1/2 Sense And Sensibility - Stephanie Poppins

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.

Chapter 1.

The family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex.

Their residence was at Norland Park in the centre of their property,

Where for many generations they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance.

The late owner of this estate was a single man who,

For many years of his life,

Had a constant companion and housekeeper in his sister.

But her death produced a great alteration in his home,

For to supply her loss he invited into his house the family of his nephew,

Mr.

Henry Dashwood,

The legal inheritor of the Norland estate,

And the person to whom he intended to bequeath it.

In the society of his nephew and niece and their children,

The old gentleman's days were comfortably spent.

The constant attention of Mr.

And Mrs.

Henry Dashwood to his wishes gave him every degree of solid comfort which his age could receive,

And the cheerfulness of the children added a relish to his existence.

By a former marriage,

Mr.

Henry Dashwood had one son.

By his present lady,

Three daughters.

The son,

A steady,

Respectable young man,

Was amply provided for by the fortune of his mother,

Which had been large,

And half of which devolved on him on his coming of age.

By his own marriage likewise he added to his wealth.

To him,

Therefore,

The succession of the Norland estate was not so really important as to his sisters,

For their fortune could be but small.

Their mother had nothing,

And their father only seven thousand pounds in his own disposal.

The old gentleman died.

He was neither so unjust nor so ungrateful as to leave his estate from his nephew,

But he left it to such terms as destroyed half the value of the bequest.

Mr.

Dashwood had wished for it more for the sake of his wife and daughters than for himself or his son,

But to his son,

And his son's son,

A child of four years old,

It was secured in such a way as to leave to himself no power of providing for those who were most dear to him.

The whole was tied up for the benefit of this child,

Who had so far gained on the affections of his uncle,

By such attractions as are by no means unusual in children of two or three years old,

As to outweigh all the value of all the attention which he had received from his niece and her daughters.

He meant not to be unkind,

However,

And as a mark of his affection for the three girls,

He left them a thousand pounds apiece.

Mr.

Dashwood's disappointment was at first severe,

But his temper was cheerful and sanguine,

And he might reasonably hope to live many years,

And by living economically,

Lay by a considerable sum from the produce of an estate already large and capable of most immediate improvement.

But the fortune was his only one 12-month.

He survived his uncle no longer,

And ten thousand pounds,

Including the late legacies,

Was all that remained for his widow and daughters.

His son was sent for as soon as his danger was known,

And to him Mr.

Dashwood recommended the interest of his mother-in-law and sisters.

Mr.

John Dashwood was affected by a recommendation of such a nature,

At such a time,

And he promised to do everything in his power to make them comfortable.

He was not an ill-disposed young man,

And was in general well respected.

Had he married a more amiable woman,

He might have been made still more respectable than he was.

But Mrs.

John Dashwood was a strong caricature of himself,

More narrow-minded and selfish.

When he gave his promise to his father,

He meditated with himself,

To increase the fortunes of his sisters by the present of a thousand pounds apiece.

This prospect of four thousand a year,

In addition to his own present income,

Besides the remaining half of his own mother's fortune,

Warmed his heart and made him feel capable of generosity.

He could spare so considerable a sum with a little inconvenience.

No sooner was his father's fuel over,

Than Mrs.

John Dashwood arrived with her child and their attendants.

No one could dispute her right to come.

The house was her husband's from the moment of his father's decease.

But the indelicacy of her conduct was so much the greater,

And to a woman in Mrs.

Dashwood's situation,

Must have been highly unpleasing.

Mrs.

John Dashwood had never been a favourite with any of her husband's family,

But she had no opportunity,

Till the present,

Of showing them with how little attention to the comfort of other people,

She could act,

When occasion required it.

So acutely did Mrs.

Dashwood feel this ungracious behaviour,

And so earnestly did she despise her daughter-in-law for it,

That,

On the arrival of the latter,

She would have quitted the house forever,

Had not the entreaty of her eldest girl induced her first to reflect on the propriety of going.

And her own tender love for all her three children determined her afterwards to stay,

And for their sakes avoid a breach with their brother.

Eleanor,

This eldest daughter,

Possessed a strength of understanding and coolness of judgment,

Which qualified her,

Though only nineteen,

To be the counsellor of her mother.

Her disposition was affectionate,

And her feelings were strong,

But she knew how to govern them.

It was a knowledge which her mother had yet to learn,

And which one of her sisters had resolved never to be taught.

Marianne was sensible and clever,

But eager in everything.

Her sorrows,

Her joys,

Could have no moderation.

She was generous,

Amiable,

Interesting.

She was everything but prudent.

Eleanor saw with concern the excess of her sister's sensibility,

But by Mrs.

Dashwood it was valued and cherished.

They encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction.

They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow,

Seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it,

And resolved against ever admitting consolation in future.

Eleanor too was deeply afflicted,

But still she could struggle.

She could exert herself.

She could receive her sister-in-law on her arrival,

And treat her with proper attention,

And could strive to rouse her mother to similar exertion,

And encourage her to similar forbearance.

Margaret,

The other sister,

Was a good-humoured,

Well-disposed girl,

But as she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne's romance,

Without having much of her sense,

She did not at thirteen bid fair to equal her sisters at a more advanced period of life.

Chapter 2.

Mrs.

John Dashwood now installed herself mistress of Norland,

And her mother and sisters-in-law were degraded to the condition of visitors.

As such,

However,

They were treated by her with quiet civility,

And by her husband with as much kindness as he could feel towards anybody beyond himself,

His wife,

And their child.

He really pressed them with some earnestness to consider Norland as their home,

And as no plan appeared so eligible to Mrs.

