Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
CHAPTER 5
No sooner was her answer dispatched, than Mrs. Dashwood indulged herselfin the pleasure of announcing to her son-in-law and his wife that shewas provided with a house, and should incommode them no longer than tillevery thing were ready for her inhabiting it. They heard her withsurprise. Mrs. John Dashwood said nothing; but her husband civilly hopedthat she would not be settled far from Norland. She had greatsatisfaction in replying that she was going into Devonshire.--Edwardturned hastily towards her, on hearing this, and, in a voice of surpriseand concern, which required no explanation to her, repeated,”Devonshire! Are you, indeed, going there? So far from hence! And towhat part of it?” She explained the situation. It was within four milesnorthward of Exeter.
”It is but a cottage,” she continued, ”but I hope to see many of myfriends in it. A room or two can easily be added; and if my friendsfind no difficulty in travelling so far to see me, I am sure I willfind none in accommodating them.”
She concluded with a very kind invitation to Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwoodto visit her at Barton; and to Edward she gave one with still greateraffection. Though her late conversation with her daughter-in-law hadmade her resolve on remaining at Norland no longer than wasunavoidable, it had not produced the smallest effect on her in thatpoint to which it principally tended. To separate Edward and Elinorwas as far from being her object as ever; and she wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood, by this pointed invitation to her brother, how totallyshe disregarded her disapprobation of the match.
Mr. John Dashwood told his mother again and again how exceedingly sorryhe was that she had taken a house at such a distance from Norland as toprevent his being of any service to her in removing her furniture. Hereally felt conscientiously vexed on the occasion; for the veryexertion to which he had limited the performance of his promise to hisfather was by this arrangement rendered impracticable.-- The furniturewas all sent around by water. It chiefly consisted of household linen,plate, china, and books, with a handsome pianoforte of Marianne's.Mrs. John Dashwood saw the packages depart with a sigh: she could nothelp feeling it hard that as Mrs. Dashwood's income would be sotrifling in comparison with their own, she should have any handsomearticle of furniture.
Mrs. Dashwood took the house for a twelvemonth; it was ready furnished,and she might have immediate possession. No difficulty arose on eitherside in the agreement; and she waited only for the disposal of hereffects at Norland, and to determine her future household, before sheset off for the west; and this, as she was exceedingly rapid in theperformance of everything that interested her, was soon done.--Thehorses which were left her by her husband had been sold soon after hisdeath, and an opportunity now offering of disposing of her carriage,she agreed to sell that likewise at the earnest advice of her eldestdaughter. For the comfort of her children, had she consulted only herown wishes, she would have kept it; but the discretion of Elinorprevailed. HER wisdom too limited the number of their servants tothree; two maids and a man, with whom they were speedily provided fromamongst those who had formed their establishment at Norland.
The man and one of the maids were sent off immediately into Devonshire,to prepare the house for their mistress's arrival; for as LadyMiddleton was entirely unknown to Mrs. Dashwood, she preferred goingdirectly to the cottage to being a visitor at Barton Park; and sherelied so undoubtingly on Sir John's description of the house, as tofeel no curiosity to examine it herself till she entered it as her own.Her eagerness to be gone from Norland was preserved from diminution bythe evident satisfaction of her daughter-in-law in the prospect of herremoval; a satisfaction which was but feebly attempted to be concealedunder a cold invitation to her to defer her departure. Now was thetime when her son-in-law's promise to his father might with particularpropriety be fulfilled. Since he had neglected to do it on firstcoming to the estate, their quitting his house might be looked on asthe most suitable period for its accomplishment. But Mrs. Dashwoodbegan shortly to give over every hope of the kind, and to be convinced,from the general drift of his discourse, that his assistance extendedno farther than their maintenance for six months at Norland. He sofrequently talked of the increasing expenses of housekeeping, and ofthe perpetual demands upon his purse, which a man of any consequence inthe world was beyond calculation exposed to, that he seemed rather tostand in need of more money himself than to have any design of givingmoney away.
In a very few weeks from the day which brought Sir John Middleton'sfirst letter to Norland, every thing was so far settled in their futureabode as to enable Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters to begin theirjourney.
Many were the tears shed by them in their last adieus to a place somuch beloved. ”Dear, dear Norland!” said Marianne, as she wanderedalone before the house, on the last evening of their being there; ”whenshall I cease to regret you!--when learn to feel a home elsewhere!--Oh!happy house, could you know what I suffer in now viewing you from thisspot, from whence perhaps I may view you no more!--And you, yewell-known trees!--but you will continue the same.--No leaf will decaybecause we are removed, nor any branch become motionless although wecan observe you no longer!--No; you will continue the same; unconsciousof the pleasure or the regret you occasion, and insensible of anychange in those who walk under your shade!--But who will remain toenjoy you?”
