Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 109 Mrs. Jennings

As soon as Colonel Bland left, Mrs. Jennings said with a humorous smile: "Miss Dashwood, I don't ask you what the Colonel is saying to you. On my honor, I was trying to avoid listening Yes, but I must have heard some, and understood his purpose. To tell you the truth, I have never been so happy in my life, and I wish you happiness with all my heart."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Eleanor, "that is a thing that really makes me happy. I really feel that Colonel Bland is a kind man, and there are not many people who can do things like him. There are few people with a heart! Never in my life have I been so amazed."

"My dear! You are too modest, my dear! I am not in the least surprised, for I have often thought of late that nothing could be more reasonable than that."

"You think so on the basis of the Colonel's usual kindness. But at least you could not have foreseen that this opportunity would come so soon."

"Opportunity!" repeated Mrs. Jennings. "As for opportunity, a man who has set his mind to do such a thing is bound to find it quickly anyway. Well, my dear, I want My best wishes to you again. If there are any happy couples in the world, I think I'll soon know where to look for them."

"I think you're going to look for it at Delaford, aren't you?" Eleanor said with a flat smile.

"Oh, yes, dear, that's what I mean. As for the house being bad, I don't know what the Colonel means, because it's the nicest house I've ever seen."

"He talked about the house falling into disrepair."

"Well, who can blame it? Why didn't he fix it? If he didn't fix it himself, who would fix it?"

Their conversation was interrupted by a servant who announced that the carriage was at the door.Mrs. Jennings was getting ready to go, and said:
"Well, my dear, I'm leaving before I've finished my sentence. But it doesn't matter, we can start again in the evening, there are no guests. I won't make it difficult for you to come with me. You must be thinking about this You wouldn’t be willing to accompany me if you had to do something about it. Besides, you must be in a hurry to tell your sister all about it.”

It turned out that Marianne had left the room before their conversation began.

"Yes, ma'am, I'm going to tell Marianne. But I don't want to tell anyone else just yet."

"Ah! well," said Mrs. Jennings, rather disappointed, "and tell me not to tell Lucy, I'm thinking of going to Holborn today."

"Yes, ma'am, please don't even tell Lucy. A day's delay won't matter much. I don't think it ought to be told to anyone until I've written to Mr. Ferrars. I'll go right away." Just write this letter. It is important that he does not take up time, for he will receive the priesthood, and of course there are many things to do."

At first these words puzzled Mrs. Jennings.The haste to write to inform Mr. Ferrars was beyond her comprehension at once.However, after a moment of contemplation, she couldn't help being happy, and cried out:

"Oh ho! I see what you mean. Mr. Ferrars is to be in charge. Well, it's very good for him. Yes, of course he's going to be ready for the priesthood. I'm really sorry to see you go so fast. I am very glad. But, my dear, is it not proper for you to write this? Shouldn't the Colonel write the letter himself? Indeed, it is his own."

The first two sentences of Mrs. Jennings's remarks were not very clear to Eleanor.However, she felt that it was not worth asking, so she only answered the question at the end:

"Colonel Bland is a cautious man, and he would rather have his intentions explained to Mr. Ferrars than speak out himself."

"So, then, he insists on you. Why, it's a curious caution! But I won't bother you," said Mrs. Jennings, seeing that she was about to write, "your own business." You know best yourself. Good-bye, dear. I haven't heard better news since Charlotte went into labor."

Mrs. Jennings said this and went out, but came back in a second.

"My dear, I was thinking of Betty's sister just now. I should like to find such a good mistress for her. But whether she will be a mistress's lady, I can't really say. She is a very good lady." She is a maid, and she is good at needlework. But, think about these things when you have free time."

"Certainly, ma'am," replied Eleanor.In fact, Mrs. Jennings did not listen very much to what she said, and wished that she would go away soon, and not talk about herself as a hostess.