Dashwood as remaining there till she could accommodate herself with a house in the neighbourhood,

His invitation was accepted.

Mrs.

John Dashwood did not at all approve of what her husband intended to do for his sisters.

To take three thousand pounds from the fortune of their dear little boy would be impoverishing him to the most dreadful degree,

And what possible claim could the Miss Dashwoods,

Who were related to him only by half-blood,

Have on his generosity at so large an amount?

It was my father's last request to me,

Replied her husband,

That I should assist his widow and daughters.

He did not know what he was talking of,

I dare say.

Had he been in his right senses,

He could not have thought of such a thing as begging you to give away half your fortune from your own child.

He did not stipulate for any particular sum,

My dear Fanny.

He only requested me,

In general terms,

To assist them.

Perhaps it would have been as well if he had left it wholly to myself.

He could hardly suppose I should neglect them,

But as he required the promise,

I could not do less than give it.

Something must be done for them whenever they leave Norland and settle in a new home.

Well then,

Let something be done for them,

But that something need not be three thousand pounds.

Consider,

She added,

That when the money is once parted with,

It can never return.

Your sisters will marry and she'll be gone forever,

If indeed it could ever be restored to our poor little boy.

Why,

To be sure,

Said her husband very gravely,

The time may come when Harry will regret that so large a sum was parted with.

If he should have a numerous family,

For instance,

It would be a very convenient addition.

To be sure it would.

Perhaps then it would be better for all parties if the sum were diminished one half.

Five hundred pounds would be a prodigious increase to their fortunes.

Oh,

Beyond anything great,

What brother on earth would do half so much for his sisters,

Even if really his sisters?

I would not wish to do anything mean,

He replied.

No one at least can think I have not done enough for them,

Even themselves,

And they can hardly expect for more.

There is no knowing what they may expect,

Said the lady.

The question is,

What can you afford to do?

Certainly,

And I think I may afford to give them five hundred pounds apiece.

As it is,

Without any addition of mine,

They will each have above three thousand pounds on their mother's death.

A very comfortable fortune for any young woman.

To be sure it is,

And indeed it strikes me they can want no addition at all.

They will have ten thousand pounds divided amongst them.

They may all live very comfortably together on the interest of ten thousand pounds.

That is very true,

And therefore,

I do not know whether upon the whole,

It would not be more advisable to do something for their mother while she lives,

Rather than them.

A hundred a year will make them all perfectly comfortable.

His wife hesitated a little.

To be sure,

Said she,

It is better than parting with fifteen hundred pounds at once.

But then,

If Mrs.

Dashwood should live fifteen years,

We should be completely taken in.

Fifteen years!

Her life cannot be worth half that purchase.

Certainly not.

But if you observe,

People always live forever when there's any annuity to be paid to them.

And she is very stout and healthy,

And hardly forty.

I have known a great deal of the trouble of annuities,

For my mother was clogged with a payment of three to servants by my father's will,

And it's amazing how disagreeable she found it.

Twice every year these annuities were to be paid.

My mother was quite sick of it.

Her income was not her own,

She said,

With such perpetual claims on it.

It certainly is an unpleasant thing,

Replied Mr.

Dashwood,

To have those kind of yearly drains on one's income.

It takes away one's independence.

Doubtedly,

And after all,

You'll have no thanks for it.

I believe you're right,

My love.

It will be better than there should be no annuity in this case.

Whatever I may give them,

Occasionally,

Will be a far greater assistance than a yearly allowance.

A present of fifty pounds now and then will prevent there ever being distress for money,

And will,

I think,

Be amply discharging my promise to my father.

To be sure it will.

Indeed,

To say the truth,

I'm convinced within myself that your father had no idea of your giving them any money at all.

The assistance he thought of,

I dare say,

Was only such as might be reasonably expected of you.

For instance,

Such as looking out for a comfortable house for them,

Helping them to move their things,

And sending them presents of fish and game and so forth whenever they're in season.

But do consider,

My dear Mr.

Dashwood,

How excessively comfortable your mother-in-law and her daughters may live on the interest of seven thousand pounds,

Besides the thousand pounds belonging to each of the girls,

Which brings them in fifty pounds a year apiece.

Altogether they will have five hundred a year amongst them.

Only conceive how comfortable they will be.

I'm sure I cannot imagine how they will spend half of it,

And as to your giving them more,

It's quite absurd to think of it.

Upon my word,

Said Mr.

Dashwood,

I believe you are perfectly right.

My father certainly could mean nothing more by his request to me than what you say.

When my mother removes into another house,

My services shall be readily given to her,

To accommodate her as far as I can.

Some little presents of furniture,

Too,

May be acceptable then.

" "'Certainly,

' returned Mrs.

John Dashwood.

But however,

One thing must be considered.

When your father and mother moved to Norland,

Though the furniture of Stonehill was sold,

All the china,

Plate,

And linen were saved,

And is now left to your mother.

The house will therefore be almost completely fitted up as soon as she takes it.

That is a material consideration undoubtedly,

And yet some of the plate would have been a very pleasant addition to our own stock here.

" "'Yes,

And the set of breakfast china is twice as handsome as what belongs to this house.

But however so it is,

Your father thought only of them,

And I must say this,

That you owe no particular gratitude to him,

For we very well know that if he could,

He would have left almost everything in the world to them.

This argument was irresistible.

It gave to his attentions whatever of decision was wanting before,

And he finally resolved that it would be absolutely unnecessary,

If not highly indecorous,

To do more for the widow and children of his father than such kind of knavely acts as his own wife pointed out.

"