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almost ready to cry out； “Lord！ what should hinder it？”—but
checking her desire； confined herself to this silent ejaculation。
“This is very strange！—sure he need not wait to be older。”
This delay on the Colonel’s side； however； did not seem to
offend or mortify his fair companion in the least； for on their
breaking up the conference soon afterwards； and moving different
ways； Mrs。 Jennings very plainly heard Elinor say； and with a
voice which shewed her to feel what she said；
“I shall always think myself very much obliged to you。”
Mrs。 Jennings was delighted with her gratitude； and only
wondered that after hearing such a sentence； the Colonel should
be able to take leave of them； as he immediately did； with the
utmost sang…froid； and go away without making her any reply！—
She had not thought her old friend could have made so indifferent
a suitor。
What had really passed between them was to this effect。
“I have heard；” said he； with great compassion； “of the injustice
your friend Mr。 Ferrars has suffered from his family； for if I
understand the matter right； he has been entirely cast off by them
for persevering in his engagement with a very deserving young
woman。—Have I been rightly informed？—Is it so？—”
Elinor told him that it was。
“The cruelty； the impolitic cruelty；”—he replied； with great
feeling；—“of dividing； or attempting to divide； two young people
long attached to each other； is terrible。—Mrs。 Ferrars does not
know what she may be doing—what she may drive her son to。 I
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have seen Mr。 Ferrars two or three times in Harley…street； and am
much pleased with him。 He is not a young man with whom one
can be intimately acquainted in a short time； but I have seen
enough of him to wish him well for his own sake； and as a friend of
yours； I wish it still more。 I understand that he intends to take
orders。 Will you be so good as to tell him that the living of
Delaford； now just vacant； as I am informed by this day’s post； is
his； if he think it worth his acceptance—but that； perhaps； so
unfortunately circumstanced as he is now； it may be nonsense to
appear to doubt； I only wish it were more valuable。—It is a rectory；
but a small one； the late incumbent； I believe； did not make more
l
than 200 。 per annum； and though it is certainly capable of
improvement； I fear； not to such an amount as to afford him a very
comfortable income。 Such as it is； however； my pleasure in
presenting him to it； will be very great。 Pray assure him of it。”
Elinor’s astonishment at this commission could hardly have
been greater； had the Colonel been really making her an offer of
his hand。 The preferment； which only two days before she had
considered as hopeless for Edward； was already provided to
enable him to marry；—and she； of all people in the world； was
fixed on to bestow it！—Her emotion was such as Mrs。 Jennings
had attributed to a very different cause；—but whatever minor
feelings less pure； less pleasing； might have a share in that
emotion； her esteem for the general benevolence； and her
gratitude for the particular friendship； which together prompted
Colonel Brandon to this act； were strongly felt； and warmly
expressed。 She thanked him for it with all her heart； spoke of
Edward’s principles and disposition with that praise which she
knew them to deserve； and promised to undertake the commission
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with pleasure； if it were really his wish to put off so agreeable an
office to another。 But at the same time； she could not help thinking
that no one could so well perform it as himself。 It was an office in
short； from which； unwilling to give Edward the pain of receiving
an obligation from her； she would have been very glad to be spared
herself；—but Colonel Brandon； on motives of equal delicacy；
declining it likewise； still seemed so desirous of its being given
through her means； that she would not on any account make
farther opposition。 Edward； she believed； was still in town； and
fortunately she had heard his address from Miss Steele。 She could
undertake therefore to inform him of it； in the course of the day。
After this had been settled； Colonel Brandon began to talk of his
own advantage in securing so respectable and agreeable a
neighbour； and then it was that he mentioned with regret； that the
house was small and indifferent；—an evil which Elinor； as Mrs。
Jennings had supposed her to do； made very light of； at least as far
as regarded its size。
“The smallness of the house；” said she； “I cannot imagine any
inconvenience to them； for it will be in proportion to their family
and income。”
By which the Colonel was surprised to find that she was
considering Mr。 Ferrars’s marriage as the certain consequence of
the presentation； for he did not suppose it possible that Delaford
living could supply such an income； as anybody in his style of life
would venture to settle on—and he said so。
“This little rectory can do no more than make Mr。 Ferrars
comfortable as a bachelor； it cannot enable him to marry。 I am
sorry to say that my patronage ends with this； and my interest is
hardly more extensive。 If； however； by an unforeseen chance it
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should be in my power to serve him farther； I must think very
differently of him fro