Becky’s Online Reading Group

Day 11 & 12 Sense and Sensibility, Chapters 45-50

I’d be curious to see if there were any who could resist the urge to finish the book after reaching the end of Day 11. It ended in such a way that I just HAD to keep going. I had no choice in the matter.

When our chapter first begins, Elinor is still stunned by Willoughby’s confession. She’s so confused about it–his motivations, his intentions, his actions. Elinor can’t really rationalize Willoughby except to come to the conclusion that he’s utterly and totally selfish and that he’s always thinking of himself above all else. Of course, all people are selfish in one way or another at times. But Willoughby never rests from his. The chapter also sees the arrival of Mrs. Dashwood. In the following chapters, Marianne recovers day by day and is restored (mostly) to her former self. However, there have been some big changes. It’s the sadder-but-wiser woman routine for Marianne who is not repenting of some of her foolish mistakes. I hesitate to call them foolish. It’s not that Marianne was a “bad” person. She just lived in the moment, everything had a freshness and vitality, a passion for her. It wasn’t that her choices were so completely wrong, it’s just that she invested so much of herself without thinking about the future, about the consequences. She was impulsive instead of pensive.

Anyway, point being Marianne is better. And all three Dashwood women are revived and happy. Marianne is eventually informed of Willoughby’s confession. And she’s made her peace with it all. Which is a very good thing. I’d hate for her to spend one more minute of her life thinking about what could have been. Marianne even realizes that IF the two had ended up married, that they would have made each other miserable. He’d never be content without money. And she’d sooner or later have discovered his former liasons. (Who knows he might have kept on having dalliances on the side.)

Chapter 47 ends with someone reporting that Lucy Steele has married Mr. Ferrars.

If you’ve gotten that far, maybe you’ll realize why I just couldn’t stop myself from finishing. So if you’ve not read the final chapters. Stop here.

——–

Chapter 48

In these final chapters, Elinor has the best and worst of times. Hearing that Mr. Ferrars is married is so painful to her. The idea of Edward being stuck with Lucy the rest of his life. The thought that he’ll never ever ever be hers so hard to bear. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. An unexpected visitor brings the best of news.

Edward is there. At the door. In their house. He brings news that Lucy has married, but he’s not the groom. It is his brother, Robert. Elinor can’t take it–she’s overwhelmed and stunned. She flees the room she’s so overcome with emotion.

Chapter 49 sees a full disclosure of the events. It also sees Edward and Elinor together at last. Colonel Brandon hasn’t forgotten Marianne either. He’s still just as much in love with her as he ever was.

Chapter 50 essentially sees happy endings for almost everyone. Edward makes a reconciliation with his mother, he is able to get the living and the parsonage, Elinor and Edward do get married, and Colonel Brandon and Marianne are together as well.

I must say it took a lot of work for both sisters to get their happy endings, but in some ways it was worth it.

Day 10: Sense and Sensibility Chapters 42-44

The Dashwoods sisters are going traveling again. Still with Mrs. Jennings. I believe they’re now staying at the Palmers’ country estate. (Mrs. Charlotte Palmer has recently had a baby. Not that that the baby comes into the story much.)

Marianne was upset at leaving London. Perhaps I’m just dense, not ‘with it’ but I don’t know why she’s so upset to be leaving. Mostly really horribly emotionally trying things have happened to her in London during her visit. You would think she’d be happy to get back to the country and out of the path of Willoughby should they ever cross. But no. She remembers London as the place where she was once happy with the idea of her and Willoughby before everything was dashed. Those first few weeks when he was avoiding her and she was driving herself crazy with worry about him. Good times. At least in retrospect. I guess this is filed under “Wish I Didn’t Know Now What I Didn’t Know Then.”

They are not there long–maybe a day or two at the most–before Marianne becomes sick. At first, almost everyone thinks its just a passing illness–nothing too serious–all but Mrs. Jennings who has a few chicken little moments. Mrs. Palmer and her baby do go away at the first hint of sickness–well the morning after the first hint of sickness. Mrs. Jennings stays with her guests and refuses to leave. A doctor is eventually called. The news changes–it’s nothing, it’s something, it’s nothing, it’s something, etc. Elinor does begin to worry especially as it seems to grow worse day by day after the initial improvement. There is a period of time–a day or two–where Marianne is delirious. Elinor fears the worst and sends for Colonel Brandon to send for the doctor and her mother.

