sense and sensibility(理智与情感)-第56章
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how I happened to think of it； but it came into my head to ask him
if there was any news。 So upon that； he smirked； and simpered；
and looked grave； and seemed to know something or other； and at
last he said in a whisper； ‘For fear any unpleasant report should
reach the young ladies under your care as to their sister’s
indisposition； I think it advisable to say； that I believe there is no
great reason for alarm； I hope Mrs。 Dashwood will do very well。’”
“What！ is Fanny ill？”
“That is exactly what I said； my dear。 ‘Lord！’ says I； ‘is Mrs。
Dashwood ill？’ So then it all came out； and the long and the short
of the matter； by all I can learn； seems to be this。 Mr。 Edward
Ferrars； the very young man I used to joke with you about （but
however； as it turns out； I am monstrous glad there was never any
thing in it）； Mr。 Edward Ferrars； it seems； has been engaged above
this twelvemonth to my cousin Lucy！—There’s for you； my dear！—
And not a creature knowing a syllable of the matter； except
Nancy！—Could you have believed such a thing possible？—There
is no great wonder in their liking one another； but that matters
should be brought so forward between them； and nobody suspect
it！ That is strange！—I never happened to see them together； or I
am sure I should have found it out directly。 Well； and so this was
kept a great secret； for fear of Mrs。 Ferrars； and neither she nor
your brother or sister suspected a word of the matter；—till this
very morning； poor Nancy； who； you know； is a well…meaning
creature； but no conjurer； popt it all out。 ‘Lord！’ thinks she to
herself； ‘they are all so fond of Lucy； to be sure they will make no
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difficulty about it；’ and so； away she went to your sister； who was
sitting all alone at her carpet…work； little suspecting what was to
come—for she had just been saying to your brother； only five
minutes before； that she thought to make a match between
Edward and some Lord’s daughter or other； I forget who。 So you
may think what a blow it was to all her vanity and pride。 She fell
into violent hysterics immediately； with such screams as reached
your brother’s ears； as he was sitting in his own dressing…room
down stairs； thinking about writing a letter to his steward in the
country。 So up he flew directly； and a terrible scene took place； for
Lucy was come to them by that time； little dreaming what was
going on。 Poor soul！ I pity her。 And I must say； I think she was
used very hardly； for your sister scolded like any fury； and soon
drove her into a fainting fit。 Nancy； she fell upon her knees； and
cried bitterly； and your brother； he walked about the room； and
said he did not know what to do。 Mrs。 Dashwood declared they
should not stay a minute longer in the house； and your brother
was forced to go down upon his knees too； to persuade her to let
them stay till they had packed up their clothes。 Then she fell into
hysterics again； and he was so frightened that he would send for
Mr。 Donavan； and Mr。 Donavan found the house in all this uproar。
The carriage was at the door ready to take my poor cousins away；
and they were just stepping in as he came off； poor Lucy in such a
condition； he says； she could hardly walk； and Nancy； she was
almost as bad。 I declare； I have no patience with your sister； and I
hope； with all my heart； it will be a match in spite of her。 Lord！
what a taking poor Mr。 Edward will be in when he hears of it！ To
have his love used so scornfully！ for they say he is monstrous fond
of her； as well he may。 I should not wonder； if he was to be in the
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greatest passion！—and Mr。 Donavan thinks just the same。 He and
I had a great deal of talk about it； and the best of all is； that he is
gone back again to Harley…street； that he may be within call when
Mrs。 Ferrars is told of it； for she was sent for as soon as ever my
cousins left the house； for your sister was sure she would be in
hysterics too； and so she may； for what I care。 I have no pity for
either of them。 I have no notion of people’s making such a to…do
about money and greatness。 There is no reason on earth why Mr。
Edward and Lucy should not marry； for I am sure Mrs。 Ferrars
may afford to do very well by her son； and though Lucy has next to
nothing herself； she knows better than any body how to make the
most of every thing； I dare say； if Mrs。 Ferrars would only allow
him five hundred a…year； she would make as good an appearance
with it as any body else would with eight。 Lord！ how snug they
might live in such another cottage as yours—or a little bigger—
with two maids； and two men； and I believe I could help them to a
housemaid； for my Betty has a sister out of place； that would fit
them exactly。”
Here Mrs。 Jennings ceased； and as Elinor had had time enough
to collect her thoughts； she was able to give such an answer； and
make such observations； as the subject might naturally be
supposed to produce。 Happy to find that she was not suspected of
any extraordinary interest in it； that Mrs。 Jennings （as she had of
late often hoped might be the case） had ceased to imagine her at
all attached to Edward； and happy above all the rest； in the
absence of Marianne； she felt very well able to speak of the affair
without embarrassment； and to give her judgment； as she
believed； with impartiality on the conduct of every one concerned
in it。
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She could hardly determine what her own expectation of its
event really was； though she earnestly tried to drive away the
notion of its being possible to end otherwise at last； than in the
marriage of Edward and Lucy。 What Mrs。 Ferrars would say and
do； though there could not be a doubt of its nature； she was
anxious to hear； and still more anxious to know how Edward
would conduct himself。 For him she felt much compassion；—for
Lucy very little—and it cost her some pains to procure that little；—
for the rest of the party none at all。
As Mrs。 Jennings could talk on no other subject； Elinor soon
saw the necessity of preparing Marianne for its discussion。 No
time was to be lost in undeceiving her； in making her acquainted
with the real truth； and in endeavouring to bring her to hear it
talked of by others； without betraying that she felt any uneasiness
for her sister； or any resentment against Edward。
Elinor’s office was a painful one。—She was going to remove
what she really believed to be her sister’s chief consolation；—to
give such particulars of Edward as she feared would ruin him for
ever in her good opinion；—and to make Marianne； by a
resemblance in their situations； which to her fancy would seem
strong； feel all her own disappointment over again。 But
unwelcome as such a task must be； it was necessary to be done；
and Elinor therefore hastened to perform it。
She was very far from wishing to dwell on her own feelings； or
to represent herself as suffering much； any otherwise than as the
self…command she had practised since her first knowledge of
Edward’s engagement； might suggest a hint of what was
practicable to Marianne。 Her narration was clear and simple； and
though it could not be given without emotion； it was not
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accompanied by violent agitation； nor impetuous grief。—That
belonged rather to the hearer； for Marianne listened with horror；
and cried excessively。 Elinor was to be the comforter of others in
her own distresses； no less than in theirs； and all the comfort that
could be given by assurances of her own composure of mind； and a
very earnest vindication of Edward from every charge but of
imprudence； was readily offered。
But Marianne for some time would give credit to neither。
Edward seemed a second Willoughby； and acknowledging as
Elinor did； that she had loved him most sincerely； could she feel
less than herself！ As for Lucy Steele； she considered her so totally
unamiable； so absolutely incapable of attaching a sensible man；
that she could not be persuaded at first to believe； and afterwards
to pardon； any former affection of Edward for her。 She would not
even admit it to have been natural； and Elinor left her to be
convinced that it was so； by that which only could convince her； a
better knowledge of mankind。
Her first communication had reached no farther than to state
the fact of the engagement； and the length of time it had existed。—
Marianne’s feelings had then broken in； and put an end to all
regularity of detail； and for some time all that could be done was to
soothe her distress； lessen her alarms； and combat her
resentment。 The first questio
