CHAPTER 4
”What a pity it is, Elinor,” said Marianne, ”that Edward should have notaste for drawing.”
”No taste for drawing!” replied Elinor, ”why should you think so? Hedoes not draw himself, indeed, but he has great pleasure in seeing theperformances of other people, and I assure you he is by no meansdeficient in natural taste, though he has not had opportunities ofimproving it. Had he ever been in the way of learning, I think hewould have drawn very well. He distrusts his own judgment in suchmatters so much, that he is always unwilling to give his opinion on anypicture; but he has an innate propriety and simplicity of taste, whichin general direct him perfectly right.”
Marianne was afraid of offending, and said no more on the subject; butthe kind of approbation which Elinor described as excited in him by thedrawings of other people, was very far from that rapturous delight,which, in her opinion, could alone be called taste. Yet, thoughsmiling within herself at the mistake, she honoured her sister for thatblind partiality to Edward which produced it.
”I hope, Marianne,” continued Elinor, ”you do not consider him asdeficient in general taste. Indeed, I think I may say that you cannot,for your behaviour to him is perfectly cordial, and if THAT were youropinion, I am sure you could never be civil to him.”
Marianne hardly knew what to say. She would not wound the feelings ofher sister on any account, and yet to say what she did not believe wasimpossible. At length she replied:
”Do not be offended, Elinor, if my praise of him is not in every thingequal to your sense of his merits. I have not had so manyopportunities of estimating the minuter propensities of his mind, hisinclinations and tastes, as you have; but I have the highest opinion inthe world of his goodness and sense. I think him every thing that isworthy and amiable.”
”I am sure,” replied Elinor, with a smile, ”that his dearest friendscould not be dissatisfied with such commendation as that. I do notperceive how you could express yourself more warmly.”
Marianne was rejoiced to find her sister so easily pleased.
”Of his sense and his goodness,” continued Elinor, ”no one can, Ithink, be in doubt, who has seen him often enough to engage him inunreserved conversation. The excellence of his understanding and hisprinciples can be concealed only by that shyness which too often keepshim silent. You know enough of him to do justice to his solid worth.But of his minuter propensities, as you call them you have frompeculiar circumstances been kept more ignorant than myself. He and Ihave been at times thrown a good deal together, while you have beenwholly engrossed on the most affectionate principle by my mother. Ihave seen a great deal of him, have studied his sentiments and heardhis opinion on subjects of literature and taste; and, upon the whole, Iventure to pronounce that his mind is well-informed, enjoyment of booksexceedingly great, his imagination lively, his observation just andcorrect, and his taste delicate and pure. His abilities in everyrespect improve as much upon acquaintance as his manners and person.At first sight, his address is certainly not striking; and his personcan hardly be called handsome, till the expression of his eyes, whichare uncommonly good, and the general sweetness of his countenance, isperceived. At present, I know him so well, that I think him reallyhandsome; or at least, almost so. What say you, Marianne?”
”I shall very soon think him handsome, Elinor, if I do not now. Whenyou tell me to love him as a brother, I shall no more see imperfectionin his face, than I now do in his heart.”
Elinor started at this declaration, and was sorry for the warmth shehad been betrayed into, in speaking of him. She felt that Edward stoodvery high in her opinion. She believed the regard to be mutual; butshe required greater certainty of it to make Marianne's conviction oftheir attachment agreeable to her. She knew that what Marianne and hermother conjectured one moment, they believed the next--that with them,to wish was to hope, and to hope was to expect. She tried to explainthe real state of the case to her sister.
”I do not attempt to deny,” said she, ”that I think very highly ofhim--that I greatly esteem, that I like him.”
Marianne here burst forth with indignation--
”Esteem him! Like him! Cold-hearted Elinor! Oh! worse thancold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise. Use those words again, and Iwill leave the room this moment.”
Elinor could not help laughing. ”Excuse me,” said she; ”and be assuredthat I meant no offence to you, by speaking, in so quiet a way, of myown feelings. Believe them to be stronger than I have declared;believe them, in short, to be such as his merit, and the suspicion--thehope of his affection for me may warrant, without imprudence or folly.But farther than this you must not believe. I am by no means assuredof his regard for me. There are moments when the extent of it seemsdoubtful; and till his sentiments are fully known, you cannot wonder atmy wishing to avoid any encouragement of my own partiality, bybelieving or calling it more than it is. In my heart I feellittle--scarcely any doubt of his preference. But there are otherpoints to be considered besides his inclination. He is very far frombeing independent. What his mother really is we cannot know; but, fromFanny's occasional mention of her conduct and opinions, we have neverbeen disposed to think her amiable; and I am very much mistaken ifEdward is not himself aware that there would be many difficulties inhis way, if he were to wish to marry a woman who had not either a greatfortune or high rank.”
