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1About noon, however, she began--but with a caution--a dread of disappointment which for some time kept her silent, even
2to her friend--to fancy, to hope she could perceive a slight amendment in her sister's pulse;--she waited, watched, and
3examined it again and again;--and at last, with an agitation more difficult to bury under exterior calmness, than all
4her foregoing distress, ventured to communicate her hopes. Mrs. Jennings, though forced, on examination, to acknowledge
5a temporary revival, tried to keep her young friend from indulging a thought of its continuance;--and Elinor, conning
6over every injunction of distrust, told herself likewise not to hope. But it was too late. Hope had already entered; and
7feeling all its anxious flutter, she bent over her sister to watch--she hardly knew for what. Half an hour passed away,
8and the favourable symptom yet blessed her. Others even arose to confirm it. Her breath, her skin, her lips, all
9flattered Elinor with signs of amendment; and Marianne fixed her eyes on her with a rational, though languid, gaze.
10Anxiety and hope now oppressed her in equal degrees, and left her no moment of tranquillity till the arrival of Mr.
11Harris at four o'clock;--when his assurances, his felicitations on a recovery in her sister even surpassing his
12expectation, gave her confidence, comfort, and tears of joy. Marianne was in every respect materially better, and he
13declared her entirely out of danger. Mrs. Jennings, perhaps satisfied with the partial justification of her forebodings
14which had been found in their late alarm, allowed herself to trust in his judgment, and admitted, with unfeigned joy,
15and soon with unequivocal cheerfulness, the probability of an entire recovery. Elinor could not be cheerful. Her joy was
16of a different kind, and led to any thing rather than to gaiety. Marianne restored to life, health, friends, and to her
17doting mother, was an idea to fill her heart with sensations of exquisite comfort, and expand it in fervent
18gratitude;--but it led to no outward demonstrations of joy, no words, no smiles. All within Elinor's breast was
19satisfaction, silent and strong. She continued by the side of her sister, with little intermission the whole afternoon,
20calming every fear, satisfying every inquiry of her enfeebled spirits, supplying every succour, and watching almost
21every look and every breath. The possibility of a relapse would of course, in some moments, occur to remind her of what
22anxiety was--but when she saw, on her frequent and minute examination, that every symptom of recovery continued, and saw
23Marianne at six o'clock sink into a quiet, steady, and to all appearance comfortable, sleep, she silenced every doubt.
24The time was now drawing on, when Colonel Brandon might be expected back. At ten o'clock, she trusted, or at least not
25much later her mother would be relieved from the dreadful suspense in which she must now be travelling towards them. The
26Colonel, too!--perhaps scarcely less an object of pity!--Oh!--how slow was the progress of time which yet kept them in
27ignorance! At seven o'clock, leaving Marianne still sweetly asleep, she joined Mrs. Jennings in the drawing-room to tea.
28Of breakfast she had been kept by her fears, and of dinner by their sudden reverse, from eating much;--and the present
29refreshment, therefore, with such feelings of content as she brought to it, was particularly welcome. Mrs. Jennings
30would have persuaded her, at its conclusion, to take some rest before her mother's arrival, and allow her to take her
31place by Marianne; but Elinor had no sense of fatigue, no capability of sleep at that moment about her, and she was not
32to be kept away from her sister an unnecessary instant. Mrs. Jennings therefore attending her up stairs into the sick
33chamber, to satisfy herself that all continued right, left her there again to her charge and her thoughts, and retired
34to her own room to write letters and sleep. The night was cold and stormy. The wind roared round the house, and the rain
35beat against the windows; but Elinor, all happiness within, regarded it not. Marianne slept through every blast; and the
36travellers--they had a rich reward in store, for every present inconvenience. The clock struck eight. Had it been ten,
37Elinor would have been convinced that at that moment she heard a carriage driving up to the house; and so strong was the
38persuasion that she did, in spite of the almost impossibility of their being already come, that she moved into the
39adjoining dressing-closet and opened a window shutter, to be satisfied of the truth. She instantly saw that her ears had
40not deceived her. The flaring lamps of a carriage were immediately in view. By their uncertain light she thought she
41could discern it to be drawn by four horses; and this, while it told the excess of her poor mother's alarm, gave some
42explanation to such unexpected rapidity. Never in her life had Elinor found it so difficult to be calm, as at that
43moment. The knowledge of what her mother must be feeling as the carriage stopt at the door--of her doubt--her
44dread--perhaps her despair!--and of what she had to tell!--with such knowledge it was impossible to be calm. All that
45remained to be done was to be speedy; and, therefore staying only till she could leave Mrs. Jennings's maid with her
46sister, she hurried down stairs. The bustle in the vestibule, as she passed along an inner lobby, assured her that they
47were already in the house. She rushed to the drawing-room,--she entered it,--and saw only Willoughby. CHAPTER XLIV.
48Elinor, starting back with a look of horror at the sight of him, obeyed the first impulse of her heart in turning
49instantly to quit the room, and her hand was already on the lock, when its action was suspended by his hastily
50advancing, and saying, in a voice rather of command than supplication, "Miss Dashwood, for half an hour--for ten
51minutes--I entreat you to stay." "No, sir," she replied with firmness, "I shall not stay. Your business cannot be with
52me. The servants, I suppose, forgot to tell you that Mr. Palmer was not in the house." "Had they told me," he cried with
53vehemence, "that Mr. Palmer and all his relations were at the devil, it would not have turned me from the door. My
54business is with you, and only you." "With me!"--in the utmost amazement--"well, sir,--be quick--and if you can--less
55violent." "Sit down, and I will be both." She hesitated; she knew not what to do. The possibility of Colonel Brandon's
56arriving and finding her there, came across her. But she had promised to hear him, and her curiosity no less than her
57honor was engaged. After a moment's recollection, therefore, concluding that prudence required dispatch, and that her
58acquiescence would best promote it, she walked silently towards the table, and sat down. He took the opposite chair, and
59for half a minute not a word was said by either. "Pray be quick, sir,"--said Elinor, impatiently;--"I have no time to
60spare." He was sitting in an attitude of deep meditation, and seemed not to hear her. "Your sister," said he, with
61abruptness, a moment afterwards--"is out of danger. I heard it from the servant. God be praised!--But is it true? is it
62really true?" Elinor would not speak. He repeated the inquiry with yet greater eagerness. "For God's sake tell me, is
63she out of danger, or is she not?" "We hope she is." He rose up, and walked across the room. "Had I known as much half
64an hour ago;--but since I am here," speaking with a forced vivacity as he returned to his seat,--"what does it signify?
65For once, Miss Dashwood--it will be the last time, perhaps--let us be cheerful together. I am in a fine mood for gaiety.
66Tell me honestly" a deeper glow overspreading his cheeks, "do you think me most a knave or a fool?" Elinor looked at him
67with greater astonishment than ever. She began to think that he must be in liquor;--the strangeness of such a visit, and
68of such manners, seemed no otherwise intelligible; and with this impression she immediately rose, saying, "Mr.
69Willoughby, I advise you at present to return to Combe. I am not at leisure to remain with you longer. Whatever your
70business may be with me, it will be better recollected and explained to-morrow." "I understand you," he replied, with an
71expressive smile, and a voice perfectly calm; "yes, I am very drunk. A pint of porter with my cold beef at Marlborough
72was enough to over-set me." "At Marlborough!"--cried Elinor, more and more at a loss to understand what he would be at.
73"Yes,--I left London this morning at eight o'clock, and the only ten minutes I have spent out of my chaise since that
74time procured me a nuncheon at Marlborough."
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