Readers, we may be posting our next few blogs a little more often so that we can wrap up this book before the end of the year and take a hiatus over the holidays.

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters and possibly for future chapters.)

R: We finally get a massive revelation in this chapter, about both Colonel Brandon and Willoughby, because it turns out they are connected, and in the worst possible way. Colonel Brandon has had the care of a young lady, the illegitimate daughter of his childhood love (not his own daughter as most supposed), and this young lady was seduced and impregnated by Willoughby. Colonel Brandon decides to reveal all of this to Elinor in hopes of easing Marianne’s heart over the loss of a man who turns out to be a right cad.

S: Chapter 31 is by far the most informative and heart-wrenching chapter yet! No wonder Colonel Brandon is so melancholy – what a sad life he has led so far. Thinking back to when we first met Willoughby, I have even less esteem for him now and more frustration at his character and his outspoken harsh words against Colonel Brandon. He appears to me extremely foolish, not only in his conduct, but also with his speech. Before, I could believe as Marianne could, that he was just young and carefree, even if he is a cad, but now he appears to me an angry, cruel, selfish human. (Are those words strong enough?) 

I love how Austen creates a sweet bond between Colonel Brandon and Elinor, but it seems to be one only of friendship and mutual respect at this juncture. 

Also, Marianne needs to calm down. Mrs. Jennings, although desperately interested in gossip, truly does, it seems, want to ease Marianne’s mind, and Colonel Brandon hopes to do the same. I appreciated Austen reminding the reader that Marianne is so caught up in herself that she is unable to see that, despite some people being rough around the edges, they really do care about her. She instead assumes people act a certain way because that’s how she would act toward them if the roles were reversed. She has a lot of growing up to do and I hope we see that.

Despite this, Marianne finally becomes civil with Colonel Brandon! Mrs. Jennings’s assumption that Elinor and Colonel Brandon now have a thing just makes me roll my eyes. Then, as if life weren’t difficult enough for the Miss Dashwoods, enter the Steele sisters. (Shudder.) I had almost forgotten about them, so to meet them again at this point in time is vexing. I cannot imagine how Elinor was able to keep her temper with Lucy’s snide asides to her and Miss Steele’s insistence that they see Marianne. My favourite line came after Mrs. Jennings’s comment about the Dashwood sisters remaining a long time in London: ‘Lucy was silenced.’ I mean, Mrs. Jennings has no clue what’s going on, but the reader does and that line is delicious. 

It does bother me that it appears no one is getting what they want or need: Marianne needs the comfort of home and her mother, whilst Elinor needs to not run into Edward (which could happen at any of the parties they may attend). But, they are honouring their mother, so I can’t really fault them.

R: When Elinor tells Colonel Brandon’s story to Marianne I was surprised that it softened her toward the colonel, though she is still quiet and melancholy and has another fit of high emotion when she learns that Willoughby has married Miss Grey. Mrs. Dashwood decides that it would be better for Marianne to not be at Barton Cottage where she and Willoughby had so much time together, so the Miss Dashwoods stay in London as their brother and sister-in-law, the Middletons and the Miss Steeles arrive. Lucy immediately tries to ingratiate herself to Elinor again, while Marianne continues to avoid as much socialization as she can. Elinor once more faces the brunt of everyone’s feelings about Willoughby, but she bears it with equanimity in order to protect her sister.

S: It appears that everyone, except Elinor, expects her and Colonel Brandon to marry! You remember the old adage, ‘You have one mouth and two ears for a reason’? Well, most of these characters could do with that reminder, especially her brother. Elinor is perfectly aware that the Dashwoods have more money than he tries to convince her of, and his speech, while attempting to remain subtle, reminds the reader that he and Fanny are all about themselves and their wealth and their status.

R: He’s so set on convincing Elinor that he and Fanny are in dire straits and can’t do anything to help their sisters. It really emphasizes their selfishness.

‘He [John Dashwood] had just compunction enough for having done nothing for his sisters himself, to be exceedingly anxious that everybody else should do a great deal; and an offer from Colonel Brandon, or a legacy from Mrs. Jennings, was the easiest means of atoning for his own neglect.’

And neglect it was. In a society where young, unmarried ladies are forced to rely on their family’s goodwill until they’re married, John Dashwood’s neglect of taking care of his sisters is particularly egregious. Yes, they had their mother, but she was as much at the mercy of the laws of inheritance as her daughters.

