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1"I have only to add, my dear Willoughby, that at Barton cottage you will always be welcome; for I will not press you to
2return here immediately, because you only can judge how far that might be pleasing to Mrs. Smith; and on this head I
3shall be no more disposed to question your judgment than to doubt your inclination." "My engagements at present,"
4replied Willoughby, confusedly, "are of such a nature--that--I dare not flatter myself--" He stopped. Mrs. Dashwood was
5too much astonished to speak, and another pause succeeded. This was broken by Willoughby, who said with a faint smile,
6"It is folly to linger in this manner. I will not torment myself any longer by remaining among friends whose society it
7is impossible for me now to enjoy." He then hastily took leave of them all and left the room. They saw him step into his
8carriage, and in a minute it was out of sight. Mrs. Dashwood felt too much for speech, and instantly quitted the parlour
9to give way in solitude to the concern and alarm which this sudden departure occasioned. Elinor's uneasiness was at
10least equal to her mother's. She thought of what had just passed with anxiety and distrust. Willoughby's behaviour in
11taking leave of them, his embarrassment, and affectation of cheerfulness, and, above all, his unwillingness to accept
12her mother's invitation, a backwardness so unlike a lover, so unlike himself, greatly disturbed her. One moment she
13feared that no serious design had ever been formed on his side; and the next that some unfortunate quarrel had taken
14place between him and her sister;--the distress in which Marianne had quitted the room was such as a serious quarrel
15could most reasonably account for, though when she considered what Marianne's love for him was, a quarrel seemed almost
16impossible. But whatever might be the particulars of their separation, her sister's affliction was indubitable; and she
17thought with the tenderest compassion of that violent sorrow which Marianne was in all probability not merely giving way
18to as a relief, but feeding and encouraging as a duty. In about half an hour her mother returned, and though her eyes
19were red, her countenance was not uncheerful. "Our dear Willoughby is now some miles from Barton, Elinor," said she, as
20she sat down to work, "and with how heavy a heart does he travel?" "It is all very strange. So suddenly to be gone! It
21seems but the work of a moment. And last night he was with us so happy, so cheerful, so affectionate? And now, after
22only ten minutes notice--Gone too without intending to return!--Something more than what he owned to us must have
23happened. He did not speak, he did not behave like himself. You must have seen the difference as well as I. What can it
24be? Can they have quarrelled? Why else should he have shown such unwillingness to accept your invitation here?" "It was
25not inclination that he wanted, Elinor; I could plainly see that. He had not the power of accepting it. I have thought
26it all over I assure you, and I can perfectly account for every thing that at first seemed strange to me as well as to
27you." "Can you, indeed!" "Yes. I have explained it to myself in the most satisfactory way;--but you, Elinor, who love to
28doubt where you can--it will not satisfy you, I know; but you shall not talk me out of my trust in it. I am persuaded
29that Mrs. Smith suspects his regard for Marianne, disapproves of it, (perhaps because she has other views for him,) and
30on that account is eager to get him away;--and that the business which she sends him off to transact is invented as an
31excuse to dismiss him. This is what I believe to have happened. He is, moreover, aware that she does disapprove the
32connection, he dares not therefore at present confess to her his engagement with Marianne, and he feels himself obliged,
33from his dependent situation, to give into her schemes, and absent himself from Devonshire for a while. You will tell
34me, I know, that this may or may not have happened; but I will listen to no cavil, unless you can point out any other
35method of understanding the affair as satisfactory at this. And now, Elinor, what have you to say?" "Nothing, for you
36have anticipated my answer." "Then you would have told me, that it might or might not have happened. Oh, Elinor, how
37incomprehensible are your feelings! You had rather take evil upon credit than good. You had rather look out for misery
38for Marianne, and guilt for poor Willoughby, than an apology for the latter. You are resolved to think him blameable,
39because he took leave of us with less affection than his usual behaviour has shown. And is no allowance to be made for
40inadvertence, or for spirits depressed by recent disappointment? Are no probabilities to be accepted, merely because
41they are not certainties? Is nothing due to the man whom we have all such reason to love, and no reason in the world to
42think ill of? To the possibility of motives unanswerable in themselves, though unavoidably secret for a while? And,
43after all, what is it you suspect him of?" "I can hardly tell myself. But suspicion of something unpleasant is the
44inevitable consequence of such an alteration as we just witnessed in him. There is great truth, however, in what you
45have now urged of the allowances which ought to be made for him, and it is my wish to be candid in my judgment of every
46body. Willoughby may undoubtedly have very sufficient reasons for his conduct, and I will hope that he has. But it would
47have been more like Willoughby to acknowledge them at once. Secrecy may be advisable; but still I cannot help wondering
48at its being practiced by him." "Do not blame him, however, for departing from his character, where the deviation is
49necessary. But you really do admit the justice of what I have said in his defence?--I am happy--and he is acquitted."
50"Not entirely. It may be proper to conceal their engagement (if they are engaged) from Mrs. Smith--and if that is the
51case, it must be highly expedient for Willoughby to be but little in Devonshire at present. But this is no excuse for
52their concealing it from us." "Concealing it from us! my dear child, do you accuse Willoughby and Marianne of
53concealment? This is strange indeed, when your eyes have been reproaching them every day for incautiousness." "I want no
54proof of their affection," said Elinor; "but of their engagement I do." "I am perfectly satisfied of both." "Yet not a
55syllable has been said to you on the subject, by either of them." "I have not wanted syllables where actions have spoken
56so plainly. Has not his behaviour to Marianne and to all of us, for at least the last fortnight, declared that he loved
57and considered her as his future wife, and that he felt for us the attachment of the nearest relation? Have we not
58perfectly understood each other? Has not my consent been daily asked by his looks, his manner, his attentive and
59affectionate respect? My Elinor, is it possible to doubt their engagement? How could such a thought occur to you? How is
60it to be supposed that Willoughby, persuaded as he must be of your sister's love, should leave her, and leave her
61perhaps for months, without telling her of his affection;--that they should part without a mutual exchange of
62confidence?" "I confess," replied Elinor, "that every circumstance except one is in favour of their engagement; but that
63one is the total silence of both on the subject, and with me it almost outweighs every other." "How strange this is! You
64must think wretchedly indeed of Willoughby, if, after all that has openly passed between them, you can doubt the nature
65of the terms on which they are together. Has he been acting a part in his behaviour to your sister all this time? Do you
66suppose him really indifferent to her?" "No, I cannot think that. He must and does love her I am sure." "But with a
67strange kind of tenderness, if he can leave her with such indifference, such carelessness of the future, as you
68attribute to him." "You must remember, my dear mother, that I have never considered this matter as certain. I have had
69my doubts, I confess; but they are fainter than they were, and they may soon be entirely done away. If we find they
70correspond, every fear of mine will be removed."
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