It’s an iffy couple of days. The news of her sickness does TRAVEL far. Willoughby hears the news and rushes to see her–well, to see Elinor at least. He’s a teeny-tiny drunk, and he’s a bit full of himself in more ways than one. He’s eager to tell HIS side of the story. Why he was such a jerk. How much he loves Marianne. How much he dislikes his wife. How unhappy and miserable he is. Why Elinor should feel sorry for him in his current state. She says her feelings towards him have changed a bit. She doesn’t hate him nearly as much. But I don’t think she’s quite so eager to forgive as Marianne is. Willoughby wants Marianne to hear the reasons why. It does come out that his fiancee was the one who dictated that last letter that was so harsh. He had no choice in the matter but to send the hateful thing. Apparently.

Day Nine: Sense & Sensibility Chapters 38-41

Chapter 38

Mrs. Jennings gets more gossip and Miss Steele (not Lucy) tells all she knows on her sister’s engagement to Edward.

Chapter 39

Colonel Brandon is really nice and Mrs. Jennings gets the wrong idea.

Chapter 40

More of Mrs. Jennings getting the wrong idea. Elinor tells Edward the good news.

Chapter 41

Elinor visits her brother and sister-in-law. She also sees Robert, Edward’s brother.

Day Eight: Sense and Sensibility: Chapters 35-37

It seems like its been days instead of hours since I read these chapters. (I read them last night right before bed.)

Chapter 35

Elinor hates Mrs. Ferrars. That’s good news I suppose. She always thought she’d be cranky, now she knows for sure that having her as a mother-in-law would be a nightmare. (They’d need Dr. Phil for sure.) Elinor does resist the urge to slap smug little Lucy. I’m really hating her. Lucy that is. Lucy is so sure that she’s won the hearts of Edward’s mom and sister. (As if they have hearts). This makes what is coming that much sweeter.

Chapter 36

Mrs. Charlotte Palmer has a baby (I didn’t even know she was pregnant, I suppose it might have said but I’ve forgotten.) So the Dashwood sisters are left to entertain themselves. They are forced (in a way) to spend some time with John and his spiteful wife. It’s not pleasant for anyone. To get out of her obligations to host the Dashwood sisters in her own home, she tells her husband they MUST invite the Steele sisters to visit them. Lucy is oh-so-delightful. (To have them move from the Jennings home to their own.)

Chapter 37

Everyone learns that Lucy and Edward are engaged. Elinor can now speak freely with Marianne and eventually her mother. Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Palmer (and Lady Middleton I suppose) never knew of any supposed attachment between the two. They can discuss this latest bit of gossip without connecting it too personally with Elinor and Marianne. After all, Lucy Steele is one of their relations. The news is not good. Mrs. John Dashwood (I believe her name is Fanny though I’m not 100% sure) has the hissy fits of all hissy fits. She really loses it!!! I hate her I do. But Lucy is so horrible and smug that she almost deserves it. Mrs. Ferrars is furious as well. She’s threatening to disinherit Edward if he goes through with the marriage. He’ll lose his pleasant, lazy lifestyle and his future inheritance. But he’s sticking by Lucy’s side. He said he’d marry her, so marry he must no matter what. The only one who really benefits from Edward’s downfall is his brother, Robert.

Day Seven, Sense and Sensibility Chapters 31-34

Chapters 31-34

Chapter 31

Marianne is still miserable. (Which is perfectly reasonable and logical.) They do hear from Mrs. Dashwood (their mother). She hasn’t learned of Willoughby’s engagement to another girl. She doesn’t know her daughter is heart broken and in the depths of despair so to speak. So it’s words bring pain because the mother is so assured of Willoughby’s good nature and good intentions.

Mrs. Jennings is now despised by Marianne. I don’t know that there was ever much love between them though. But now Marianne perhaps recognizes her more clearly as a gossip. Elinor seems to at least gives Mrs. Jennings some benefit of the doubt. Elinor thinks that Mrs. Jennings does show some remorse and some compassion. I’m not sure what to think. I would be skeptical and probably side with Marianne. “she cannot feel. Her kindness is not sympathy; her good nature is not tenderness. All that she wants is gossip, and she only likes me now because I supply it.” (172)

Marianne still wants to go home. But they decide to wait and hear from their mother before deciding what to do. (They end up staying.)

The highlight of this chapter is that Elinor has a very honest and very enlightening conversation with Colonel Brandon. It seems that his dealings with Willoughby are much more than upsetting than that of the Dashwoods. It seems Willoughby dallied with Colonel Brandon’s ward, Eliza. Marianne may be heartbroken, but at least she wasn’t left with a child to tend and no reputation. (I wonder how many little Willoughbys are out there???) Brandon did challenge Willoughby to a duel, but both were unharmed. Because of that, it never became gossip.

