Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 101 John Dashwood's Brilliant Calculation

One morning, after some obstinacy, Marianne yielded to her sister's entreaties, and agreed to accompany her and Mrs. Jennings for a half-hour morning walk.However, she laid down definite conditions: no visits to friends and relatives, and at most she accompanied them to Gray's Jewelers in Sackville Street, where Elinor was negotiating with her to exchange some of her mother's old jewels.

When they came to the door of the store, Mrs. Jennings remembered that there was a lady down the street who she should pay a visit to, and that she had nothing to do at Gray's, and it was agreed that she would visit her while the two young friends were on errands. Drop by and come back to them.

As the Miss Dashwoods went up the stairs, they saw so many people who had arrived early that no one in the shop was free to receive them, and they had to wait.The best way is to sit at the side of the counter, it seems that this way it will be my turn sooner.Here stood only one gentleman, whom Elinor hoped would be more courteous and quicker.But who knows that this person has a shrewd eye for buying things, is picky, and doesn't care about politeness at all.He wanted to order a toothpick box. In order to determine the size, style and pattern, he took all the toothpick boxes in the store to look at, compare and calculate. The imagination finally settled.During this period, he had no time to take care of the two ladies, but only glanced at them roughly three or four times.However, this review of his made his appearance and countenance deeply engraved in Elinor's mind: even though he was dressed in the most fashionable fashion, he was just a foolish, brave, and out-and-out humble person.

Neither the man's contemptuous survey of their faces, nor his smug assessment of the defects of the various toothpick cases presented to him for inspection, aroused Marianne's distasteful and irritated boredom, which she ignored. ,turn a deaf ear.For she was as absorbed in her own thoughts in Gray's shop as in her own bedroom, oblivious to what was going on around her.

Finally, the matter was finally settled, and even the dental, gold, and beadwork on it were stipulated.The man set another date, as if he couldn't live without the toothpick box by that day.He put on the gloves calmly and carefully, and gave the two Miss Dashwood another look, but this look seemed not to express envy for the other party, but to make the other party envy himself.Then, the man smugly pretended to be indifferent, and walked away with a proud posture.

Eleanor hurriedly proposed what she wanted to do, and when she was about to close the deal, another man appeared beside her.She looked at his face in a blink of an eye, and unexpectedly found that this man was her brother.

Their chance encounter at Mr. Gray's jeweler's shop seemed as though it had happened with enthusiasm and joy.John Dashwood was not sorry to see his sisters again.The sisters were happy to see him.His greeting to his mother was respectful and caring.

Only then did Eleanor know that he and Fanny had been in town for two days.

"I've been wanting to call on you yesterday," he said, "but we couldn't because we had to take Harry to Exeter Yard to see the Beast, and we had to spend the rest of the time with Mrs. Ferrars. Harry was delighted. If we could spare half an hour, we'd see you all, but there's always so much to do when you're in town! I'm here to order a stamp for Fanny. But I think tomorrow will be Can go to Beckley Street and meet your friend Mrs. Jennings. I heard she is a very rich woman. The Middletons are also rich, you must introduce me to them. Since they are The relatives of my stepmother, to whom I would very much like to pay my respects. I have heard that they are your good neighbors."

"It was good indeed. Their concern for our well-being, and their kindness to us, was beyond description."

"To be honest, I'm very happy to hear you say that. I'm so happy. However, this is a matter of course. They are all rich people, and they are related to you. You should expect them to be polite to you according to the etiquette. Thoughtful, providing every convenience to make your life comfortable. In this way, you will live very comfortably in the small cottage, and you will have everything. Edward said he told us about the house, he said It was the most perfect house ever of its kind, and said you seemed to like it very much. To tell the truth, we were very glad to hear that."

Elinor was a little ashamed of her brother, but luckily when Mrs. Jennings's servant came to report that his wife was waiting at the door, lest she should return to her brother, she was not at all sorry for not being able to answer.

Mr. Dashwood accompanied them downstairs, and was introduced to Mrs. Jennings at the door of her carriage.He said again that he hoped to visit them the next day, so he left.

He came to visit as scheduled, and made a false apology for not being able to come with their sister-in-law: "She is very busy with her mother, and there is really no time to go away." However, Mrs. Jennings immediately let him Don't worry, you don't have to be polite when you call your sister-in-law, because they are all cousins.She added that she must call on Mrs. John Dashwood as soon as possible, and take her sister-in-law to her.Although John was not close to his sister, he was also very polite, and he was especially respectful and polite to Mrs. Jennings.Soon after he entered the house, Colonel Bland followed.John looked at the Colonel curiously, as if to say, I wish he was a rich man so I could pay him my respects.

