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She had not thought her old friend could have made so indifferent
a suitor。
What had really passed between them was to this effect。
“I have heard；” said he； with great compassion； “of the injustice
your friend Mr。 Ferrars has suffered from his family； for if I
understand the matter right； he has been entirely cast off by them
for persevering in his engagement with a very deserving young
woman。—Have I been rightly informed？—Is it so？—”
Elinor told him that it was。
“The cruelty； the impolitic cruelty；”—he replied； with great
feeling；—“of dividing； or attempting to divide； two young people
long attached to each other； is terrible。—Mrs。 Ferrars does not
know what she may be doing—what she may drive her son to。 I
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have seen Mr。 Ferrars two or three times in Harley…street； and am
much pleased with him。 He is not a young man with whom one
can be intimately acquainted in a short time； but I have seen
enough of him to wish him well for his own sake； and as a friend of
yours； I wish it still more。 I understand that he intends to take
orders。 Will you be so good as to tell him that the living of
Delaford； now just vacant； as I am informed by this day’s post； is
his； if he think it worth his acceptance—but that； perhaps； so
unfortunately circumstanced as he is now； it may be nonsense to
appear to doubt； I only wish it were more valuable。—It is a rectory；
but a small one； the late incumbent； I believe； did not make more
l
than 200 。 per annum； and though it is certainly capable of
improvement； I fear； not to such an amount as to afford him a very
comfortable income。 Such as it is； however； my pleasure in
presenting him to it； will be very great。 Pray assure him of it。”
Elinor’s astonishment at this commission could hardly have
been greater； had the Colonel been really making her an offer of
his hand。 The preferment； which only two days before she had
considered as hopeless for Edward； was already provided to
enable him to marry；—and she； of all people in the world； was
fixed on to bestow it！—Her emotion was such as Mrs。 Jennings
had attributed to a very different cause；—but whatever minor
feelings less pure； less pleasing； might have a share in that
emotion； her esteem for the general benevolence； and her
gratitude for the particular friendship； which together prompted
Colonel Brandon to this act； were strongly felt； and warmly
expressed。 She thanked him for it with all her heart； spoke of
Edward’s principles and disposition with that praise which she
knew them to deserve； and promised to undertake the commission
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with pleasure； if it were really his wish to put off so agreeable an
office to another。 But at the same time； she could not help thinking
that no one could so well perform it as himself。 It was an office in
short； from which； unwilling to give Edward the pain of receiving
an obligation from her； she would have been very glad to be spared
herself；—but Colonel Brandon； on motives of equal delicacy；
declining it likewise； still seemed so desirous of its being given
through her means； that she would not on any account make
farther opposition。 Edward； she believed； was still in town； and
fortunately she had heard his address from Miss Steele。 She could
undertake therefore to inform him of it； in the course of the day。
After this had been settled； Colonel Brandon began to talk of his
own advantage in securing so respectable and agreeable a
neighbour； and then it was that he mentioned with regret； that the
house was small and indifferent；—an evil which Elinor； as Mrs。
Jennings had supposed her to do； made very light of； at least as far
as regarded its size。
“The smallness of the house；” said she； “I cannot imagine any
inconvenience to them； for it will be in proportion to their family
and income。”
By which the Colonel was surprised to find that she was
considering Mr。 Ferrars’s marriage as the certain consequence of
the presentation； for he did not suppose it possible that Delaford
living could supply such an income； as anybody in his style of life
would venture to settle on—and he said so。
“This little rectory can do no more than make Mr。 Ferrars
comfortable as a bachelor； it cannot enable him to marry。 I am
sorry to say that my patronage ends with this； and my interest is
hardly more extensive。 If； however； by an unforeseen chance it
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should be in my power to serve him farther； I must think very
differently of him from what I now do； if I am not as ready to be
useful to him then as I sincerely wish I could be at present。 What I
am now doing indeed； seems nothing at all； since it can advance
him so little towards what must be his principal； his only object of
happiness。 His marriage must still be a distant good；—at least； I
am afraid it cannot take place very soon。—”
Such was the sentence which； when misunderstood； so justly
offended the delicate feelings of Mrs。 Jennings； but after this
narration of what really passed between Colonel Brandon and
Elinor； while they stood at the window； the gratitude expressed by
the latter on their parting； may perhaps appear in general； not less
reasonably excited； nor less properly worded than if it had arisen
from an offer of marriage。
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CHAPTER IV
ell； Miss Dashwood；” said Mrs。 Jennings；
sagaciously smiling； as soon as the gentleman
“W
had withdrawn； “I do not ask you what the
Colonel has been saying to you； for though； upon my honour； I
tried to keep out of hearing； I could not help catching enough to
understand his business。 And I assure you I never was better
pleased in my life； and I wish you joy of it with all my heart。”
“Thank you； ma’am；” said Elinor。 “It is a matter of great joy to
me； and I feel the goodness of Colonel Brandon most sensibly。
There are not many men who would act as he has done。 Few
people who have so compassionate a heart！ I never was more
astonished in my life。”
“Lord！ my dear； you are very modest。 I an’t the least astonished
at it in the world； for I have often thought of late； there was
nothing more likely to happen。”
“You judged from your knowledge of the Colonel’s general
benevolence； but at least you could not foresee that the
opportunity would so very soon occur。”
“Opportunity！” repeated Mrs。 Jennings—“Oh！ as to that； when
a man has once made up his mind to such a thing； somehow or
other he will soon find an opportunity。 Well； my dear； I wish you
joy of it again and again； and if ever there was a happy couple in
the world； I think I shall soon know where to look for them。”
“You mean to go to Delaford after them I suppose；” said Elinor；
with a faint smile。
Classics in Literature： Jane Austen