feat_summary_path: finished_summaries/shmoop/Sense and Sensibility/section_34_part_0.txt
feat_book_id: Sense and Sensibility.chapter 35
feat_summary_id: chapter 35
feat_summary: {"name": "Chapter 35", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20210421140324/https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/sense-and-sensibility/summary/chapter-35", "summary": "Elinor is kind of glad that Mrs. Ferrars was so awful - it convinces her that marrying Edward would have come with its share of troubles, in the form of an evil mother-in-law. However, she still can't say that she's exactly happy that Edward is engaged to Lucy. Lucy herself stops by to gloat. She's exceedingly pleased at how nice Fanny and Mrs. Ferrars were to her. Elinor tries to remind her that they were only that nice because they didn't know about the engagement, but Lucy won't hear any of it. Lucy goes on and on about how wonderful the Ferrars are, and how wonderful life is. It's sickening, both to Elinor and to us. She even goes on about how Elinor is practically her best friend, other than Edward. She hopes that Elinor will tell Fanny just how much she, Lucy, was impressed by her. Lucy makes a rather pointed comment about how she would have known if Mrs. Ferrars disliked her, since she makes her dislike so apparent . At this unfortunate moment, things become even more awkward - Edward arrives. Wow. Hmm. This is really not a comfortable situation. Elinor welcomes him politely, which puts him slightly at ease. Lucy doesn't say a word, and so Elinor has to take care of the whole conversation. She then leaves Edward and Lucy on their own so that she can go fetch Marianne. Marianne, not knowing what's going on with the weird love triangle, is overjoyed by Edward's appearance. He's alarmed by her unwell appearance, but she shakes him off, saying that Elinor is well enough for both of them. Marianne suggests that Edward should escort the two of them home to Barton in a couple of weeks - but he mutters a lame excuse. This makes no difference to the excited Marianne. She goes on to tell him about the last night's dinner party, and asks why he wasn't there - didn't he want to see them? Edward explains that he had a prior engagement, and Marianne is shocked. Lucy makes a cutting little comment about how Marianne shouldn't expect young men to keep their engagements. Elinor is angry, but Marianne calmly responds by praising Edward's conscience. This is too much for Edward, considering his current company, and he flees the scene. Lucy leaves soon thereafter. Marianne is enraged by Lucy's rudeness - couldn't she see that they just wanted to spend time with Edward, their real friend? Elinor half-heartedly stands up for Lucy, saying that she had a right to visit with them, as Edward is her friend, too. She can't say anything else, for fear that she might give away the big secret.", "analysis": ""}
text: 
  
  Elinor's curiosity to see Mrs. Ferrars was satisfied.-- She had found
  in her every thing that could tend to make a farther connection between
  the families undesirable.-- She had seen enough of her pride, her
  meanness, and her determined prejudice against herself, to comprehend
  all the difficulties that must have perplexed the engagement, and
  retarded the marriage, of Edward and herself, had he been otherwise
  free;--and she had seen almost enough to be thankful for her OWN sake,
  that one greater obstacle preserved her from suffering under any other
  of Mrs. Ferrars's creation, preserved her from all dependence upon her
  caprice, or any solicitude for her good opinion.  Or at least, if she
  did not bring herself quite to rejoice in Edward's being fettered to
  Lucy, she determined, that had Lucy been more amiable, she OUGHT to
  have rejoiced.
  
  She wondered that Lucy's spirits could be so very much elevated by the
  civility of Mrs. Ferrars;--that her interest and her vanity should so
  very much blind her as to make the attention which seemed only paid her
  because she was NOT ELINOR, appear a compliment to herself--or to allow
  her to derive encouragement from a preference only given her, because
  her real situation was unknown.  But that it was so, had not only been
  declared by Lucy's eyes at the time, but was declared over again the
  next morning more openly, for at her particular desire, Lady Middleton
  set her down in Berkeley Street on the chance of seeing Elinor alone,
  to tell her how happy she was.
  
  The chance proved a lucky one, for a message from Mrs. Palmer soon
  after she arrived, carried Mrs. Jennings away.
  