After staying here for half an hour, John asked Eleanor to take him to Condit Street to call on Sir John and Lady Middleton.The weather was exceptionally fine that day, and Eleanor readily agreed.As soon as they left the house, John began to question him.

"Who is Colonel Bland? Is he a rich man?"

"Yes, he has a considerable fortune in Dorset."

"I'm glad to hear that. He looks like a very gentleman. Eleanor, I think I should congratulate you on having a very decent place to look forward to in this life."

"Me? Brother—what do you mean?"

"He likes you. I've watched him carefully, and I'm sure of that. How much money does he have?"

"I think about two thousand pounds a year."

"Two thousand pounds a year," he said, stirring up a passion of the most fervent generosity, and going on: "Eleanor, for your sake, I really wish he had twice as much. "

"I do believe in your kindness," replied Eleanor, "but I am sure that Colonel Bland has no intention of marrying me."

"You are mistaken, Eleanor, very mistaken. You can catch him with a little work in this direction. Perhaps he will hesitate at present, because your meager income will make him He cowers. His friends will still get in his way. But with a little courteousness and a little flirting, you can get him to succumb, which is easy for you women to do. You have no reason Don't try to win him over. Don't think that the kind of love you had before - in short, you know that kind of love is absolutely impossible, you have insurmountable obstacles - you are a reasonable person, and you can't fail to understand it. Colonel Bland is very nice, and I'll do my best on my part to make him like you and your family. It's a happy marriage indeed. All in all,"—he whispered, in a low, airy voice— —"It's bound to be very well received on all sides." Then he remembered something, and added: "I mean--your friends all really want you to have a happy family, especially It's Fanny, and I can tell you that she has your business in mind. And her mother, Mrs. Ferrars, is also a very good-natured woman, and I think she will be very happy. She God said so."

Eleanor dismissed the answer.

"If Fanny had a brother, and I had a sister, who could simultaneously settle the affairs of life," continued John, "that would be a great thing. It would be wonderful. It is not, however, impossible."

"Mr. Edward Ferrars is getting married?" asked Elinor decisively.

"Not really settled, but it's being considered. He's got a wonderful mother. Mrs. Ferrars is very generous. She's determined to give him a thousand pounds a year if they marry. The lady is the Honorable Morton." Mademoiselle, the late Lord Morton's only daughter, thirty thousand pounds--this marriage is a satisfactory one, and I have no doubt that the marriage will go on as planned. A thousand pounds a year, a mother can give so much money, and for life; but Mrs. Ferrars has a noble spirit. To give you another example of her generosity: the day we first arrived in town, she knew that we could not be rich, so she gave the money In Fanny's hands, it was as much as two hundred pounds. It is very desirable, because we must spend a lot of money here."

He paused, wanting to hear a word of approval and sympathy from Eleanor, but she reluctantly said:

"Of course your expenses in the city and the countryside are not small, but your income is also high."

"I mean, it's not as big as people think. I don't want to cry poor, though. Our income is undoubtedly pretty good, and I hope it will be even better someday. Ongoing laps at Nolan Commons The land cost a lot. In addition, I bought a small property in the past six months—East Kingham Farm. You must remember this place. Old Gibson used to live here. No matter how you look at this land, it is very important to me. Ideal, right next to my own property, so I feel obligated to buy it. I can't in good conscience if it fell into someone else's hands. People pay for their own convenience, and I've spent a fortune payment."

"Do you think that piece of land is really not worth that much money?"

"Oh, I hope not. I could have sold it the day after I bought it and made some money. But as far as the purchase price was concerned, I might have been unlucky, as the stock was worth very little at the time." Low, if I didn't have enough deposits in the bank, I would have to sell the stocks and lose a lot of money."

Eleanor could only laugh it off.

"When we first arrived at Norland, there were some necessary and large expenses. You know very well that our dear father kept the Stanhill property (which was still very valuable) at Norland. , all bequeathed to your mother. I am by no means complaining that he should not have done so. He is absolutely entitled to dispose of his property as he pleases. However, we have to buy a lot of linen, china, etc. To make up for what has been taken from the house. You can guess that after all this expense we must be decimated, and Mrs. Ferrars' boon is more than I could have wished for."

"Indeed," said Elinor, "with the generosity of Mrs. Ferrars, I think you will be able to live comfortably."