Marianne was astonished to find how much the imagination of her motherand herself had outstripped the truth.
”And you really are not engaged to him!” said she. ”Yet it certainlysoon will happen. But two advantages will proceed from this delay. Ishall not lose you so soon, and Edward will have greater opportunity ofimproving that natural taste for your favourite pursuit which must beso indispensably necessary to your future felicity. Oh! if he shouldbe so far stimulated by your genius as to learn to draw himself, howdelightful it would be!”
Elinor had given her real opinion to her sister. She could notconsider her partiality for Edward in so prosperous a state as Mariannehad believed it. There was, at times, a want of spirits about himwhich, if it did not denote indifference, spoke of something almost asunpromising. A doubt of her regard, supposing him to feel it, need notgive him more than inquietude. It would not be likely to produce thatdejection of mind which frequently attended him. A more reasonablecause might be found in the dependent situation which forbade theindulgence of his affection. She knew that his mother neither behavedto him so as to make his home comfortable at present, nor to give himany assurance that he might form a home for himself, without strictlyattending to her views for his aggrandizement. With such a knowledgeas this, it was impossible for Elinor to feel easy on the subject. Shewas far from depending on that result of his preference of her, whichher mother and sister still considered as certain. Nay, the longerthey were together the more doubtful seemed the nature of his regard;and sometimes, for a few painful minutes, she believed it to be no morethan friendship.
But, whatever might really be its limits, it was enough, when perceivedby his sister, to make her uneasy, and at the same time, (which wasstill more common,) to make her uncivil. She took the firstopportunity of affronting her mother-in-law on the occasion, talking toher so expressively of her brother's great expectations, of Mrs.Ferrars's resolution that both her sons should marry well, and of thedanger attending any young woman who attempted to DRAW HIM IN; thatMrs. Dashwood could neither pretend to be unconscious, nor endeavor tobe calm. She gave her an answer which marked her contempt, andinstantly left the room, resolving that, whatever might be theinconvenience or expense of so sudden a removal, her beloved Elinorshould not be exposed another week to such insinuations.
In this state of her spirits, a letter was delivered to her from thepost, which contained a proposal particularly well timed. It was theoffer of a small house, on very easy terms, belonging to a relation ofher own, a gentleman of consequence and property in Devonshire. Theletter was from this gentleman himself, and written in the true spiritof friendly accommodation. He understood that she was in need of adwelling; and though the house he now offered her was merely a cottage,he assured her that everything should be done to it which she mightthink necessary, if the situation pleased her. He earnestly pressedher, after giving the particulars of the house and garden, to come withher daughters to Barton Park, the place of his own residence, fromwhence she might judge, herself, whether Barton Cottage, for the houseswere in the same parish, could, by any alteration, be made comfortableto her. He seemed really anxious to accommodate them and the whole ofhis letter was written in so friendly a style as could not fail ofgiving pleasure to his cousin; more especially at a moment when she wassuffering under the cold and unfeeling behaviour of her nearerconnections. She needed no time for deliberation or inquiry. Herresolution was formed as she read. The situation of Barton, in acounty so far distant from Sussex as Devonshire, which, but a few hoursbefore, would have been a sufficient objection to outweigh everypossible advantage belonging to the place, was now its firstrecommendation. To quit the neighbourhood of Norland was no longer anevil; it was an object of desire; it was a blessing, in comparison ofthe misery of continuing her daughter-in-law's guest; and to remove forever from that beloved place would be less painful than to inhabit orvisit it while such a woman was its mistress. She instantly wrote SirJohn Middleton her acknowledgment of his kindness, and her acceptanceof his proposal; and then hastened to shew both letters to herdaughters, that she might be secure of their approbation before heranswer were sent.
Elinor had always thought it would be more prudent for them to settleat some distance from Norland, than immediately amongst their presentacquaintance. On THAT head, therefore, it was not for her to opposeher mother's intention of removing into Devonshire. The house, too, asdescribed by Sir John, was on so simple a scale, and the rent souncommonly moderate, as to leave her no right of objection on eitherpoint; and, therefore, though it was not a plan which brought any charmto her fancy, though it was a removal from the vicinity of Norlandbeyond her wishes, she made no attempt to dissuade her mother fromsending a letter of acquiescence.