CHAPTER V
o sooner was her answer dispatched, than Mrs.
Dashwood indulged herself in the pleasure of
announcing to her son-in-law and his wife that she was
provided with a house, and should incommode them no longer
than till every thing were ready for her inhabiting it. They heard
her with surprise. Mrs. John Dashwood said nothing; but her
husband civilly hoped that she would not be settled far from
Norland. She had great satisfaction in replying that she was going
into Devonshire.―Edward turned hastily towards her, on hearing
this, and, in a voice of surprise and concern, which required no
explanation to her, repeated, “Devonshire! Are you, indeed, going
there? So far from hence! And to what part of it?” She explained
the situation. It was within four miles northward of Exeter.
“It is but a cottage,” she continued, “but I hope to see many of
my friends in it. A room or two can easily be added; and if my
friends find no difficulty in travelling so far to see me, I am sure I
will find none in accommodating them.”
She concluded with a very kind invitation to Mr. and Mrs. John
Dashwood to visit her at Barton; and to Edward she gave one with
still greater affection. Though her late conversation with her
daughter-in-law had made her resolve on remaining at Norland no
longer than was unavoidable, it had not produced the smallest
effect on her in that point to which it principally tended. To
separate Edward and Elinor was as far from being her object as
ever; and she wished to shew Mrs. John Dashwood by this pointed
invitation to her brother, how totally she disregarded her
disapprobation of the match.
Mr. John Dashwood told his mother again and again how
exceedingly sorry he was that she had taken a house at such a
distance from Norland as to prevent his being of any service to her
in removing her furniture. He really felt conscientiously vexed on
the occasion; for the very exertion to which he had limited the
performance of his promise to his father was by this arrangement
rendered impracticable.―The furniture was all sent around by
water. It chiefly consisted of household linen, plate, china, and
books, with a handsome pianoforté of Marianne’s. Mrs. John
Dashwood saw the packages depart with a sigh: she could not help
feeling it hard that as Mrs. Dashwood’s income would be so trifling
in comparison with their own, she should have any handsome
article of furniture.
Mrs. Dashwood took the house for a twelvemonth; it was ready
furnished, and she might have immediate possession. No difficulty
arose on either side in the agreement; and she waited only for the
disposal of her effects at Norland, and to determine her future
household, before she set off for the west; and this, as she was
exceedingly rapid in the performance of every thing that
interested her, was soon done.―The horses which were left her by
her husband had been sold soon after his death, and an
opportunity now offering of disposing of her carriage, she agreed
to sell that likewise at the earnest advice of her eldest daughter.
For the comfort of her children, had she consulted only her own
wishes, she would have kept it; but the discretion of Elinor
prevailed. Her wisdom too limited the number of their servants to
three; two maids and a man, with whom they were speedily
provided from amongst 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
Lady Middleton was entirely unknown to Mrs. Dashwood, she
preferred going directly to the cottage to being a visitor at Barton
Park; and she relied so undoubtingly on Sir John’s description of
the house, as to feel no curiosity to examine it herself till she
entered it as her own. Her eagerness to be gone from Norland was
preserved from diminution by the evident satisfaction of her
daughter-in-law in the prospect of her removal; a satisfaction
which was but feebly attempted to be concealed under a cold
invitation to her to defer her departure. Now was the time when
her son-in-law’s promise to his father might with particular
propriety be fulfilled. Since he had neglected to do it on first
coming to the estate, their quitting his house might be looked on
as the most suitable period for its accomplishment. But Mrs.
Dashwood began shortly to give over every hope of the kind, and
to be convinced, from the general drift of his discourse, that his
assistance extended no farther than their maintenance for six
months at Norland. He so frequently talked of the increasing
expenses of housekeeping, and of the perpetual demands upon his
purse, which a man of any consequence in the world was beyond
calculation exposed to, that he seemed rather to stand in need of
more money himself than to have any design of giving money
away.
In a very few weeks from the day which brought Sir John
Middleton’s first letter to Norland, every thing was so far settled in
their future abode as to enable Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters to begin their journey.
Many were the tears shed by them in their last adieus to a place
so much beloved. “Dear, dear Norland!” said Marianne, as she
wandered alone before the house, on the last evening of their
being there; “when shall 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 this spot, from whence perhaps I
may view you no more!―And you, ye well-known trees!―but you
will continue the same.―No leaf will decay because we are
removed, nor any branch become motionless although we can
observe you no longer!―No; you will continue the same;
unconscious of the pleasure or the regret you occasion, and
insensible of any change in those who walk under your shade!―
But who will remain to enjoy you?” |
