sense and sensibility(理智与情感)-第25章
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betrayed her interest in what was said。
“Is it very ugly？” continued Mrs。 Palmer—“then it must be
some other place that is so pretty I suppose。”
When they were seated in the dining room； Sir John observed
with regret that they were only eight all together。
“My dear；” said he to his lady； “it is very provoking that we
should be so few。 Why did not you ask the Gilberts to come to us
to…day？”
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“Did not I tell you； Sir John； when you spoke to me about it
before； that it could not be done？ They dined with us last。”
“You and I； Sir John；” said Mrs。 Jennings； “should not stand
upon such ceremony。”
“Then you would be very ill…bred；” cried Mr。 Palmer。
“My love you contradict every body；” said his wife with her
usual laugh。 “Do you know that you are quite rude？”
“I did not know I contradicted any body in calling your mother
ill…bred。”
“Ay； you may abuse me as you please；” said the good…natured
old lady； “you have taken Charlotte off my hands； and cannot give
her back again。 So there I have the whip hand of you。”
Charlotte laughed heartily to think that her husband could not
get rid of her； and exultingly said； she did not care how cross he
was to her； as they must live together。 It was impossible for any
one to be more thoroughly good…natured； or more determined to
be happy than Mrs。 Palmer。 The studied indifference； insolence；
and discontent of her husband gave her no pain； and when he
scolded or abused her； she was highly diverted。
“Mr。 Palmer is so droll！” said she； in a whisper； to Elinor。 “He is
always out of humour。”
Elinor was not inclined； after a little observation； to give him
credit for being so genuinely and unaffectedly ill…natured or ill…
bred as he wished to appear。 His temper might perhaps be a little
soured by finding； like many others of his sex； that through some
unaccountable bias in favour of beauty； he was the husband of a
very silly woman；—but she knew that this kind of blunder was too
common for any sensible man to be lastingly hurt by it。—It was
rather a wish of distinction； she believed； which produced his
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contemptuous treatment of every body； and his general abuse of
every thing before him。 It was the desire of appearing superior to
other people。 The motive was too common to be wondered at； but
the means； however they might succeed by establishing his
superiority in ill…breeding； were not likely to attach any one to him
except his wife。
“Oh！ my dear Miss Dashwood；” said Mrs。 Palmer soon
afterwards； “I have got such a favour to ask of you and your sister。
Will you come and spend some time at Cleveland this Christmas？
Now； pray do；—and come while the Westons are with us。 You
cannot think how happy I shall be！ It will be quite delightful！—My
love；” applying to her husband； “don’t you long to have the Miss
Dashwoods come to Cleveland？”
“Certainly；” he replied； with a sneer—“I came into Devonshire
with no other view。”
“There now；”—said his lady； “you see Mr。 Palmer expects you；
so you cannot refuse to come。”
They both eagerly and resolutely declined her invitation。
“But indeed you must and shall come。 I am sure you will like it
of all things。 The Westons will be with us； and it will be quite
delightful。 You cannot think what a sweet place Cleveland is； and
we are so gay now； for Mr。 Palmer is always going about the
country canvassing against the election； and so many people came
to dine with us that I never saw before； it is quite charming！ But；
poor fellow！ it is very fatiguing to him！ for he is forced to make
every body like him。”
Elinor could hardly keep her countenance as she assented to
the hardship of such an obligation。
“How charming it will be；” said Charlotte； “when he is in
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Parliament！—won’t it？ How I shall laugh！ It will be so ridiculous to
see all his letters directed to him with an M。P。—But do you know；
he says； he will never frank for me？ He declares he won’t。 Don’t
you； Mr。 Palmer？”
Mr。 Palmer took no notice of her。
“He cannot bear writing； you know；” she continued—“he says it
is quite shocking。”
“No；” said he； “I never said any thing so irrational。 Don’t palm
all your abuses of languages upon me。”
“There now； you see how droll he is。 This is always the way