  "My dear friend," cried Lucy, as soon as they were by themselves, "I
  come to talk to you of my happiness.  Could anything be so flattering
  as Mrs. Ferrars's way of treating me yesterday?  So exceeding affable
  as she was!--You know how I dreaded the thoughts of seeing her;--but
  the very moment I was introduced, there was such an affability in her
  behaviour as really should seem to say, she had quite took a fancy to
  me.  Now was not it so?-- You saw it all; and was not you quite struck
  with it?"
  
  "She was certainly very civil to you."
  
  "Civil!--Did you see nothing but only civility?-- I saw a vast deal
  more.  Such kindness as fell to the share of nobody but me!--No pride,
  no hauteur, and your sister just the same--all sweetness and
  affability!"
  
  Elinor wished to talk of something else, but Lucy still pressed her to
  own that she had reason for her happiness; and Elinor was obliged to go
  on.--
  
  "Undoubtedly, if they had known your engagement," said she, "nothing
  could be more flattering than their treatment of you;--but as that was
  not the case"--
  
  "I guessed you would say so,"--replied Lucy quickly--"but there was no
  reason in the world why Mrs. Ferrars should seem to like me, if she did
  not, and her liking me is every thing.  You shan't talk me out of my
  satisfaction.  I am sure it will all end well, and there will be no
  difficulties at all, to what I used to think.  Mrs. Ferrars is a
  charming woman, and so is your sister.  They are both delightful women,
  indeed!--I wonder I should never hear you say how agreeable Mrs.
  Dashwood was!"
  
  To this Elinor had no answer to make, and did not attempt any.
  
  "Are you ill, Miss Dashwood?--you seem low--you don't speak;--sure you
  an't well."
  
  "I never was in better health."
  
  "I am glad of it with all my heart; but really you did not look it.  I
  should be sorry to have YOU ill; you, that have been the greatest
  comfort to me in the world!--Heaven knows what I should have done
  without your friendship."--
  
  Elinor tried to make a civil answer, though doubting her own success.
  But it seemed to satisfy Lucy, for she directly replied,
  
  "Indeed I am perfectly convinced of your regard for me, and next to
  Edward's love, it is the greatest comfort I have.--Poor Edward!--But
  now there is one good thing, we shall be able to meet, and meet pretty
  often, for Lady Middleton's delighted with Mrs. Dashwood, so we shall
  be a good deal in Harley Street, I dare say, and Edward spends half his
  time with his sister--besides, Lady Middleton and Mrs. Ferrars will
  visit now;--and Mrs. Ferrars and your sister were both so good to say
  more than once, they should always be glad to see me.-- They are such
  charming women!--I am sure if ever you tell your sister what I think of
  her, you cannot speak too high."
  
  But Elinor would not give her any encouragement to hope that she SHOULD
  tell her sister.  Lucy continued.
  
  "I am sure I should have seen it in a moment, if Mrs. Ferrars had took
  a dislike to me.  If she had only made me a formal courtesy, for
  instance, without saying a word, and never after had took any notice of
  me, and never looked at me in a pleasant way--you know what I mean--if
  I had been treated in that forbidding sort of way, I should have gave
  it all up in despair.  I could not have stood it.  For where she DOES
  dislike, I know it is most violent."
  
  Elinor was prevented from making any reply to this civil triumph, by
  the door's being thrown open, the servant's announcing Mr. Ferrars, and
  Edward's immediately walking in.
  
  It was a very awkward moment; and the countenance of each shewed that
  it was so.  They all looked exceedingly foolish; and Edward seemed to
  have as great an inclination to walk out of the room again, as to
  advance farther into it.  The very circumstance, in its unpleasantest
  form, which they would each have been most anxious to avoid, had fallen
  on them.--They were not only all three together, but were together
  without the relief of any other person.  The ladies recovered
  themselves first.  It was not Lucy's business to put herself forward,
  and the appearance of secrecy must still be kept up.  She could
  therefore only LOOK her tenderness, and after slightly addressing him,
  said no more.
  
  But Elinor had more to do; and so anxious was she, for his sake and her
  own, to do it well, that she forced herself, after a moment's
  recollection, to welcome him, with a look and manner that were almost
  easy, and almost open; and another struggle, another effort still
  improved them.  She would not allow the presence of Lucy, nor the
  consciousness of some injustice towards herself, to deter her from
  saying that she was happy to see him, and that she had very much
  regretted being from home, when he called before in Berkeley Street.
  She would not be frightened from paying him those attentions which, as
  a friend and almost a relation, were his due, by the observant eyes of
  Lucy, though she soon perceived them to be narrowly watching her.
  
