“Well,” said he, “we have brought you some strangers. How do you like them?”
“Hush! they will hear you.”
“Never mind if they do. It is only the Palmers. Charlotte is very pretty, I can tell you. You may see her. Where is Marianne? Has she run away? I see her instrument is open.”
“She is walking, I believe.”
Mrs. Jennings impatiently joined them, coming to the window,
“How do you do, my dear? How does Mrs. Dashwood do? And where are your sisters? What! All alone! You will be glad of a little company to sit with you. I have brought my other son and daughter to see you.”
Elinor stood up. Lady Middleton introduced the two strangers. Mrs. Dashwood and Margaret came downstairs at the same time, and they all sat down to look at one another, while Mrs. Jennings continued her story as she walked through the passage into the parlour, attended by Sir John.
Mrs. Palmer was several years younger than Lady Middleton, and totally unlike her in every respect. She was short and plump, had a very pretty face, and the finest expression of good humour in it. She came in with a smile, smiled all the time of her visit, except when she laughed, and smiled when she went away. Her husband was a grave looking young man of twenty-five. He entered the room with a look of self-consequence, slightly bowed to the ladies, without a word, and took up a newspaper from the table, and began to read it.
Mrs. Palmer, on the contrary, admired of the parlour and everything in it.
“Well! what a delightful room this is! I never saw anything so charming! Only think, Mama, how it is improved since I was here last! I always thought it such a sweet place, ma’am! (turning to Mrs. Dashwood) but you have made it so charming! Only look, sister, how delightful everything is! I’d like such a house for myself! And you, Mr. Palmer?”
Mr. Palmer made her no answer, and did not even raise his eyes from the newspaper.
“Mr. Palmer does not hear me,” said she, laughing; “he never does sometimes. It is so ridiculous!”
This was quite a new idea to Mrs. Dashwood; she looked with surprise at them both.
Mrs. Jennings, in the meantime, talked very loud. Mrs. Palmer laughed heartily.
Lady Middleton asked Mr. Palmer if there was any news in the paper.
“No, none at all,” he replied, and read on.
“Here comes Marianne,” cried Sir John. “Now, Palmer, you will see a monstrous pretty girl.”
Mrs. Palmer’s eye saw the drawings which hung round the room. She got up to examine them.
“Oh! dear, how beautiful these are! Well! how delightful! Look, mama, how sweet! I declare they are quite charming; I can look at them for ever.”
And then she sat down again. She very soon forgot that there were any such things in the room.
When Lady Middleton rose to go away, Mr. Palmer rose also, laid down the newspaper, stretched himself and looked at them all around.
“My love, have you been asleep?” said his wife, laughing.
He made her no answer; and only observed that the room was small, and that the ceiling was crooked. He then made his bow, and departed with the rest.
Sir John invited them all to spend the next day at the park.
“Why do they ask us?” said Marianne, as soon as they were gone. “The rent of this cottage is low; but we have it on very hard terms, if we must dine at the park whenever anyone is staying either with them, or with us.”
Chapter XX
As the Dashwoods entered the drawing-room of the park the next day, at one door, Mrs. Palmer came running in at the other, merry as before. She took them by the hand, and expressed great delight.
“I am very glad to see you!” said she, seating herself between Elinor and Marianne, “We must go, for the Westons come to us next week, you know. I am so sorry we cannot stay longer; however we shall meet again in town very soon, I hope. I shall be quite disappointed if you do not. I can get the nicest house in the world for you, next door to ours, in Hanover Square. You must come, indeed.”
They thanked her; but refused.
“Oh, my love,” cried Mrs. Palmer to her husband, who just then entered the room, “you must help me to persuade the Miss Dashwoods to go to town this winter.”
Her love made no answer; and began complaining of the weather.
“How horrid all this is!” said he. “Such weather makes everything and everybody disgusting. Why does not Sir John have a billiard room in his house? Sir John is as stupid as the weather.”
Chapter XXI
The Palmers returned to Cleveland the next day, and the two families at Barton were again left to entertain each other. But this did not last long.
In Exeter, Mrs. Jennings met two young ladies, who were her relatives. This was enough for Sir John to invite them directly to the park. The young ladies arrived: their appearance was not unfashionable. Their dress was very smart, their manners very civil, they were delighted with the house, and in raptures with the furniture. Lady Middleton declared them to be very agreeable girls. Sir John went directly to the cottage to tell the Miss Dashwoods of Miss Steele and her sister’s arrival. They are the sweetest girls in the world! Sir John wanted the whole family to walk to the Park directly and look at his guests. Benevolent, philanthropic man!
“Do come now,” said he, “pray come – you must come – You can’t think how you will like them. Lucy is monstrous pretty, and so good-humoured and agreeable! The children are all hanging about her already. And they both want to see you, for they have heard at Exeter that you are the most beautiful creatures in the world. I have told them it is all very true, and a great deal more. You will be delighted with them I am sure.”
But Sir John did not prevail and only obtained a promise of their visit in a day or two, and then left them.
When their promised visit to the Park and consequent introduction to these young ladies took place, they found in the appearance of the eldest, who was nearly thirty, with a very plain and not a sensible face, nothing to admire. But in the other, who was not more twenty-two, they acknowledged considerable beauty. Her features were pretty, and she had a sharp quick eye, and a smartness of air. Their manners were particularly civil, and Elinor soon noticed that.
The vulgar freedom and folly of the eldest sister left her no recommendation, and as Elinor was not blinded by the beauty, or the shrewd look of the youngest, to her want of real elegance and artlessness, she left the house without any wish of knowing them better.
Not so the Miss Steeles. They came from Exeter to get new friends. Sir John was entirely on the side of the Miss Steeles. To do him justice, he did everything in his power to promote their unreserve.
Elinor did not suppose that Sir John would not laugh at her and Edward, as he did with respect to Marianne. Indeed it was his favourite joke of the two. In the eldest of Miss Steeles these jokes raised a curiosity to know the name of the gentleman.
“His name is Ferrars,” said Sir John, in a very audible whisper; “but pray do not tell it, for it’s a great secret.”
“Ferrars!” repeated Miss Steele; “Mr. Ferrars is the happy man, is he? What! your sister-in-law’s brother, Miss Dashwood? a very agreeable young man to be sure; I know him very well.”
“How can you say so, Anne?” cried Lucy. “Though we have seen him once or twice at my uncle’s, it is rather too much to pretend to know him very well.”
Elinor