"Maybe in a year or two," replied John solemnly, "but not yet. Fanny's conservatory has not yet been laid with a flagstone, and the garden has only just been sketched."

"Where is the flower house built?"

"On the hill behind the house. All the old walnut trees have been cut down to make room. The conservatory looks beautiful from every part of the estate, and the garden is right in front, going down the slope, and it will be very nice. Yes. We've cleared the weeds from the hilltop."

Elinor secretly smothered her apprehensions and reproaches, to the relief that Marianne was not present to share her idleness.

Mr. Dashwood, who had wept so well that his sister would not have to buy a pair of earrings for each of her sister's next visit to Gray's, could not refrain from cheering himself up, and turning to Elinor to congratulate him, Congratulations to her for having such a friend as Mrs. Jennings.

"She is indeed a very rich woman. Her house, her style of living, all point to a large income, and having such a friend is not only very good for you now, but may be a blessing in the end. She can invite When you come to the city, it means that she likes you very much, and it also means that she thinks highly of you. When she dies, she will not forget you in all likelihood. She will definitely leave you a large inheritance. "

"But I don't think it will be at all. She only has a widow's inheritance that the husband designated as the wife's inheritance. It will be passed on to her daughter in the future."

"Then it's hard to imagine how much she will spend. As long as she is a thrifty person, no one will do that. And the money she saves can always be her own decision."

"Don't you think she'll leave her savings to her daughter and not to us?"

"Her daughters are all married to wealthy families. I don't think she needs to give them any more inheritance. I think, in my opinion, since she cares about you so much and treats you like this, then she should consider your legitimate requests in the future , For a conscientious woman, this is something that cannot be ignored. She has the kindest heart, and all her actions will create expectations, which she cannot possibly not know."

"However, she has not yet raised expectations in those connected with it. Seriously, brother, you have too much concern for our welfare and good fortune."

"Oh, of course," said John, as if trying to collect himself, "man's powers are limited, very limited. But, Elinor dear, what's the matter with Marianne?—she seems very ill, and looks pale, People also get very thin. Is she sick?"

"She is not feeling well, and she has been complaining of neuralgia for the past few weeks."

"That makes me so sad. At her age, any illness could destroy the beauty of youth forever! Her youth is too short! Last September, she was as beautiful as any woman I have ever seen. Anyone is good enough to be admired. There is something about her beauty that is particularly attractive to men. I remember Fanny used to say that she would marry before you, and with a better woman than you. Fanny was Very fond of you—it was only a momentary idea of ​​hers. But she was wrong. I doubt now whether Marianne could ever marry a man whose income was at best five or six hundred pounds a year. And you will I wonder if it could be better than her. Dorset! I don't know much about Dorset, but, dear Eleanor, I would be more than happy to know more about it. I think you will allow Fanny and me Be your first and luckiest guests."

Eleanor told him very seriously that it was impossible for her to marry Colonel Bland.Her brother, however, was so intent on expecting the incomparable joy that this marriage would bring him, that he would not let it go.He made up his mind that he must do everything possible to strengthen the relationship with that gentleman and try his best to promote the marriage.He felt guilty for not helping his sisters, so he longed for others to do more.In order to make amends for his fault in the shortest way, he thought it would be well to have Colonel Bland propose to her, or to have Mrs. Jennings leave her an inheritance.

They were lucky enough to find Lady Middleton at home, and Sir John to arrive home before their visit was over.Everyone is very polite.Sir John was fond of the company of all sorts of men, and Mr. Dashwood, though not a man of knowledge, was quick to regard him as a man of kindness.Mrs. Middleton, seeing his good looks, thought he was worth getting acquainted with.Mr. Dashwood, as he took his leave, thought the couple very well.

"I want to report to Fanny about this wonderful meeting," said he and his sister, as they walked back. "Lady Middleton is a very elegant lady! I know she is just the kind Fanny would like to make acquaintance with." and Mrs. Jennings, who is a very well-behaved woman, though not so refined as her daughter. Your sister-in-law may even call on her without any scruples. To tell the truth, Fanny had some scruples, Since all we know is that Mrs. Jennings was a widow, and that her husband had made his fortune by unseemly means, both Fanny and Mrs. Ferrars had strong prejudices against Mrs. Jennings and her None of her daughters are the sort of women Fanny should be associated with. Now, I must go back and explain to her in detail that Mrs. Jennings and her daughter are very worthy of her association."

(End of this chapter)