  Her manners gave some re-assurance to Edward, and he had courage enough
  to sit down; but his embarrassment still exceeded that of the ladies in
  a proportion, which the case rendered reasonable, though his sex might
  make it rare; for his heart had not the indifference of Lucy's, nor
  could his conscience have quite the ease of Elinor's.
  
  Lucy, with a demure and settled air, seemed determined to make no
  contribution to the comfort of the others, and would not say a word;
  and almost every thing that WAS said, proceeded from Elinor, who was
  obliged to volunteer all the information about her mother's health,
  their coming to town, &c. which Edward ought to have inquired about,
  but never did.
  
  Her exertions did not stop here; for she soon afterwards felt herself
  so heroically disposed as to determine, under pretence of fetching
  Marianne, to leave the others by themselves; and she really did it, and
  THAT in the handsomest manner, for she loitered away several minutes on
  the landing-place, with the most high-minded fortitude, before she went
  to her sister.  When that was once done, however, it was time for the
  raptures of Edward to cease; for Marianne's joy hurried her into the
  drawing-room immediately.  Her pleasure in seeing him was like every
  other of her feelings, strong in itself, and strongly spoken.  She met
  him with a hand that would be taken, and a voice that expressed the
  affection of a sister.
  
  "Dear Edward!" she cried, "this is a moment of great happiness!--This
  would almost make amends for every thing!"
  
  Edward tried to return her kindness as it deserved, but before such
  witnesses he dared not say half what he really felt.  Again they all
  sat down, and for a moment or two all were silent; while Marianne was
  looking with the most speaking tenderness, sometimes at Edward and
  sometimes at Elinor, regretting only that their delight in each other
  should be checked by Lucy's unwelcome presence.  Edward was the first
  to speak, and it was to notice Marianne's altered looks, and express
  his fear of her not finding London agree with her.
  
  "Oh, don't think of me!" she replied with spirited earnestness, though
  her eyes were filled with tears as she spoke, "don't think of MY
  health.  Elinor is well, you see.  That must be enough for us both."
  
  This remark was not calculated to make Edward or Elinor more easy, nor
  to conciliate the good will of Lucy, who looked up at Marianne with no
  very benignant expression.
  
  "Do you like London?" said Edward, willing to say any thing that might
  introduce another subject.
  
  "Not at all.  I expected much pleasure in it, but I have found none.
  The sight of you, Edward, is the only comfort it has afforded; and
  thank Heaven! you are what you always were!"
  
  She paused--no one spoke.
  
  "I think, Elinor," she presently added, "we must employ Edward to take
  care of us in our return to Barton.  In a week or two, I suppose, we
  shall be going; and, I trust, Edward will not be very unwilling to
  accept the charge."
  
  Poor Edward muttered something, but what it was, nobody knew, not even
  himself.  But Marianne, who saw his agitation, and could easily trace
  it to whatever cause best pleased herself, was perfectly satisfied, and
  soon talked of something else.
  
  "We spent such a day, Edward, in Harley Street yesterday!  So dull, so
  wretchedly dull!--But I have much to say to you on that head, which
  cannot be said now."
  
  And with this admirable discretion did she defer the assurance of her
  finding their mutual relatives more disagreeable than ever, and of her
  being particularly disgusted with his mother, till they were more in
  private.
  
  "But why were you not there, Edward?--Why did you not come?"
  
  "I was engaged elsewhere."
  
  "Engaged!  But what was that, when such friends were to be met?"
  
  "Perhaps, Miss Marianne," cried Lucy, eager to take some revenge on
  her, "you think young men never stand upon engagements, if they have no
  mind to keep them, little as well as great."
  