Now, all she was thinking about was how to start and express the letter she wrote to Edward.Due to the special relationship between them, it was a breeze for others, but it was difficult for her to write.However, she was afraid of talking too much and too little, so she sat there with a pen in her hand, lost in thought on the letter paper.Until Edward himself came in and interrupted her contemplation.

It turned out that when Mrs. Jennings was riding at the door, Edward happened to come to deliver the farewell card, and the two met at the door.Mrs. Jennings, after apologizing to him for not being able to go home, insisted on his entry, said that Miss Dashwood was upstairs and had something important to say to him.

Eleanor just felt a little lucky for herself in the confusion, and felt that no matter how difficult it was to express what she meant exactly, it was much easier to do than to tell him face to face.It turned out that her guest came in just at this time, which forced her to temporarily accept this most difficult task.Edward's sudden appearance made her panic.After the news of his engagement was made public, Edward knew she knew it, and she hadn't seen him since.In view of the circumstances, and the fact that Elinor had thoughts of her own, and had something to say to him, they felt very uncomfortable for some minutes.He was also very distressed, and they sat down together, looking more and more awkward, and Edward couldn't think of apologizing to Eleanor for breaking in without asking her forgiveness when he first entered the room.But just to be on the safe side, he felt able to speak after sitting down, and then apologized according to etiquette.

"Mrs. Jennings told me," said he, "that you had something important to talk to me about, or at least I understood what she meant—otherwise I would not have taken the liberty of bothering you. But if I did not It will be a lifelong regret for you and your sister to leave London at once. Especially as I am likely to be away for quite some time—probably not seeing you again soon. I am going to Oxford to-morrow."

"However," said Eleanor, recovering her composure, and determined to complete this daunting errand as soon as possible, "you will not go away without us expressing our best wishes to you, even if we cannot face you. Best wishes. Mrs. Jennings is quite right. I have something urgent to tell you, and I was just about to write to inform you of it. I have been entrusted with a very pleasant assignment." (She As he spoke, his breathing became short of breath.) "Colonel Bland was here 10 minutes ago, he knew you wanted to accept the priesthood, and I want to tell you that Delaford's priesthood happens to be vacant now, and he is very willing to invite you You're going to be a clergyman, but it's a pity that the salary is not high. Allow me to congratulate you on having such a respectable and wise friend, who I and I hope will be much higher than the present income of about two hundred pounds a year, so that To make you more conditioned—not just to provide for your own present needs—in short, in a word, in the hope that all your wishes for happiness will be realized.”

What Edward felt in his heart, he couldn't say it himself, and of course no one else could say it for him.He looked shocked at the unexpected news.But he only said these few words:

"Colonel Brand!"

"Yes." Since the most embarrassing moment has passed a lot, Eleanor simply mustered up more courage and continued, "Colonel Bland did this to express his concern about recent events—you The erratic conduct of your family has pushed you into a difficult position—of course, Marianne and I, as well as all your friends, share his concern. Likewise, his conduct shows the high respect he has for your whole personality, especially I respect what you're doing now."

"Is it possible that Colonel Bland has offered me a priesthood?"

"Because you have been mistreated by your family, are you surprised by the kindness of others?"

"No," replied Edward, with a sudden realization, "I should not be surprised at your kindness. For of course I understand that it is all thanks to you and your kindness. I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart—but I am not good at expressing, otherwise I would have to express this gratitude to you-but you know very well that I am not an orator."

"You are quite mistaken. To tell you the truth, it is all due, at least almost entirely, to your own virtue and Colonel Bland's appreciation of it. It has nothing to do with me. I I had no idea that the vicarage was vacant until I knew his intentions. It never occurred to me that he had the right to confer such an office. He was a friend to me and my family, and perhaps he—I did know that he was very I am willing to give it to you. However, to be honest, this is not the result of my pleading, so you don't need to thank me."