with him！ Sometimes he won’t speak to me for half a day together；
and then he comes out with something so droll—all about any
thing in the world。”
She surprised Elinor very much as they returned into the
drawing…room； by asking her whether she did not like Mr。 Palmer
excessively。
“Certainly；” said Elinor； “he seems very agreeable。”
“Well—I am so glad you do。 I thought you would； he is so
pleasant； and Mr。 Palmer is excessively pleased with you and your
sisters I can tell you； and you can’t think how disappointed he will
be if you don’t come to Cleveland。—I can’t imagine why you
should object to it。”
Elinor was again obliged to decline her invitation； and by
changing the subject； put a stop to her entreaties。 She thought it
probable that as they lived in the same county； Mrs。 Palmer might
be able to give some more particular account of Willoughby’s
general character； than could be gathered from the Middletons’
partial acquaintance with him； and she was eager to gain from any
one； such a confirmation of his merits as might remove the
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possibility of fear from Marianne。 She began by inquiring if they
saw much of Mr。 Willoughby at Cleveland； and whether they were
intimately acquainted with him。
“Oh！ dear； yes； I know him extremely well；” replied Mrs。
Palmer；—“Not that I ever spoke to him indeed； but I have seen
him for ever in town。 Somehow or other I never happened to be
staying at Barton while he was at Allenham。 Mama saw him here
once before；— but I was with my uncle at Weymouth。 However； I
dare say we should have seen a great deal of him in
Somersetshire； if it had not happened very unluckily that we
should never have been in the country together。 He is very little at
Combe； I believe； but if he were ever so much there； I do not think
Mr。 Palmer would visit him； for he is in the opposition； you know；
and besides it is such a way off。 I know why you inquire about him；
very well； your sister is to marry him。 I am monstrous glad of it； for
then I shall have her for a neighbour you know。”
“Upon my word；” replied Elinor； “you know much more of the
matter than I do； if you have any reason to expect such a match。”
“Don’t pretend to deny it； because you know it is what every
body talks of。 I assure you I heard of it in my way through town。”
“My dear Mrs。 Palmer！”
“Upon my honour I did。—I met Colonel Brandon Monday
morning in Bond…street； just before we left town； and he told me of
it directly。”
“You surprise me very much。 Colonel Brandon tell you of it！
Surely you must be mistaken。 To give such intelligence to a person
who could not be interested in it； even if it were true； is not what I
should expect Colonel Brandon to do。”
“But I do assure you it was so； for all that； and I will tell you
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how it happened。 When we met him； he turned back and walked
with us； and so we began talking of my brother and sister； and one
thing and another； and I said to him； ‘So； Colonel； there is a new
family come to Barton cottage； I hear； and mama sends me word
they are very pretty； and that one of them is going to be married to
Mr。 Willoughby of Combe Magna。 Is it true； pray？ for of course
you must know； as you have been in Devonshire so lately。’”
“And what did the Colonel say？”
“Oh—he did not say much； but he looked as if he knew it to be
true； so from that moment I set it down as certain。 It will be quite
delightful； I declare！ When is it to take place？”
“Mr。 Brandon was very well I hope？”
“Oh！ yes； quite well； and so full of your praises； he did nothing
but say fine things of you。”
“I am flattered by his commendation。 He seems an excellent
man； and I think him uncommonly pleasing。”
“So do I。—He is such a charming man； that it is quite a pity he
should be so grave and so dull。 Mama says he was in love with your
sister too。—I assure you it was a great compliment if he was； for he
hardly ever falls in love with any body。”
“Is Mr。 Willoughby much known in your part of
Somersetshire？” said Elinor。
“Oh！ yes； extremely well； that is； I do not believe many people
are acquainted with him； because Combe Magna is so far off； but
they all think him extremely agreeable I assure you。 Nobody is
more liked than Mr。 Willoughby wherever he goes； and so you may
tell your sister。 She is a monstrous lucky girl