Chapter 32

Elinor shares these juicy bits with her sister. Hoping that hearing of Willoughby’s true nature will make her sister grateful that he is out of her life and grateful that her situation wasn’t worse. It certainly could have been worse than it is. And knowing that Willoughby is such a scoundrel, such a dog, may make Marianne think differently. At least it would if Marianne was anything like Elinor. Which she isn’t. So it doesn’t. It just leaves her sadder.

They hear from their mother. She wants them to stay. Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood (half-brother and sister-in-law) are coming to London to visit. The Dashwoods aren’t the only ones coming to town. Lucy Steele and her sister are back. Lucy is still as venomous as ever. I really just want to slap her silly.

In this chapter, they also learn that Willoughby has married.

Chapter 33

The Dashwood sisters meet the Dashwood brother in town and have a little chat.

Chapter 34

The Dashwoods call on the Jennings. Mrs. John Dashwood (remember how bitchy she is) hits it off splendidly with Lady Middleton. They’re like new best friends. “There was a kind of coldhearted selfishness on both sides which mutually attracted them; and they sympathized with each other in an insipid propriety of demeanor and a general want of understanding.” (197) But Mrs. Jennings does NOT like Mrs. John Dashwood at all. Which I think just proves that maybe Elinor was right–that Mrs. Jennings isn’t a bad person.

Mrs. Ferrars–the greatly feared and greatly speculated on–mother of Edward makes her first appearance. She is a bit much.

Day Five: Sense and Sensibility; Chapters 23-27

Chapter 23

Elinor’s reaction to Lucy’s stunning revelation continues. Outwardly she tries to hide all signs of her disappointment or frustration or heartbreak. She goes on to think that Edward is the one that is to be pitied. He must love her but be tied down to Lucy. She thinks how awful it must be for him to be tied to such a woman. She wonders how much time they’ve spent together. She figures it wouldn’t take much for him to repent of his folly in getting engaged to such a silly, dim-witted girl. Her heart tells her that Edward must love her, does love her. She cannot think otherwise. But she knows that while she could throw a pity party for herself, that she won’t. It would almost be like pity parties are beneath her dignity. She’ll get over it, move on. She’s not going to waste away because of some man.

Elinor wants to seek out Lucy for another private conversation to learn more.

Chapter 24

Lucy. Lucy. Lucy. Elinor puts up with her. Sees through her a bit more clearly now. Sees that Lucy must have been mighty jealous and suspicious even with her putting on such a show–a talk–that Edward has never given her one minute’s of worry because he’s so faithful, so dear. Oh Please. This act is ridiculous.

“Indeed you wrong me,” replied Lucy with great solemnity; “I know nobody of whose judgment I think so highly as I do of yours; and I do really believe that if you was to say to me, ‘I advise you by all means to put an end to your engagement with Edward Ferrars, it will be more for the happiness of both of you,’ I should resolve upon doing it immediately.”

Elinor blushed for the insincerity of Edward’s future wife. (127)

Their conversation goes on a little bit longer. But essentially Elinor’s tired of it. But Lucy likes to bring it up whenever she can.

Chapter 25

Mrs. Jennings. The queen of gossip want Marianne and Elinor to go to London with her for the winter. Who thinks that’s a good idea? Certainly not Elinor. But Marianne is excited at the prospect of ‘accidentally’ running into Willoughby. Excited that they might run in the same crowds, same circles.  I don’t know that she states it so blatantly but Elinor can certainly read her sister’s thoughts! Elinor tries to talk her way out of it, but eventually gives in and agrees to go mainly to try to keep Marianne from making a fool of herself.

Chapter 26

They arrive in London. They meet Colonel Brandon again. Poor misguided thing is still in love with Marianne despite the fact that she is so not into him at all. He doesn’t stand the slightest chance. Elinor is quite relieved to get chummy with him again. He’s not the only person they meet. No. The Palmers are there. Shudder. Shudder. And their company must be endured as well.

In this chapter, Marianne writes Willoughby a letter. Very shocking. It may not seem like such a shocking thing to do. But it was very ‘forward’ of her to do the seeking. I don’t want to say that it’s like she’s trying to stalk him. It isn’t that awful. But she definitely should be playing hard to get. Letting him come to her. Letting him make the advances. Show the interest. If he doesn’t seek her out first, if she has to chase him down. Then it’s not a good sign. She doesn’t hear back from him. Which surprises her. She wonders if he got her letter after all.