No sooner was her answer dispatched, than Mrs. Dashwood indulged herselfin the pleasure of announcing to her son-in-law and his wife that shewas provided with a house, and should incommode them no longer than tillevery thing were ready for her inhabiting it. They heard her withsurprise. Mrs. John Dashwood said nothing; but her husband civilly hopedthat she would not be settled far from Norland. She had greatsatisfaction in replying that she was going into Devonshire.--Edwardturned hastily towards her, on hearing this, and, in a voice of surpriseand concern, which required no explanation to her, repeated,”Devonshire! Are you, indeed, going there? So far from hence! And towhat part of it?” She explained the situation. It was within four milesnorthward of Exeter.
”It is but a cottage,” she continued, ”but I hope to see many of myfriends in it. A room or two can easily be added; and if my friendsfind no difficulty in travelling so far to see me, I am sure I willfind none in accommodating them.”
She concluded with a very kind invitation to Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwoodto visit her at Barton; and to Edward she gave one with still greateraffection. Though her late conversation with her daughter-in-law hadmade her resolve on remaining at Norland no longer than wasunavoidable, it had not produced the smallest effect on her in thatpoint to which it principally tended. To separate Edward and Elinorwas as far from being her object as ever; and she wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood, by this pointed invitation to her brother, how totallyshe disregarded her disapprobation of the match.
Mr. John Dashwood told his mother again and again how exceedingly sorryhe was that she had taken a house at such a distance from Norland as toprevent his being of any service to her in removing her furniture. Hereally felt conscientiously vexed on the occasion; for the veryexertion to which he had limited the performance of his promise to hisfather was by this arrangement rendered impracticable.-- The furniturewas all sent around by water. It chiefly consisted of household linen,plate, china, and books, with a handsome pianoforte of Marianne's.Mrs. John Dashwood saw the packages depart with a sigh: she could nothelp feeling it hard that as Mrs. Dashwood's income would be sotrifling in comparison with their own, she should have any handsomearticle of furniture.
Mrs. Dashwood took the house for a twelvemonth; it was ready furnished,and she might have immediate possession. No difficulty arose on eitherside in the agreement; and she waited only for the disposal of hereffects at Norland, and to determine her future household, before sheset off for the west; and this, as she was exceedingly rapid in theperformance of everything that interested her, was soon done.--Thehorses which were left her by her husband had been sold soon after hisdeath, and an opportunity now offering of disposing of her carriage,she agreed to sell that likewise at the earnest advice of her eldestdaughter. For the comfort of her children, had she consulted only herown wishes, she would have kept it; but the discretion of Elinorprevailed. HER wisdom too limited the number of their servants tothree; two maids and a man, with whom they were speedily provided fromamongst those who had formed their establishment at Norland.
The man and one of the maids were sent off immediately into Devonshire,to prepare the house for their mistress's arrival; for as LadyMiddleton was entirely unknown to Mrs. Dashwood, she preferred goingdirectly to the cottage to being a visitor at Barton Park; and sherelied so undoubtingly on Sir John's description of the house, as tofeel no curiosity to examine it herself till she entered it as her own.Her eagerness to be gone from Norland was preserved from diminution bythe evident satisfaction of her daughter-in-law in the prospect of herremoval; a satisfaction which was but feebly attempted to be concealedunder a cold invitation to her to defer her departure. Now was thetime when her son-in-law's promise to his father might with particularpropriety be fulfilled. Since he had neglected to do it on firstcoming to the estate, their quitting his house might be looked on asthe most suitable period for its accomplishment. But Mrs. Dashwoodbegan shortly to give over every hope of the kind, and to be convinced,from the general drift of his discourse, that his assistance extendedno farther than their maintenance for six months at Norland. He sofrequently talked of the increasing expenses of housekeeping, and ofthe perpetual demands upon his purse, which a man of any consequence inthe world was beyond calculation exposed to, that he seemed rather tostand in need of more money himself than to have any design of givingmoney away.
In a very few weeks from the day which brought Sir John Middleton'sfirst letter to Norland, every thing was so far settled in their futureabode as to enable Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters to begin theirjourney.
Many were the tears shed by them in their last adieus to a place somuch beloved. ”Dear, dear Norland!” said Marianne, as she wanderedalone before the house, on the last evening of their being there; ”whenshall I cease to regret you!--when learn to feel a home elsewhere!--Oh!happy house, could you know what I suffer in now viewing you from thisspot, from whence perhaps I may view you no more!--And you, yewell-known trees!--but you will continue the same.--No leaf will decaybecause we are removed, nor any branch become motionless although wecan observe you no longer!--No; you will continue the same; unconsciousof the pleasure or the regret you occasion, and insensible of anychange in those who walk under your shade!--But who will remain toenjoy you?”