CHAPTER XII

s Elinor and Marianne were walking together the next

morning the latter communicated a piece of news to her

sister, which in spite of all that she knew before of

Marianne's imprudence and want of thought, surprised her by its

extravaganttestimony of both. Marianne told her, with the

greatest delight, that Willoughby had given her a horse, one that

he had bred himself on his estate in Somersetshire, and which was

exactly calculated to carry a woman. Without considering that it

was not in her mother's plan to keep any horse, that if she were to

alter her resolution in favour of this gift, she must buy another for

the servant, and keep a servant to ride it, and after all, build a

stable to receive them, she had accepted the present without

hesitation, and told her sister of it in raptures.

"He intends to send his groom into Somersetshire immediately

for it," she added, "and when it arrives we will ride every day. You

shall share its use with me. Imagine to yourself, my dear Elinor,

the delight of a gallop on some of these downs."

Most unwilling was she to awaken from such a dream of felicity

to comprehend all the unhappy truths which attended the affair;

and for some time she refused to submit to them. As to an

additional servant, the expense would be a trifle; mama she was

sure would never object to it; and any horse would do for him; he

might always get one at the park; as to a stable, the merest shed

would be sufficient. Elinor then ventured to doubt the propriety of

her receiving such a present from a man so little, or at least so

lately known to her. This was too much.

"You are mistaken, Elinor," said she warmly, "in supposing I

know very little of Willoughby. I have not known him long indeed,

but I am much better acquainted with him, than I am with any

other creature in the world, except yourself and mama. It is not

time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;―it is

disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some

people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than

enough for others. I should hold myself guilty of greater

impropriety in accepting a horse from my brother, than from

Willoughby. Of John I know very little, though we have lived

together for years; but of Willoughby my judgment has long been

formed."

Elinor thought it wisest to touch that point no more. She knew

her sister's temper. Opposition on so tender a subject would only

attach her the more to her own opinion. But by an appeal to her

affection for her mother, by representing the inconveniences

which that indulgent mother must draw on herself, if (as would

probably be the case) she consented to this increase of

establishment, Marianne was shortly subdued; and she promised

not to tempt her mother to such imprudent kindness by

mentioning the offer, and to tell Willoughby when she saw him

next, that it must be declined.

She was faithful to her word; and when Willoughby called at

the cottage, the same day, Elinor heard her express her

disappointment to him in a low voice, on being obliged to forego

the acceptance of his present. The reasons for this alteration were

at the same time related, and they were such as to make further

entreaty on his side impossible. His concern however was very

apparent; and after expressing it with earnestness, he added, in

the same low voice,―"But, Marianne, the horse is still yours,

though you cannot use it now. I shall keep it only till you can claim

it. When you leave Barton to form your own establishment in a

more lasting home, Queen Mab shall receive you."

This was all overheard by Miss Dashwood; and in the whole of

the sentence, in his manner of pronouncing it, and in his

addressing her sister by her christian name alone, she instantly

saw an intimacy so decided, a meaning so direct, as marked a

perfect agreement between them. From that moment she doubted

not of their being engaged to each other; and the belief of it

created no other surprise than that she, or any of their friends,

should be left by tempers so frank, to discover it by accident.

Margaret related something to her the next day, which placed

this matter in a still clearer light. Willoughby had spent the

preceding evening with them, and Margaret, by being left some

time in the parlour with only him and Marianne, had had

opportunity for observations, which, with a most important face,

she communicated to her eldest sister, when they were next by

themselves.

"Oh, Elinor!" she cried, "I have such a secret to tell you about

Marianne. I am sure she will be married to Mr. Willoughby very

soon."

"You have said so," replied Elinor, "almost every day since they

first met on High-church Down; and they had not known each

other a week, I believe, before you were certain that Marianne

wore his picture round her neck; but it turned out to be only the

miniature of our great uncle."

"But indeed this is quite another thing. I am sure they will be

married very soon, for he has got a lock of her hair."

"Take care, Margaret. It may be only the hair of some great

uncle of his."

"But, indeed, Elinor, it is Marianne's. I am almost sure it is, for I

saw him cut it off. Last night after tea, when you and mama went

out of the room, they were whispering and talking together as fast

as could be, and he seemed to be begging something of her, and

presently he took up her scissors and cut off a long lock of her

hair, for it was all tumbled down her back; and he kissed it, and

folded it up in a piece of white paper; and put it into his pocket-

book."

For such particulars, stated on such authority, Elinor could not

withhold her credit; nor was she disposed to it, for the

circumstance was in perfect unison with what she had heard and

seen herself.

Margaret's sagacity was not always displayed in a way so

satisfactory to her sister. When Mrs. Jennings attacked her one

evening at the park, to give the name of the young man who was

Elinor's particular favourite, which had been long a matter of

great curiosity to her, Margaret answered by looking at her sister,

and saying, "I must not tell, may I, Elinor?"

This of course made every body laugh; and Elinor tried to laugh

too. But the effort was painful. She was convinced that Margaret

had fixed on a person whose name she could not bear with

composure to become a standing joke with Mrs. Jennings.

Marianne felt for her most sincerely; but she did more harm

than good to the cause, by turning very red and saying in an angry

manner to Margaret,

"Remember that whatever your conjectures may be, you have

no right to repeat them."

"I never had any conjectures about it," replied Margaret; "it

was you who told me of it yourself."

This increased the mirth of the company, and Margaret was

eagerly pressed to say something more.

"Oh! pray, Miss Margaret, let us know all about it," said Mrs.

Jennings. "What is the gentleman's name?"

"I must not tell, ma'am. But I know very well what it is; and I

know where he is too."

"Yes, yes, we can guess where he is; at his own house at

Norland to be sure. He is the curate of the parish I dare say."

"No, that he is not. He is of no profession at all."

"Margaret," said Marianne with great warmth, "you know that

all this is an invention of your own, and that there is no such

person in existence."

"Well, then, he is lately dead, Marianne, for I am sure there was

such a man once, and his name begins with an F."

Most grateful did Elinor feel to Lady Middleton for observing,

at this moment, "that it rained very hard," though she believed the

interruption to proceed less from any attention to her, than from

her ladyship's great dislike of all such inelegant subjects of raillery

as delighted her husband and mother. The idea however started

by her, was immediately pursued by Colonel Brandon, who was on

every occasion mindful of the feelings of others; and much was

said on the subject of rain by both of them. Willoughby opened the

pianoforté, and asked Marianne to sit down to it; and thus amidst

the various endeavours of different people to quit the topic, it fell

to the ground. But not so easily did Elinor recover from the alarm

into which it had thrown her.

A party was formed this evening for going on the following day

to see a very fine place about twelve miles from Barton, belonging

to a brother-in-law of Colonel Brandon, without whose interest it

could not be seen, as the proprietor, who was then abroad, had left

strict orders on that head. The grounds were declared to be highly

beautiful, and Sir John, who was particularly warm in their praise,

might be allowed to be a tolerable judge, for he had formed parties

to visit them, at least, twice every summer for the last ten years.

They contained a noble piece of water; a sail on which was to a

form a great part of the morning's amusement; cold provisions

were to be taken, open carriages only to be employed, and every

thing conducted in the usual style of a complete party of pleasure.

To some few of the company it appeared rather a bold

undertaking, considering the time of year, and that it had rained

every day for the last fortnight;―and Mrs. Dashwood, who had

already a cold, was persuaded by Elinor to stay at home.
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