Chapter 27

Marianne is still moping around waiting for Willoughby to show himself. While he called and left his card once, he has not come a second time. She still hasn’t seen him. Still hasn’t heard back from him by letter. She’s getting a bit snippy. Elinor is getting worried. Worried that Willoughby has played her sister a fool. That he’s inconstant. That her sister’s reputation will suffer because of it. Colonel Brandon does come. The chat with him and Elinor being short and to the point. He asks if they are engaged–if Marianne is really engaged to Willoughby or if it is just a rumor. It seems those busiest about spreading the buzz are Mrs. Jennings. Lady Middleton. Mrs. Palmer. Elinor doesn’t know what to say. She’s afraid to tell him too much or conceal too much. She trusts him. But she doesn’t really know what’s going on in her sister’s life. She can neither confirm nor deny such an attachment.

Day Four: Sense and Sensibility Chapters 19-22

Chapter 19:

Edward’s quick arrival is matched by his quick departure. He’s still acting a bit moody. Elinor figures that he’s just having difficulty with his mother. (His mother does control the purse strings and boss him around.) There is a conversation about how helpless Edward is. How he doesn’t have a profession or a purpose. That he just wonders around from house to house socializing. “Lounging” and “Visiting” may not sound like much of a profession now, but I think it was relatively common about the elite in those days. It sounds like it would get tedious to me. And I’m not sure I’d think a man was a ‘good catch’ if he didn’t have some sort of purpose or goal other than socializing and making nice with the neighbors.

Elinor is very unhappy when he leaves. She does love him. But she isn’t one for putting herself on display like Marianne. She doesn’t want to appear affected. She likes to keep herself together, polished, reserved. She doesn’t embrace the heartache and let herself go wild with it.

The chapter concludes with the Middletons (Sir John, Lady Middleton, Mrs. Jennings) bringing two new house guests to visit them. Now we’re getting to what Austen does best. Mocking. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer are quite a pair. And quite mock-worthy. I believe I’ve got this right, but Mrs. Palmer is the sister of Lady Middleton and the daughter of Mrs. Jennings. Regardless, this marriage could grate on the nerves if you had to live with them.

Chapter 20

More of the Palmers. Mrs. Dashwood was fortunate enough to make her excuses and have them accepted. Marianne and Elinor are forced to endure their company. Elinor does learn that the Palmers ran into Colonel Brandon. Mrs. Palmer (first name, Charlotte) mentioned that she’d heard Marianne was getting married to Willoughby. Colonel Brandon just gave her a look. She took that look to mean it was ‘certain.’ I would feel sorry for this gossip. It certainly won’t be doing Marianne any favors if it proves false. But she was a bit reckless in her courtship. So maybe it’s slightly deserved? Who knows.

Gossip in general. With Mrs. Jennings doing most of the gossip in the neighborhood. And Mrs. Jennings “inferring” much of this gossip based on her intuition, interpreting things like looks and glances–the “body language” going on in a room of crowded people. I don’t know if any of it is trustworthy.

Chapter 21

The Palmers are gone. But the Dashwoods still can’t get any peace of mind. Now the Middletons have invited two more house guests. The Steeles. Two sisters. They’re not much more pleasant than the Palmers. The Dashwood sisters certainly wouldn’t voluntarily deepen the acquaintance. But they do what they must. Endure the conversations.

Chapter 22

What a tense chapter this is! Lucy Steele tells all. She’s engaged to Edward. Has been engaged to him for four years. IT is her hair that Edward wears in a ring. Elinor tries her best to handle the situation with grace. But to be chosen as a confidante of Lucy in the first place–a woman she barely knows and only mildly tolerates. But to have this woman be the betrothed of the man she loves. It’s a bit much. But Elinor is a lady. She knows how to hide her feelings on the surface at least.

Day Three: Sense and Sensibility: Chapters 14-18

Chapter 14

This is an odd-to-me little chapter showcasing Willoughby’s attention to the whole Dashwood family. The focus seems to be on the cottage. Willoughby is rather emphatic (I’d almost go so far as to say pushy) about what should and shouldn’t be done there. (I personally don’t think it is his business.) He doesn’t want to see them make any improvements or repairs. We hear that over and over again. But why? Why should a visitor–even if he is courting there and well received–be so emphatic that everything remain exactly as it is regardless of anything else? It seems odd to me.