  Elinor was very angry, but Marianne seemed entirely insensible of the
  sting; for she calmly replied,
  
  "Not so, indeed; for, seriously speaking, I am very sure that
  conscience only kept Edward from Harley Street.  And I really believe
  he HAS the most delicate conscience in the world; the most scrupulous
  in performing every engagement, however minute, and however it may make
  against his interest or pleasure.  He is the most fearful of giving
  pain, of wounding expectation, and the most incapable of being selfish,
  of any body I ever saw.  Edward, it is so, and I will say it.  What!
  are you never to hear yourself praised!--Then you must be no friend of
  mine; for those who will accept of my love and esteem, must submit to
  my open commendation."
  
  The nature of her commendation, in the present case, however, happened
  to be particularly ill-suited to the feelings of two thirds of her
  auditors, and was so very unexhilarating to Edward, that he very soon
  got up to go away.
  
  "Going so soon!" said Marianne; "my dear Edward, this must not be."
  
  And drawing him a little aside, she whispered her persuasion that Lucy
  could not stay much longer.  But even this encouragement failed, for he
  would go; and Lucy, who would have outstaid him, had his visit lasted
  two hours, soon afterwards went away.
  
  "What can bring her here so often?" said Marianne, on her leaving them.
  "Could not she see that we wanted her gone!--how teazing to Edward!"
  
  "Why so?--we were all his friends, and Lucy has been the longest known
  to him of any.  It is but natural that he should like to see her as
  well as ourselves."
  
  Marianne looked at her steadily, and said, "You know, Elinor, that this
  is a kind of talking which I cannot bear.  If you only hope to have
  your assertion contradicted, as I must suppose to be the case, you
  ought to recollect that I am the last person in the world to do it.  I
  cannot descend to be tricked out of assurances, that are not really
  wanted."
  
  She then left the room; and Elinor dared not follow her to say more,
  for bound as she was by her promise of secrecy to Lucy, she could give
  no information that would convince Marianne; and painful as the
  consequences of her still continuing in an error might be, she was
  obliged to submit to it.  All that she could hope, was that Edward
  would not often expose her or himself to the distress of hearing
  Marianne's mistaken warmth, nor to the repetition of any other part of
  the pain that had attended their recent meeting--and this she had every
  reason to expect.
  
  
  
feat_summary_name: Chapter 35
target: Elinor is kind of glad that Mrs. Ferrars was so awful - it convinces her that marrying Edward would have come with its share of troubles, in the form of an evil mother-in-law. However, she still can't say that she's exactly happy that Edward is engaged to Lucy. Lucy herself stops by to gloat. She's exceedingly pleased at how nice Fanny and Mrs. Ferrars were to her. Elinor tries to remind her that they were only that nice because they didn't know about the engagement, but Lucy won't hear any of it. Lucy goes on and on about how wonderful the Ferrars are, and how wonderful life is. It's sickening, both to Elinor and to us. She even goes on about how Elinor is practically her best friend, other than Edward. She hopes that Elinor will tell Fanny just how much she, Lucy, was impressed by her. Lucy makes a rather pointed comment about how she would have known if Mrs. Ferrars disliked her, since she makes her dislike so apparent . At this unfortunate moment, things become even more awkward - Edward arrives. Wow. Hmm. This is really not a comfortable situation. Elinor welcomes him politely, which puts him slightly at ease. Lucy doesn't say a word, and so Elinor has to take care of the whole conversation. She then leaves Edward and Lucy on their own so that she can go fetch Marianne. Marianne, not knowing what's going on with the weird love triangle, is overjoyed by Edward's appearance. He's alarmed by her unwell appearance, but she shakes him off, saying that Elinor is well enough for both of them. Marianne suggests that Edward should escort the two of them home to Barton in a couple of weeks - but he mutters a lame excuse. This makes no difference to the excited Marianne. She goes on to tell him about the last night's dinner party, and asks why he wasn't there - didn't he want to see them? Edward explains that he had a prior engagement, and Marianne is shocked. Lucy makes a cutting little comment about how Marianne shouldn't expect young men to keep their engagements. Elinor is angry, but Marianne calmly responds by praising Edward's conscience. This is too much for Edward, considering his current company, and he flees the scene. Lucy leaves soon thereafter. Marianne is enraged by Lucy's rudeness - couldn't she see that they just wanted to spend time with Edward, their real friend? Elinor half-heartedly stands up for Lucy, saying that she had a right to visit with them, as Edward is her friend, too. She can't say anything else, for fear that she might give away the big secret.