CHAPTER XIV

he sudden termination of Colonel Brandon's visit at the

park, with his steadiness in concealing its cause, filled the

mind, and raised the wonder of Mrs. Jennings for two or

three days; she was a great wonderer, as every one must be who

takes a very lively interest in all the comings and goings of all their

acquaintance. She wondered, with little intermission what could

be the reason of it; was sure there must be some bad news, and

thought over every kind of distress that could have befallen him,

with a fixed determination that he should not escape them all.

"Something very melancholy must be the matter, I am sure,"

said she. "I could see it in his face. Poor man! I am afraid his

circumstances may be bad. The estate at Delaford was never

reckoned more than two thousand a year, and his brother left

everything sadly involved. I do think he must have been sent for

about money matters, for what else can it be? I wonder whether it

is so. I would give anything to know the truth of it. Perhaps it is

about Miss Williams and, by the bye, I dare say it is, because he

looked so conscious when I mentioned her. May be she is ill in

town; nothing in the world more likely, for I have a notion she is

always rather sickly. I would lay any wager it is about Miss

Williams. It is not so very likely he should be distressed in his

circumstances now, for he is a very prudent man, and to be sure

must have cleared the estate by this time. I wonder what it can be!

May be his sister is worse at Avignon, and has sent for him over.

His setting off in such a hurry seems very like it. Well, I wish him

out of all his trouble with all my heart, and a good wife into the

bargain."

So wondered, so talked Mrs. Jennings. Her opinion varying

with every fresh conjecture, and all seeming equally probable as

they arose. Elinor, though she felt really interested in the welfare

of Colonel Brandon, could not bestow all the wonder on his going

so suddenly away, which Mrs. Jennings was desirous of her

feeling; for besides that the circumstance did not in her opinion

justify such lasting amazement or variety of speculation, her

wonder was otherwise disposed of. It was engrossed by the

extraordinary silence of her sister and Willoughby on the subject,

which they must know to be peculiarly interesting to them all. As

this silence continued, every day made it appear more strange and

more incompatible with the disposition of both. Why they should

not openly acknowledge to her mother and herself, what their

constant behaviour to each other declared to have taken place,

Elinor could not imagine.

She could easily conceive that marriage might not be

immediately in their power; for though Willoughby was

independent, there was no reason to believe him rich. His estate

had been rated by Sir John at about six or seven hundred a year;

but he lived at an expense to which that income could hardly be

equal, and he had himself often complained of his poverty. But for

this strange kind of secrecy maintained by them relative to their

engagement, which in fact concealed nothing at all, she could not

account; and it was so wholly contradictory to their general

opinions and practice, that a doubt sometimes entered her mind of

their being really engaged, and this doubt was enough to prevent

her making any inquiry of Marianne.

Nothing could be more expressive of attachment to them all,

than Willoughby's behaviour. To Marianne it had all the

distinguishing tenderness which a lover's heart could give, and to

the rest of the family it was the affectionate attention of a son and

a brother. The cottage seemed to be considered and loved by him

as his home; many more of his hours were spent there than at

Allenham; and if no general engagement collected them at the

park, the exercise which called him out in the morning was almost

certain of ending there, where the rest of the day was spent by

himself at the side of Marianne, and by his favourite pointer at her

feet.

One evening in particular, about a week after Colonel Brandon

left the country, his heart seemed more than usually open to every

feeling of attachment to the objects around him; and on Mrs.

Dashwood's happening to mention her design of improving the

cottage in the spring, he warmly opposed every alteration of a

place which affection had established as perfect with him.

"What!" he exclaimed―"Improve this dear cottage! No. That I

will never consent to. Not a stone must be added to its walls, not

an inch to its size, if my feelings are regarded."

"Do not be alarmed," said Miss Dashwood, "nothing of the kind

will be done; for my mother will never have money enough to

attempt it."

"I am heartily glad of it," he cried. "May she always be poor, if

she can employ her riches no better."

"Thank you, Willoughby. But you may be assured that I would

not sacrifice one sentiment of local attachment of yours, or of any

one whom I loved, for all the improvements in the world. Depend

upon it that whatever unemployed sum may remain, when I make

up my accounts in the spring, I would even rather lay it uselessly

by than dispose of it in a manner so painful to you. But are you

really so attached to this place as to see no defect in it?"

"I am," said he. "To me it is faultless. Nay, more, I consider it as

the only form of building in which happiness is attainable, and

were I rich enough I would instantly pull Combe down, and build

it up again in the exact plan of this cottage."

"With dark narrow stairs and a kitchen that smokes, I

suppose," said Elinor.

"Yes," cried he in the same eager tone, "with all and every

thing belonging to it;―in no one convenience or inconvenience

about it, should the least variation be perceptible. Then, and then

only, under such a roof, I might perhaps be as happy at Combe as I

have been at Barton."

"I flatter myself," replied Elinor, "that even under the

disadvantage of better rooms and a broader staircase, you will

hereafter find your own house as faultless as you now do this."

"There certainly are circumstances," said Willoughby, "which

might greatly endear it to me; but this place will always have one

claim of my affection, which no other can possibly share."

Mrs. Dashwood looked with pleasure at Marianne, whose fine

eyes were fixed so expressively on Willoughby, as plainly denoted

how well she understood him.

"How often did I wish," added he, "when I was at Allenham this

time twelvemonth, that Barton cottage were inhabited! I never

passed within view of it without admiring its situation, and

grieving that no one should live in it. How little did I then think

that the very first news I should hear from Mrs. Smith, when I

next came into the country, would be that Barton cottage was

taken: and I felt an immediate satisfaction and interest in the

event, which nothing but a kind of prescience of what happiness I

should experience from it, can account for. Must it not have been

so, Marianne?" speaking to her in a lowered voice. Then

continuing his former tone, he said, "And yet this house you would

spoil, Mrs. Dashwood? You would rob it of its simplicity by

imaginary improvement! and this dear parlour in which our

acquaintance first began, and in which so many happy hours have

been since spent by us together, you would degrade to the

condition of a common entrance, and every body would be eager

to pass through the room which has hitherto contained within

itself more real accommodation and comfort than any other

apartment of the handsomest dimensions in the world could

possibly afford."

Mrs. Dashwood again assured him that no alteration of the kind

should be attempted.

"You are a good woman," he warmly replied. "Your promise

makes me easy. Extend it a little farther, and it will make me

happy. Tell me that not only your house will remain the same, but

that I shall ever find you and yours as unchanged as your

dwelling; and that you will always consider me with the kindness

which has made everything belonging to you so dear to me."

The promise was readily given, and Willoughby's behaviour

during the whole of the evening declared at once his affection and

happiness.

"Shall we see you tomorrow to dinner?" said Mrs. Dashwood,

when he was leaving them. "I do not ask you to come in the

morning, for we must walk to the park, to call on Lady Middleton."

He engaged to be with them by four o'clock.
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