The only other thing of note in this chapter is Mrs. Jennings gossiping about the sudden departure of Colonel Brandon.

Chapter 15

Speaking of sudden departures, Willoughby is about to make a hasty, hasty exit. A suspicious exit if you ask me. He tells the Dashwoods that he doesn’t have any idea if or when he’ll return. It could be a year or even more. And the manner in which he addresses them all seems awkward and so out of character.

Elinor and Mrs. Dashwood (the mother) do speak about it a good deal. The mother has every confidence in the world that Marianne and Willoughby are secretly engaged. She’ll admit that Willoughby may want to keep it concealed at present from the others in the neighborhood. But she trusts that Marianne and Willoughby have exchanged promises. That his intentions to marry her have been expressed at least privately. Elinor isn’t so sure. She thinks that while his affections are evident to all, his intentions are not all that clear. She thinks if Marianne were engaged that she would say something to one of them at least. But not a word about an engagement comes from Marianne.

Chapter 16

Marianne is sad. Marianne is depressed. Heartbroken. As is to be expected after the sudden departure of her lover. This chapter does see the return of Edward Ferrars. They stumble upon him actually instead of the other way around. But while he is less obvious, less outgoing, more reserved, more subdued than Willoughby, he does seem pleased to renew their acquaintance.

Chapter 17

Edward Ferrars pays his respect to all the Dashwoods. The acquaintance is indeed renewed. The mother welcomes him gladly. Marianne is still out of sorts and not particularly liking Ferrars. She never has though.

Chapter 18

More of the same. Elinor senses that Edward isn’t happy. That he’s unhappy or frustrated (or stressed) about something. But she doesn’t know what. The most interesting bit of this chapter is when Marianne discovers (and Elinor discovers) that Edward has a lock of Elinor’s hair. (I guess it was the fashion to wear a lock of your love’s hair???) Anyway, it’s been made into a ring. Elinor is just as shocked as her sister because she never gave it to him. He did it without her knowing. Unlike Marianne who was greatly pleased to bestow a lock of her hair on Willoughby.

Day Two: Sense and Sensibility; 8-13

Chapter 8

I somehow missed “Mrs. Jennings” arrival in chapter seven. I still don’t know if she’s going to come into the book much, and this opening in chapter 8 could be the last we see of her, but just in case she somehow turns into someone important. She is Lady Middleton’s mother. Lady Middleton being the wife of John Middleton. John Middleton being the landlord of the cottage where the Dashwood mother and sisters are staying. Mrs. Jennings seems to be a matchmaker–at least in theory. She likes to speculate and boast that so and so is madly in love with so and so. It must be so if she says it. She concludes that Colonel Brandon must be in love because she saw the way he listened to Marianne play the piano. I’m skeptical about Mrs. Jennings powers of observation. But I think–think being the key word–she may be onto something here. I think it being purely coincidence that she stumbled across it.

Marianne is not even remotely interested in Colonel Brandon. Especially when she finds out he’s in his thirties. Thirties being terribly “ancient” to this seventeen year old. Perhaps to throw the attention off of herself and her ‘rumored’ love interest. Marianne brings up in conversation with her mother Edward Ferrars. Elinor does not expect him to come, but Marianne thinks that if he really and truly cared for her sister, he must come soon.

Chapter 9

Marianne’s dramatic meeting with Mr. Willoughby. She twists or sprains her ankle and her knight in shining armor–a stranger, a dashing stranger in all likelihood–just happens to be there to carry her safely home. He must be ‘dashing’ if Elinor and her mother are even struck with “evident wonder and a secret admiration which equally  sprung from his appearance.” After he leaves her at their home–their cottage–with the promise to call the next day. They are unable to contain themselves. The talking begins and the giddiness shines through. “His person and air were equal to what her [Marianne's] fancy had ever drawn for the hero of a favorite story.”  When they next speak with John Middleton, they try to find out all they can about Mr. Willoughby. While most of what they learn isn’t pertinent in regards to his eligibility, they do learn a few things about him. John Middleton sees that Marianne’s hopes are set on “catching him” and that his friend–Colonel Brandon–doesn’t stand a chance even though he perhaps is the better fellow in the long run.

Chapter 10

Mr. Willoughby calls the next day. Marianne uses this time to talk with him. To learn if their interests are similar. Remember her goal is to find a husband whose opinions match hers exactly when it comes to music, art, dancing, and books. All seems to be going well. “Their taste was strikingly alike. The same books, the same passages were idolized by each; or if any difference appeared, any objection arose, it lasted no longer than till the force of her arguments and the brightness of her eyes could be displayed. He acquiesced in all her decisions, caught all her enthusiasm, and long before his visit concluded, they conversed with the familiarity of a long-established acquaintance.”

