment, and to give her judgment, as she believed, with impartiality on the conduct of every one concerned in it.

She could hardly determine what her own expectation of its event really was; though she earnestly tried to drive away the notion of its being possible to end otherwise at last, than in the marriage of Edward and Lucy.

What Mrs.Ferrars would say and do, though there could not be a doubt of its nature, she was anxious to hear;and still more anxious to know how Edward would conduct himself.For HIM she felt much compassion;--for Lucy very little--and it cost her some pains to procure that little;--for the rest of the party none at all.

As Mrs.Jennings could talk on no other subject, Elinor soon saw the necessity of preparing Marianne for its discussion.No time was to be lost in undeceiving her, in making her acquainted with the real truth, and in endeavouring to bring her to hear it talked of by others, without betraying that she felt any uneasiness for her sister, or any resentment against Edward.

Elinor's office was a painful one.--She was going to remove what she really believed to be her sister's chief consolation,--to give such particulars of Edward as she feared would ruin him for ever in her good opinion,-and to make Marianne, by a resemblance in their situations, which to HER fancy would seem strong, feel all her own disappointment over again.But unwelcome as such a task must be, it was necessary to be done, and Elinor therefore hastened to perform it.

She was very far from wishing to dwell on her own feelings, or to represent herself as suffering much, any otherwise than as the self-command she had practised since her first knowledge of Edward's engagement, might suggest a hint of what was practicable to Marianne.

Her narration was clear and simple; and though it could not be given without emotion, it was not accompanied by violent agitation, nor impetuous grief.--THAT belonged rather to the hearer, for Marianne listened with horror, and cried excessively.Elinor was to be the comforter of others in her own distresses, no less than in theirs;and all the comfort that could be given by assurances of her own composure of mind, and a very earnest vindication of Edward from every charge but of imprudence, was readily offered.

But Marianne for some time would give credit to neither.

Edward seemed a second Willoughby; and acknowledging as Elinor did, that she HAD loved him most sincerely, could she feel less than herself! As for Lucy Steele, she considered her so totally unamiable, so absolutely incapable of attaching a sensible man, that she could not be persuaded at first to believe, and afterwards to pardon, any former affection of Edward for her.

She would not even admit it to have been natural;and Elinor left her to be convinced that it was so, by that which only could convince her, a better knowledge of mankind.

Her first communication had reached no farther than to state the fact of the engagement, and the length of time it had existed.--Marianne's feelings had then broken in, and put an end to all regularity of detail; and for some time all that could be done was to soothe her distress, lessen her alarms, and combat her resentment.The first question on her side, which led to farther particulars, was, "How long has this been known to you, Elinor?

has he written to you?"

"I have known it these four months.When Lucy first came to Barton Park last November, she told me in confidence of her engagement."At these words, Marianne's eyes expressed the astonishment which her lips could not utter.After a pause of wonder, she exclaimed--"Four months!--Have you known of this four months?"Elinor confirmed it.

"What!--while attending me in all my misery, has this been on your heart?--And I have reproached you for being happy!"--"It was not fit that you should then know how much I was the reverse!""Four months!"--cried Marianne again.--"So calm!--so cheerful!--how have you been supported?"--"By feeling that I was doing my duty.--My promise to Lucy, obliged me to be secret.I owed it to her, therefore, to avoid giving any hint of the truth; and I owed it to my family and friends, not to create in them a solicitude about me, which it could not be in my power to satisfy."Marianne seemed much struck.

"I have very often wished to undeceive yourself and my mother," added Elinor; "and once or twice I have attempted it;--but without betraying my trust, I never could have convinced you.""Four months!--and yet you loved him!"--

"Yes.But I did not love only him;--and while the comfort of others was dear to me, I was glad to spare them from knowing how much I felt.Now, I can think and speak of it with little emotion.I would not have you suffer on my account;for I assure you I no longer suffer materially myself.

I have many things to support me.I am not conscious of having provoked the disappointment by any imprudence of my own, I have borne it as much as possible without spreading it farther.I acquit Edward of essential misconduct.