S: But Edward! We don’t know how Elinor feels about the news that his mother is trying to set him up with someone, but it does seem a gloomy prospect for the Miss Dashwoods. I’d like to have Edward speak to Elinor and explain himself, because right now he is in a bit of a pickle and has annoyed me quite thoroughly.

R: All of the different threads of the story start to come together. The Dashwoods meet the Middletons (and like them very much) and Mrs. Jennings (only John Dashwood likes her) and invite all of them as well as the Steeles, Colonel Brandon and the frightening Mrs. Ferrars to their house for a dinner. They also invite the Miss Steeles to stay at the house for a week. Lucy is beside herself with nerves and excitement at the opportunity to meet Mrs. Ferrars, who is also at the dinner, and ingratiate herself with the family, which she is able to do because Mrs. Ferrars and Fanny Dashwood treat Elinor very badly based on their assumption that she and Edward feel for each other. Uncharacteristically, Elinor feels a little mean pleasure at their ‘graciousness so misapplied’.

S: Again with the not communicating! If only Marianne had been more sober-minded that Elinor might have told her about Edward’s and Lucy’s engagement! (I say being tricked and harassed trumps making a promise of being a secret keeper, but I digress.) If only she might have been able to tell someone how Lucy treats her! I’m happy she was able to tell Lucy that she had no pity for her (again, I’m not sure I would have had the guts to do something like that), and that she saw the foolishness, and found amusing the way, in which Mrs. Ferrars treated her. Truly, she is a heroine.

R: Ooh, Lucy shows up after the dinner party to twist the knife in Elinor’s back, only to be interrupted by the untimely arrival of Edward Ferrars. He is so incredibly embarrassed, and Lucy so determined to keep up the pretense of secrecy, that Elinor ends up carrying all the conversation. After a while, she leaves them (why???) to bring Marianne down, who manages to only make things more awkward for Edward and Elinor. She makes a comment about Edward’s character that almost seems to show knowledge of all the circumstances, but certainly explains why he’s maintained this secret engagement with Lucy for four years:

‘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.’

I have to wonder what Lucy thought of this proclamation. 

S: I’m just throwing this out there: I dislike Lucy’s character. I can understand how a person with very little means would want to make sure her secret engagement remained secret, but she treats Elinor abominably and does not endear herself to me. The scene when Edward visits Elinor and is then caught in an awkward mess is amusing, but also frustrating. Marianne is such a romantic that she doesn’t notice the room’s atmosphere or her sister’s countenance, nor does she notice Lucy’s rude glances and sharp words. I want to take Edward by the shoulders and shout, ‘Come on, man! Stand up for yourself and quit being pushed around!’ but, I know that his fear of making the wrong choice and of disappointing one’s parents (not to mention being worried that you may never have a fortune again if you step one toe out of line) is real. 

In all, I don’t have nearly as many questions as I have before except, ‘How will this all be resolved?!’

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters and possibly for future chapters.)

R: The Miss Dashwoods make their way to London with Mrs. Jennings, a three-day journey during which Marianne continues her rude behavior, leaving poor Elinor to pick up the slack, as usual. The second they arrive, Marianne writes a letter, which is revealed to be meant for Mr. Willoughby. This cements the idea in Elinor’s mind that the two must be engaged, for well-brought-up young ladies did not write letters to men to whom they were not attached.

Marianne is all the time expecting Willoughby to show up and is sorely disappointed to have Colonel Brandon arrive instead. She’s so upset that she runs off when she realizes it’s not Willoughby. Marianne’s behavior begins to really concern Elinor as she’s constantly looking for Willoughby when they’re out and expecting a letter or the man himself upon every return to Mrs. Jennings’ house.

S: I am so happy that Colonel Brandon has reappeared in the story! Of course, we do not yet really know what his business was that took him from Barton (despite Mrs. Jennings’s questioning). I was a little surprised at Elinor’s envy of Marianne’s assumed engagement, although I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me. 

R: I’m thrilled that Colonel Brandon is back, but saddened by his wistfulness. He has little hope of Marianne returning his regard. And poor Elinor is stuck in the middle of it all again. She has to be the rock that everyone is anchored to, while no one even realizes that there’s something going on with her.

S: As we move through the chapters I’m quite irritated with both Willoughby and Marianne – Willoughby because he is acting very peculiarly and secretively and Marianne because she is pouty and melancholic. It hurts me as the reader to see her so focused on one person that she cannot simply enjoy the gift of staying in London for a lengthy visit. 