When looking at this matter realistically, Eleanor had to admit that she still played a role in this matter to some extent.But she did not want to show herself to be Edward's benefactor, so she admitted it reluctantly.But this made Edward further deepen the suspicion that had recently arisen in his heart.After Eleanor had finished speaking, he sat there in thought for a while.At last, as if with great effort, he said:

"Colonel Bland seems to be a man of great esteem. I have often heard people say that about him, and I know your brother holds him in high esteem. He is undoubtedly a wise man, and a gentleman."

"Indeed," replied Eleanor, "I trust that, on further acquaintance, you will find that he is exactly the sort of man you have been told of, and since you are to be neighbors (I hear the parsonage is in his great house) Nearby), it is very important for you that he has such a personality."

Edward said nothing.But when Eleanor turned her head away he took the opportunity to cast a glance at her.His eyes were serious, earnest, and melancholy, as if to say: He wished the vicarage would be farther away from the great house in the future.

"I suppose Colonel Bland lives in St. James's Street?" he said, rising from his chair afterward.

Eleanor told him the house number.

"Since you won't let me thank you, I'll have to hurry to thank the colonel. I'll tell him he's made me a very—a very happy man."

Eleanor didn't stop him.When they parted, Eleanor sincerely expressed that she would always wish him happiness, no matter what happened to his circumstances.As for him, although he wanted to express the same wish, he couldn't say anything.

"When I see him again," said Elinor to herself, as soon as Edward had gone out, "he will be Lucy's husband."

With this cheerful anticipation Eleanor sat down to reconsider what had happened, recalling what Edward had said, and trying to comprehend all his feelings.Of course, I also considered my inner sadness.

Though Mrs. Jennings had seen people she had never seen before, and should have had a great deal of talk about it when she got home, yet, as she was preoccupied with the important secret she had discovered, the first sight When it came to Eleanor, the matter was brought up again.

"Oh, dear," she exclaimed, "I sent that lad up to you. Am I wrong? I don't think you've had much trouble. You don't find him very reluctant to accept your offer, do you?" "

"No, ma'am. That's not enough."

"Well, how long will it take for him to be ready? It seems that everything has to wait for him."

"Really," said Eleanor, "I don't know anything about the procedure for doing such a thing, how long it will take, and what preparations will be made. But I think he'll be done in two or three months. It's a matter of ordination."

"Two or three months?" exclaimed Mrs. Jennings. "My dear! That's easy for you, my dear! Can the Colonel wait two or three months! God help! I dare say I'll wait as long as I can." .Though people would be glad to have poor Mr. Ferrars in charge, it's not worth waiting two or three months for him. And it's just as easy to get someone else to do it, someone already in the priesthood."

"My dear lady," said Elinor, "where are you going? You see, Colonel Bland's only purpose is to be of service to Mr. Ferrars."

"My God, my dear, you don't want me to believe that the colonel only married you for ten guineas for Mr. Ferrars' sake!"

In this way, the drama of misunderstanding can no longer be played out.The two parties could not help explaining immediately, and for a while they both found it very interesting and did not feel disappointed, because Mrs. Jennings felt that it was just a happy event for another happy event anyway, and she had not given up looking forward to the former happy event.

"Of course," she said, after the first surprise, "the Vicarage is only a small house, and probably in a state of disrepair. I thought, however, that he was apologizing for the other house. As far as I can tell Yes, there are six sitting-rooms on the ground floor of the house, and I remember the housekeeper told me it could fit fifteen beds! How strange he should apologize to you! Because you have always lived at Barton Cottage ! How very ridiculous that is. But, my dear, we must persuade the Colonel to help fix up the parsonage, so that they may live comfortably, before Lucy comes through."

"But Colonel Bland seems to think that the chaplain's salary is too low for them to marry."

"My dear, the Colonel is a fool. Because he has two thousand pounds a year, he thinks that no one else can marry without money. I guarantee that as long as I live, I will be in the house by Michaelmas." Go and pay a visit to the Vicarage of Delaford. I trust I shall not go if Lucy is not there then."

Eleanor agreed with her that there was nothing left for them to wait.

(End of this chapter)