Mrs. Ferrars

This circumstance was a growing attachment between her eldest girl and the brother of Mrs. John Dashwood, a gentlemanlike and pleasing young man, who was introduced to their acquaintance soon after his sister's establishment at Norland, and who had since spent the greatest part of his time there.

Some mothers might have encouraged the intimacy from motives of interest, for Edward Ferrars was the eldest son of a man who had died very rich; and some might have repressed it from motives of prudence, for, excepting a trifling sum, the whole of his fortune depended on the will of his mother.

mother.But Mrs. Dashwood was alike uninfluenced by either consideration.

It was enough for her that he appeared to be amiable, that he loved her daughter, and that Eleanor returned the partiality.

It was contrary to every doctrine of hers that difference of fortune should keep any couple asunder who were attracted by resemblance of disposition, and that Eleanor's merit should not be acknowledged by everyone who knew her was, to her comprehension, impossible.

Edward Ferrars was not recommended to their good opinion by any peculiar graces of person or address.

He was not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing.

He was too diffident to do justice to himself.

But Mrs. Jennings, who knew nothing of all this, who knew only that the colonel continued as grave as ever, and that she could neither prevail on him to make the offer himself, nor commission her to make it for him, began at the end of two days to think that, instead of midsummer, they would not be married till Michaelmas, and by the end of a week that it would not be a match at all.

The good understanding between the colonel and Miss Dashwood seemed rather to declare that the honors of the mulberry tree, the canal, and the yew arbor would all be made over to her, and Mrs. Jennings had, for some time, ceased to think at all of Mrs. Ferrars.

Early in February, within a fortnight from the receipt of Willoughby's letter, Elinor had the painful office of informing her sister that he was married.

She had taken care to have the intelligence conveyed to herself as soon as it was known that the ceremony was over, as she was desirous that Marianne should not receive the first notice of it from the public papers, which she saw her eagerly examining every morning.

That is, I mean to say, your friends are all truly anxious to see you well settled.

Fanny particularly, for she has your interests very much at heart, I assure you.

And her mother too, Mrs. Ferrars, a very good-natured woman.

I am sure it would give her great pleasure.

But whatever might really be its limits, it was enough when perceived by his sister to make her uneasy, and at the same time, which was still more common, to make her uncivil.

She took the first opportunity of affronting her mother-in-law on the occasion, talking to her so expressively of her brother's great expectations, of Mrs. Ferrars' resolution that both her sons should marry well, and of the danger attending any young woman who attempted to draw him in, that Mrs. Dashwood could neither pretend to be unconscious nor endeavor to be calm.

She gave her an answer which marked her contempt, and instantly left the room, resolving that whatever might be the inconvenience or expense of so sudden a removal, her beloved Eleanor should not be exposed another week to such insinuations.

In this state of her spirits, a letter was delivered to her from the post, which contained a proposal particularly well-timed.

He praised their house, admired its prospect, was attentive and kind, but still he was not in spirits.

The whole family perceived it, and Mrs. Dashwood, attributing it to some want of liberality in his mother, sat down to table indignant against all selfish parents.

"What are Mrs. Ferrars's views for you at present, Edward?"

Said she when dinner was over and they had drawn round the fire.

This circumstance was a growing attachment between her eldest girl and the brother of Mrs. John Dashwood, a gentlemanlike and pleasing young man who was introduced to their acquaintance soon after his sister's establishment at Norland, and who had since spent the greatest part of his time there.

Some mothers might have encouraged the intimacy from motives of interest, for Edward Ferrars was the eldest son of a man who had died very rich, and some might have repressed it from motives of prudence, for, except a trifling sum, the whole of his fortune depended on the will of his mother.

But Mrs. Dashwood was alike uninfluenced by either consideration.

It was enough for her that he appeared to be amiable, that he loved her daughter, and that Eleanor returned the partiality.

It was contrary to every doctrine of hers that difference of fortune should keep any couple asunder who were attracted by resemblance of disposition, and that Eleanor's merit should not be acknowledged by everyone who knew her was to her comprehension impossible.

Edward Ferrars was not recommended to their good opinion by any peculiar graces of person or address.

He was not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing.

He was too diffident to do justice to himself, but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behavior gave every indication of an open, affectionate heart.

I was afraid of being late.

Did Mrs. Ferrars look well? Yes, ma'am, she said how she was very well, and to my mind she was always a very handsome young lady, and she seemed vastly contented.

Mrs. Dashwood could think of no other question, and Thomas and the tablecloth, now alike needless, were soon afterwards dismissed.

marianne had already sent to say that she should eat nothing more mrs dashwood's and elinor's appetites were equally lost and margaret might think herself very well off that with so much uneasiness as both her sisters had lately experienced so much reason as they had often had to be careless of their meals she had never been obliged to go without her dinner before when the dessert and the wine were arranged and mrs dashwood and elinor were left by themselves they remained long together in a similarity of thoughtfulness and silence mrs dashwood feared to hazard any remark and ventured not to offer consolation she now found that she had erred in relying on elinor's representation of herself and justly concluded that every thing had been expressly softened at the time to spare her from an increase of unhappiness suffering as she then had suffered for marianne she found that she had been misled by the careful the considerate attention of her daughter to think the attachment which once she had so well understood much slighter in reality than she had been wont to believe or than it was now proved to be She feared that under this persuasion she had been unjust, inattentive, nay, almost unkind to her Elinor, that Marianne's affliction, because more acknowledged, more immediately before her, had too much engrossed her tenderness, and led her away to forget that in Elinor she might have a daughter suffering almost as much, certainly with less self-provocation, and greater fortitude.

And Margaret, understanding some part, but not the whole of the case, thought it incumbent on her to be dignified, and therefore took a seat as far from him as she could, and maintained a strict silence.

When Elinor had ceased to rejoice in the dryness of the season, a very awful pause took place.

It was put an end to by Mrs. Dashwood, who felt obliged to hope that he had left Mrs. Ferrars very well.

In a hurried manner he replied in the affirmative.