A hearty welcome, dearest Janeites, to the Austen 250 Reader Series––our celebratory blog series for the 250th anniversary year––and the third week of our Sense and Sensibility content, in which we shall cover the nineteenth through the twenty-sixth chapters of the novel. Austen's treasured debut requires no preamble, so without further ado...
Edward Ferrars remains at Barton Cottage for a mere week before abruptly announcing his departure. The aura of melancholy surrounding him is assumed by all the Dashwood women to be the doing of Mrs. Ferrars, whose lofty hopes for her son and displeasure of Edward's current standing in life are generally well-known. Elinor does not entirely understand the change in her friend, but does not pry and extends her usual kindness towards him. Soon after Edward's departure, the Dashwoods are introduced to the Palmers, a mismatched couple of a high-spirited, silly wife and a grave, satirical husband who have come to stay at Barton Park on a visit. Mrs. Palmer is the younger daughter of Mrs. Jennings and is very similar to her mother, unlike Lady Middleton. Sir John, the jovial host, invites the Dashwoods to dine with them the following day.
"Come, come; this is all an effusion of immediate want of spirits, Edward. You are in a melancholy humour, and fancy that any one unlike yourself must be happy. But remember that the pain of parting from friends will be felt by everybody at times, whatever be their education or state. Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience — or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope." (Ch. 19)
At dinner, the Dashwoods find Mrs. Palmer to be very sweet, yet chatty and full of gossip. Sir John, per usual, brings up the topic of romantic attachment and Mrs. Palmer pays a general compliment to Marianne regarding her upcoming nuptials, having heard only the best about Mr. Willoughby. Elinor interjects, stating that the engagement is not certain; Mrs. Palmer shares that she heard the news from Colonel Brandon, whom she knows well, as he has long been a friend of the family.
As the Miss Dashwoods entered the drawing-room of the Park the next day at one door, Mrs. Palmer came running in at the other, looking as good-humoured and merry as before. She took them all most affectionately by the hand, and expressed great delight in seeing them again. (Ch. 20)
The Palmers return home the following day, but more guests soon arrive at Barton Park. It seems Mrs. Jennings had discovered amongst her relations two young women––sisters Anne and Lucy Steele––and Sir John had immediately invited them to come stay. Upon meeting them Elinor and Marianne find them to be generally well-mannered, yet the elder sister is tastelessly abrasive, bordering on vulgar. The younger sister, Lucy, is beautiful and charming, although she dotes excessively on the Middletons' young children.
By the end of their first meeting, Marianne decides definitively that she is not fond of the Steele sisters and Elinor, while more civil, feels much the same. Sir John, however, praises an attachment between the young people and invites the Dashwoods often to Barton Park in order to further the connection. Willoughby is brought up in conversation and Marianne is once again congratulated on her engagement. Sir John also brings up Elinor's mysterious Mr. "F", later revealing him to be Edward Ferrars. Anne Steele states that she and her sister are very intimately acquainted with him, but Lucy, on the contrary, clarifies that they do not know Edward very well. At this, Elinor's curiosity is properly piqued.
[...] the other, who was not more than two or three and twenty, they acknowledged considerable beauty. Her features were pretty, and she had a sharp, quick eye, and a smartness of air, which, though it did not give actual elegance or grace, gave distinction to her person. (Ch. 21)
Marianne avoids the Steeles the best she can, which often leaves Elinor alone in Lucy Steele's company. One day, as the two of them walk the grounds of Barton, Lucy asks Elinor what she knows of Mrs. Ferrars, Edward's mother. Elinor, confused, replies that she does not know her at all. This prompts Lucy, coyly apologetic, to share the reason for her out-of-the-blue inquiry. Lucy admits that she and Edward Ferrars are engaged––and have been in such a union for the past four years. At her companion's shocking news, Elinor tries her best to keep her composure and remain calm, although what she learns comes as a rude blow.
Due to her trepidation regarding the acceptance of Mrs. Ferrars––as Lucy has no fortune––she presses Elinor to remain quiet about the news. Only Lucy, Edward, and Anne know of the engagement. It turns out Edward had once attended a school run by the Steele sisters' uncle, where Edward and Lucy first met. Not knowing what else to say, Elinor agrees to keep silent. Not noticing––or perhaps ignoring––any signs of Elinor's shock, Lucy goes on to say that she had given Edward a lock of her hair set in a ring, amongst other small details. Elinor realizes this is the very ring she had noticed upon Edward's last visit to the Dashwood family.
[...] her heart sank within her, and she could hardly stand ; but exertion was indispensably necessary; and she struggled so resolutely against the oppression of her feelings that her success was speedy, and for the time complete. [...] She was mortified, shocked, confounded.
