Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
by Jane Austen (1811)
Chapter 6
The first part of their journey was
performed in too melancholy a disposition
to be otherwise than tedious and
unpleasant.
But as they drew towards the end of it,
their interest in the appearance of a
country which they were to inhabit overcame
their dejection, and a view of Barton
Valley as they entered it gave them
cheerfulness.
It was a pleasant fertile spot, well
wooded, and rich in pasture.
After winding along it for more than a
mile, they reached their own house.
A small green court was the whole of its
demesne in front; and a neat wicket gate
admitted them into it.
As a house, Barton Cottage, though small,
was comfortable and compact; but as a
cottage it was defective, for the building
was regular, the roof was tiled, the window
shutters were not painted green, nor were
the walls covered with honeysuckles.
A narrow passage led directly through the
house into the garden behind.
On each side of the entrance was a sitting
room, about sixteen feet square; and beyond
them were the offices and the stairs.
Four bed-rooms and two garrets formed the
rest of the house.
It had not been built many years and was in
good repair.
In comparison of Norland, it was poor and
small indeed!--but the tears which
recollection called forth as they entered
the house were soon dried away.
They were cheered by the joy of the
servants on their arrival, and each for the
sake of the others resolved to appear
happy.
It was very early in September; the season
was fine, and from first seeing the place
under the advantage of good weather, they
received an impression in its favour which
was of material service in recommending it
to their lasting approbation.
The situation of the house was good.
High hills rose immediately behind, and at
no great distance on each side; some of
which were open downs, the others
cultivated and ***.
The village of Barton was chiefly on one of
these hills, and formed a pleasant view
from the cottage windows.
The prospect in front was more extensive;
it commanded the whole of the valley, and
reached into the country beyond.
The hills which surrounded the cottage
terminated the valley in that direction;
under another name, and in another course,
it branched out again between two of the
steepest of them.
With the size and furniture of the house
Mrs. Dashwood was upon the whole well
satisfied; for though her former style of
life rendered many additions to the latter
indispensable, yet to add and improve was a
delight to her; and she had at this time
ready money enough to supply all that was
wanted of greater elegance to the
apartments.
"As for the house itself, to be sure," said
she, "it is too small for our family, but
we will make ourselves tolerably
comfortable for the present, as it is too
late in the year for improvements.
Perhaps in the spring, if I have plenty of
money, as I dare say I shall, we may think
about building.
These parlors are both too small for such
parties of our friends as I hope to see
often collected here; and I have some
thoughts of throwing the passage into one
of them with perhaps a part of the other,
and so leave the remainder of that other
for an entrance; this, with a new drawing
room which may be easily added, and a bed-
chamber and garret above, will make it a
very snug little cottage.
I could wish the stairs were handsome.
But one must not expect every thing; though
I suppose it would be no difficult matter
to widen them.
I shall see how much I am before-hand with
the world in the spring, and we will plan
our improvements accordingly."
In the mean time, till all these
alterations could be made from the savings
of an income of five hundred a-year by a
woman who never saved in her life, they
were wise enough to be contented with the
house as it was; and each of them was busy
in arranging their particular concerns, and
endeavoring, by placing around them books
and other possessions, to form themselves a
home.
Marianne's pianoforte was unpacked and
properly disposed of; and Elinor's drawings
were affixed to the walls of their sitting
room.
In such employments as these they were
interrupted soon after breakfast the next
day by the entrance of their landlord, who
called to welcome them to Barton, and to
offer them every accommodation from his own
house and garden in which theirs might at
present be deficient.
Sir John Middleton was a good looking man
about forty.
He had formerly visited at Stanhill, but it
was too long for his young cousins to
remember him.
His countenance was thoroughly good-
humoured; and his manners were as friendly
as the style of his letter.
Their arrival seemed to afford him real
satisfaction, and their comfort to be an
object of real solicitude to him.
He said much of his earnest desire of their
living in the most sociable terms with his
family, and pressed them so cordially to
dine at Barton Park every day till they
were better settled at home, that, though
his entreaties were carried to a point of
perseverance beyond civility, they could
not give offence.
His kindness was not confined to words; for
within an hour after he left them, a large
basket full of garden stuff and fruit
arrived from the park, which was followed
before the end of the day by a present of
game.
He insisted, moreover, on conveying all
their letters to and from the post for
them, and would not be denied the
satisfaction of sending them his newspaper
every day.
Lady Middleton had sent a very civil
message by him, denoting her intention of
waiting on Mrs. Dashwood as soon as she
could be assured that her visit would be no
inconvenience; and as this message was
answered by an invitation equally polite,
her ladyship was introduced to them the
next day.
They were, of course, very anxious to see a
person on whom so much of their comfort at
Barton must depend; and the elegance of her
appearance was favourable to their wishes.
Lady Middleton was not more than six or
seven and twenty; her face was handsome,
her figure tall and striking, and her
address graceful.
Her manners had all the elegance which her
husband's wanted.
But they would have been improved by some
share of his frankness and warmth; and her
visit was long enough to detract something
from their first admiration, by shewing
that, though perfectly well-bred, she was
reserved, cold, and had nothing to say for
herself beyond the most common-place
inquiry or remark.
Conversation however was not wanted, for
Sir John was very chatty, and Lady
Middleton had taken the wise precaution of
bringing with her their eldest child, a
fine little boy about six years old, by
which means there was one subject always to
be recurred to by the ladies in case of
extremity, for they had to enquire his name
and age, admire his beauty, and ask him
questions which his mother answered for
him, while he hung about her and held down
his head, to the great surprise of her
ladyship, who wondered at his being so shy
before company, as he could make noise
enough at home.
On every formal visit a child ought to be
of the party, by way of provision for
discourse.
In the present case it took up ten minutes
to determine whether the boy were most like
his father or mother, and in what
particular he resembled either, for of
course every body differed, and every body
was astonished at the opinion of the
others.
An opportunity was soon to be given to the
Dashwoods of debating on the rest of the
children, as Sir John would not leave the
house without securing their promise of
dining at the park the next day.