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SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
by Jane Austen (1811)
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.
A continuance in a place where everything
reminded her of former delight, was exactly
what suited her mind.
In seasons of cheerfulness, no temper could
be more cheerful than hers, or possess, in
a greater degree, that sanguine expectation
of happiness which is happiness itself.
But in sorrow she must be equally carried
away by her fancy, and as far beyond
consolation as in pleasure she was beyond
alloy.
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.
She begged him to think again on the
subject.
How could he answer it to himself to rob
his child, and his only child too, of so
large a sum?
And what possible claim could the Miss
Dashwoods, who were related to him only by
half blood, which she considered as no
relationship at all, have on his generosity
to so large an amount.
It was very well known that no affection
was ever supposed to exist between the
children of any man by different marriages;
and why was he to ruin himself, and their
poor little Harry, by giving away all his
money to his half sisters?
"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; ten to one but he was light-
headed at the time.
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 ***; he only requested me,
in general terms, to assist them, and make
their situation more comfortable than it
was in his power to do.
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; at least I thought so
at the time.
The promise, therefore, was given, and must
be performed.
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 never can return.
Your sisters will marry, and it will be
gone for ever.
If, indeed, it could be restored to our
poor little boy--"
"Why, to be sure," said her husband, very
gravely, "that would make great difference.
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!
And as it is--only half blood!--But you
have such a generous spirit!"
"I would not wish to do any thing mean," he
replied.
"One had rather, on such occasions, do too
much than too little.
No one, at least, can think I have not done
enough for them: even themselves, they can
hardly expect more."
"There is no knowing what THEY may expect,"
said the lady, "but we are not to think of
their expectations: the question is, what
you can afford to do."
"Certainly--and I think I may afford to
give them five hundred pounds a-piece.
As it is, without any addition of mine,
they will each have about 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 that they can want no addition at all.
They will have ten thousand pounds divided
amongst them.
If they marry, they will be sure of doing
well, and if they do not, 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
for them--something of the annuity kind I
mean.--My sisters would feel the good
effects of it as well as herself.
A hundred a year would make them all
perfectly comfortable."
His wife hesitated a little, however, in
giving her consent to this plan.
"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 shall be completely taken
in."
"Fifteen years! my dear ***; her life
cannot be worth half that purchase."
"Certainly not; but if you observe, people
always live for ever when there is an
annuity to be paid them; and she is very
stout and healthy, and hardly forty.
An annuity is a very serious business; it
comes over and over every year, and there
is no getting rid of it.
You are not aware of what you are doing.
I have known a great deal of the trouble of
annuities; for my mother was clogged with
the payment of three to old superannuated
servants by my father's will, and it is
amazing how disagreeable she found it.
Twice every year these annuities were to be
paid; and then there was the trouble of
getting it to them; and then one of them
was said to have died, and afterwards it
turned out to be no such thing.
My mother was quite sick of it.
Her income was not her own, she said, with
such perpetual claims on it; and it was the
more unkind in my father, because,
otherwise, the money would have been
entirely at my mother's disposal, without
any restriction whatever.
It has given me such an abhorrence of
annuities, that I am sure I would not pin
myself down to the payment of one for all
the world."
"It is certainly an unpleasant thing,"
replied Mr. Dashwood, "to have those kind
of yearly drains on one's income.
One's fortune, as your mother justly says,
is NOT one's own.
To be tied down to the regular payment of
such a sum, on every rent day, is by no
means desirable: it takes away one's
independence."
"Undoubtedly; and after all you have no
thanks for it.
They think themselves secure, you do no
more than what is expected, and it raises
no gratitude at all.
If I were you, whatever I did should be
done at my own discretion entirely.
I would not bind myself to allow them any
thing yearly.
It may be very inconvenient some years to
spare a hundred, or even fifty pounds from
our own expenses."
"I believe you are right, my love; it will
be better that there should be no annuity
in the case; whatever I may give them
occasionally will be of far greater
assistance than a yearly allowance, because
they would only enlarge their style of
living if they felt sure of a larger
income, and would not be sixpence the
richer for it at the end of the year.
It will certainly be much the best way.
A present of fifty pounds, now and then,
will prevent their ever being distressed
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 am 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 small house
for them, helping them to move their
things, and sending them presents of fish
and game, and so forth, whenever they are
in season.
I'll lay my life that he meant nothing
farther; indeed, it would be very strange
and unreasonable if he did.
Do but 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 a-piece, and, of course, they will pay
their mother for their board out of it.
Altogether, they will have five hundred a-
year amongst them, and what on earth can
four women want for more than that?--They
will live so cheap!
Their housekeeping will be nothing at all.
They will have no carriage, no horses, and
hardly any servants; they will keep no
company, and can have no expenses of any
kind!
Only conceive how comfortable they will be!
Five hundred a year!
I am sure I cannot imagine how they will
spend half of it; and as to your giving
them more, it is quite absurd to think of
it.
They will be much more able to give YOU
something."
"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.
I clearly understand it now, and I will
strictly fulfil my engagement by such acts
of assistance and kindness to them as you
have described.
When my mother removes into another house
my services shall be readily given to
accommodate her as far as I can.
Some little present 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 Stanhill
was sold, all the china, plate, and linen
was saved, and is now left to your mother.
Her house will therefore be almost
completely fitted up as soon as she takes
it."
"That is a material consideration
undoubtedly.
A valuable legacy indeed!
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.
A great deal too handsome, in my opinion,
for any place THEY can ever afford to live
in.
But, however, so it is.
Your father thought only of THEM.
And I must say this: that you owe no
particular gratitude to him, nor attention
to his wishes; 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 intentions 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 neighbourly acts
as his own wife pointed out.