R: They are both completely self-absorbed – Marianne not seeing her own sister’s pain, and Willoughby seems to be intentionally avoiding Marianne, almost like he hopes she’ll give up if he ignores her.

S: And poor Colonel Brandon! His hopes are dashed, it seems, by the assumption that Willoughby and Marianne are engaged. Granted, this rumor began by idle gossip on the part of the Jennings, Palmers, and Middletons, so I’m not sure if it can be trusted. When we discover the formal and rather rude way Willoughby speaks to Elinor and regards Marianne we feel the same sadness and confusion as Elinor and wonder what happened: Were they engaged or not?

R: Willoughby’s cold behavior toward Marianne in public seems to be as much to show others that there was nothing between them as it was to show her. Because of this encounter, Elinor begs Mrs. Jennings to stop telling people that Marianne and Willoughby are engaged, but the older woman persists in thinking that Elinor is just trying to keep it secret.

S: I do like the way Elinor rebukes Mrs. Jennings about her gossip – I’m not sure I’d have the guts to do that. But, it seems rather fruitless to have done so since Mrs. Jennings has convinced herself of the engagement.

R: She convinces the rest of the populace of London, as well!

S: Indeed! And then comes the letter from Willoughby. I can feel Marianne’s and Elinor’s distress over Willoughby’s letter; what a cad! Austen speaks of Elinor’s indignance toward the letter and I have every bit as much as she does. The contents seem to place all the blame on Marianne, that she was setting up for herself fantasies Willoughby had never helped her conjure. Still, good on Marianne for adjuring him to give back all the letters she had written him and the lock of hair she had given him. If he refused to acknowledge what they had she wouldn’t give him any reason to again. 

I will admit to being frustrated with Marianne’s self-centeredness. She assumes she is the only one who has ever experienced such grief or who has been treated badly. Elinor tries to tell Marianne (without telling her) that what she thinks about how Edward feels about her isn’t necessarily true, but Marianne will not listen. When Marianne tries to justify Willoughby’s actions – that hurt my heart even more. 

“I have no patience with him….and I wish with all my soul his wife may plague his heart out.” – Mrs. Jennings

R: Mrs. Jennings certainly makes a fast turnaround in her feelings about Willoughby. She goes from praising him to the heavens to wishing him quite ill, which really shows a lack of character and sense, much as she’s shown throughout the book, but now she adds inconsistency to her negative traits. She has encouraged Marianne in bad behavior and spread damaging gossip about several different characters including Marianne, Elinor, Edward Ferrars and Colonel Brandon.

Marianne is also ignorant of, or ignoring, how poorly she behaved by writing to a man to whom she isn’t related or engaged. She could have ruined her reputation and thus her prospects for marriage, which was, unfortunately, the only goal and expectation of young women of the times. 

S: I don’t think it was right for this to be the only expectation of women. There are many women throughout history who are unable, or do not want, to marry, and so to create a culture that alienates people who do not fit into the box is just silly. We have no idea if Lydia in Acts 16 was married. She was a seller of purple cloth who helped Paul and his companions, and who made her own way in the world (if indeed she wasn’t married). Luke 8 also tells of women who had money and helped Christ and His disciples; some of them were married and some may not have been. 

You know, this section reminded me of the passage in Titus 2:3-5, which says (quoted in the King James Version because, of course, this is what Austen would have read): 

The aged women likewise, that [they be] in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 

R: Mrs. Jennings is definitely in contrast to what an older woman should be. She is not at all discreet and seems more interested in gossip than in taking care of the young ladies under her charge. Likewise, Marianne shows herself to be neither sober nor discreet, and treads the line of unchastity in her behavior with Willoughby.

Elinor seems to fit a little into both the older and younger categories. To Mrs. Jennings, she is the younger, but exhibits all of the characteristics that a young woman should have, in spite of Mrs. Jennings’ poor example; and so to Marianne, Elinor embodies what her sister should be striving for. 

S: And yet, despite all of this, Mrs. Jennings does seem to care. The ways in which she tries to cheer up Marianne are extremely amusing and offer insight into the ‘high life’ and the disconnect there seems to be between the upper echelon of London society and ‘real life’. 

In the end, the elder woman voices what the reader may have forgotten – now Colonel Brandon is free to try for Marianne’s hand! But, what of this love child of whom she speaks? Is the child Colonel Brandon’s, and, if so, what is the story? The end of this section leaves me wondering how long Marianne will remain depressed, if Colonel Brandon will try for her hand, if Marianne will accept him if he does, and what will happen with Elinor’s love life?