Fortunately for her, they had now reached the cottage, and the conversation could be continued no further. After sitting with them a few minutes, the Miss Steeles returned to the Park, and Elinor was then at liberty to think and be wretched. (Ch. 22)
Elinor is deeply troubled by the revelation and reflects on her interactions with Edward at Norland. She believed he had loved her––had that been a lie? Or perhaps he no longer felt for Lucy what his rash, young self had felt when they entered into their engagement? Even more than feeling sorrow for herself, Elinor is filled with sadness for the difficult position of her friend. She tells no one, per her promise, not letting anyone guess her deep despair. In the following days, Elinor and Lucy speak often about Edward, always clandestine. Lucy seems both smug and satisfied to have such a civil and willing confidant and Elinor, with more than pure curiosity, tasks herself with finding out the true extent of Lucy's affection.
Much as she had suffered from her first conversation with Lucy on the subject, she soon felt an earnest wish of renewing it and this for more reasons than one. She wanted to hear many particulars of their engagement repeated again! she wanted more clearly to understand what Lucy really felt for Edward, whether there were any sincerity in her declaration of tender regard for him; and she particularly wanted to convince Lucy, by her readiness to enter on the matter again, and her calmness in conversing on it, that she was no otherwise interested in it than as a friend, which she very much feared her involuntary agitation, in their morning discourse, must have left at least doubtful. (Ch. 23)
In her private conversations with Elinor, Lucy brings up the concern of money many times, sharing that Edward hopes to become a priest. Knowing John Dashwood––current owner of Norland Park––is Elinor's half-brother, Lucy inquires if he might perhaps be willing to give Edward a "living" there, and if Elinor could attempt to bring that situation to fruition. Not so sure of her influence over her rather selfish relation, Elinor does not make any promises.
Over time, Elinor concludes that Lucy's attachment is all materialistic, with self-interest and social gain at the core of her "love" for Edward. Her heart breaking for her friend, Elinor does not bring up the subject of Edward with Lucy again, although the latter continually seeks Elinor out at every opportunity in order to discuss even the tiniest bit of news. While their trip was originally meant to be brief, the Steeles remain at Barton Park for many weeks.
Elinor sat down to the card-table with the melancholy persuasion that Edward was not only without affection for the person who was to be his wife, but that he had not even the chance of being tolerably happy in marriage, which sincere affection on her side would have given; for self interest alone could induce a woman to keep a man to an engagement of which she seemed so thoroughly aware that he was weary. (Ch. 24)
The Steele sisters eventually depart, affording Elinor more peace of mind. But it is not quiet for long as each winter Mrs. Jennings travels to London, this year extending the invitation to both Elinor and Marianne. The former attempts to decline, but then realizes that the reason Marianne so desperately wishes to go is due to the fact that she might see Willoughby. Mrs. Dashwood encourages Elinor to take the trip by the chance of seeing Edward Ferrars, but Elinor claims she has no great attachment to him. Marianne is surprised by her sister's words at first, but her jubilant anticipation overcomes all else as the trip is planned and finalized.
Since the death of her husband, who had traded with success in a less elegant part of the town, she had resided every winter in a house in one of the streets near Portman Square. Towards this home she began, on the approach of January, to turn her thoughts; and thither she one day abruptly, and very unexpectedly by them, asked the elder Miss Dashwoods to accompany her. (Ch. 25)
On the carriage ride to London, Elinor reflects on the situation between Willoughby and Marianne, grateful that her sister's happiness at least seems to be more sure than her own. Once at Mrs. Jennings's London residence, Elinor begins to compose a letter to their mother, while Marianne fervently composes one for Willoughby. At every passing carriage in the street or knock on a neighbor's door, Marianne dashes to the window, exclaiming that it must be Willoughby to come see her. It never is––and when a knock finally sounds on their own door Marianne is sorely disappointed to find that it is Colonel Brandon. She leaves the room quickly and Elinor covers for her sister by claiming Marianne is not entirely well.
The following day, Mrs. Palmer comes to visit and Elinor and Marianne spend a day in town. Marianne hopes a letter will be waiting for her upon their return to the house, but as there is not, she resigns herself to waiting by the window, expecting Willoughby any moment. Elinor begins to feel dubious and worrisome about the engagement's apparent mysterious nature.
Her spirits still continued very high; but there was a flutter in them which prevented their giving much pleasure to her sister, and this agitation increased as the evening drew on. She could scarcely eat any dinner; and when they afterwards returned to the drawing-room, seemed anxiously listening to the sound of every carriage. (Ch. 26)
At that, alas, this week's selection of Sense and Sensibility must come to a close. With the stakes beginning to heighten and the action surmounting, I am finding it much harder to halt after our weekly reading. Can you believe we are halfway through? Stay tuned for the next installment of Chapters 27-34, released next Tuesday, February 4. A week-by-week reading guide can be found here. And should you feel inclined, please share your thoughts in the comments below. I would love to hear anything and everything, dear readers!
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