His wooing continues. He’s very attentive to Marianne. And Marianne is completely taken, completely gone. He is her ideal man, her perfect man, the man of her very dreams down to the last detail. Though Willoughby hasn’t declared his intentions to marry her, he’s certainly letting everyone think that it’s just a matter of time. Elinor isn’t as impressed as the others by his charm. She thinks he is a bit too impulsive, lacking a bit in propriety. But really other than the fact that Elinor and Marianne have very very different taste in men, her hesitance is seemingly based on nothing but intuition. The closer Marianne and Willoughby become, the closer Elinor becomes to Colonel Brandon. She sees now that he is in fact in love with Marianne. But Marianne is so in love with Willoughby that she doesn’t even have the smallest bit of pity or compassion or kindness for Brandon.  She still sees him as unworthy in every way. “You cannot deny me the privilege of disliking him as much as ever.”

Chapter 11

More of the same. Marianne loved Willoughby. They are out and about everywhere together. Her sister thinks her sister should be more cautious, more guarded. That someone should act with propriety–either her sister or Mr. Willoughby to cool things off. Elinor is getting closer to Colonel Brandon. He is getting to be her closest friend in the neighborhood. He is still in love with Marianne–hopeless as the case appears to be.

Chapter 12

The third sister, Margaret, the youngest finally enters into the picture and has some dialogue. She mentions to her sister, Elinor, that she saw Marianne give Willoughby a lock of her hair. Then a charming but short story of her sister in action is shown–of Margaret saying more than she should in company much to the laughs of all.

Chapter 13

A group of young people had been planning to go out together. Colonel Brandon being among them, he was in fact to be their host, but when he is called away, the whole thing is off. Most scatter. But Willoughby and Marianne go off together. Elinor thinks it very improper. But Marianne doesn’t care what Elinor thinks.

Day One: Sense and Sensibility: Chapters 1-7

It looked a bit scary, didn’t it? Knowing that the first discussion covered seven chapters! Seven whole chapters. But Jane Austen’s chapter length is very friendly isn’t it? I thought so. They won’t always be this short, but it’s nice while it lasted!

I’m going to start out being honest. I haven’t read this book before. This is all new to me. And so I’m just going to talk about what I read, when I read it. No pretty analysis here.

In the first chapter, we meet the Dashwood family. In particular our focus is drawn to three sisters and their mother. After the death of their father, they are now reliant on the kindess of their halfbrother (from the sisters’ perspective or the stepson if you’re looking from the mother’s perspective.) For the moment, all of the Dashwood family are residing together on their estate. An estate that has been left to John Dashwood (halfbrother to Elinor and Marianne and Margaret) and his son who is now a child.

In the second chapter, we get a close and intimate look at John Dashwood and his young wife. Not a pretty picture, is it? Could she be a bigger pain? She’s definitely a character that you want to smack and slap around. And John Dashwood is annoying. He needs a backbone!!!

In the third chapter, we meet Mrs. John Dashwood’s brother, Edward Ferrars. Edward and Elinor seem to hit it off quite well. And the pair are united in the imaginations of many who see them talking and walking together. The mother and sister feel confident of Edward’s affection for Elinor at least. Toward’s the end of the chapter, we see Marianne’s description of a perfect man. She even goes so far as to say, “I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter all my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both.” (14)

In the fourth chapter, Marianne and Elinor have an intimate chat. Elinor confides that while she is attached to Edward, he hasn’t expressed such sentiments to her. There is no formal or informal engagement between the two. She doubts there ever will be. Sometimes she sees signs of love, signs of attachment. But other times she doesn’t. And it is those times that scare her. She doesn’t want others to see that she cares. And she’s trying to discourage gossip. Mrs. John Dashwood is back in this chapter. And she is really bitchy. (I’m sorry but I don’t know quite how to say it otherwise.) The mother and the three sisters decide it would be best to go elsewhere so they don’t have to put up with her.

In the fifth chapter, the mother announces her decision to move to her stepson and daughter-in-law. Mrs. John Dashwood is just sorry that some fine property is going with them.

In the sixth chapter, they arrive at their new home, a cottage. They meet John Middleton, from whom they’re renting the cottage, and they meet his household, his wife, his children, and their guests.

In the seventh chapter, we are all introduced to Colonel Brandon.