By ten o'clock the whole party was assembled at the park, where theywere to breakfast. The morning was rather favourable, though it hadrained all night, as the clouds were then dispersing across the sky, and the sun frequently appeared. They were all in high spirits andgood humour, eager to be happy, and determined to submit to thegreatest inconveniences and hardships rather than be otherwise.

While they were at breakfast the letters were brought in. Among therest there was one for Colonel Brandon; -- he took it, looked at thedirection, changed colour, and immediately left the room.

Nobody could tell.

"I hope he has had no bad news," said Lady Middleton. "It must besomething extraordinary that could make Colonel Brandon leave mybreakfast table so suddenly."

Their intended excursion to Whitwell turned out very different fromwhat Elinor had expected. She was prepared to be wet through, fatigued, and frightened; but the event was still more unfortunate, forthey did not go at all.

"What is the matter with Brandon?" said Sir John.

"But how came the hand to discompose you so much, if it was only aletter of business? Come, come, this won't do, Colonel; so let us hearthe truth of it."

"Was it from Avignon? I hope it is not to say that your sister isworse."

"None at all, ma'am, I thank you."

"No bad news, Colonel, I hope;" said Mrs. Jennings, as soon as heentered the room.

"No, ma'am. It came from town, and is merely a letter of business."

In about five minutes he returned.

"Well, then, I know who it is from, Colonel. And I hope she is well."

"In town!" cried Mrs. Jennings. "What can you have to do in town atthis time of year?"

"My dear madam," said Lady Middleton, "recollect what you are saying."

"No, indeed, it is not."

"Whom do you mean, ma'am?" said he, colouring a little.

"Oh! you know who I mean."

"I am particularly sorry, ma'am," said he, addressing Lady Middleton,"that I should receive this letter today, for it is on business whichrequires my immediate attendance in town."

"Perhaps it is to tell you that your cousin Fanny is married?" saidMrs. Jennings, without attending to her daughter's reproof.

What a blow upon them all was this!

"My own loss is great," he continued, "in being obliged to leave soagreeable a party; but I am the more concerned, as I fear my presenceis necessary to gain your admittance at Whitwell."

"But if you write a note to the housekeeper, Mr. Brandon," saidMarianne, eagerly, "will it not be sufficient?"

"We must go," said Sir John. --"It shall not be put off when we are sonear it. You cannot go to town till tomorrow, Brandon, that is all."

He shook his head.

"I wish it could be so easily settled. But it is not in my power todelay my journey for one day!"

"You would not be six hours later," said Willoughby, "if you were todefer your journey till our return."

"I cannot afford to lose ONE hour." -- Elinor then heard Willoughby say, in a low voice to Marianne, "Thereare some people who cannot bear a party of pleasure. Brandon is one ofthem. He was afraid of catching cold I dare say, and invented thistrick for getting out of it. I would lay fifty guineas the letter wasof his own writing."

"If you would but let us know what your business is," said Mrs. Jennings, "we might see whether it could be put off or not."

"There is no persuading you to change your mind, Brandon, I know ofold," said Sir John, "when once you are determined on anything. But, however, I hope you will think better of it. Consider, here are thetwo Miss Careys come over from Newton, the three Miss Dashwoods walkedup from the cottage, and Mr. Willoughby got up two hours before hisusual time, on purpose to go to Whitwell."

"I have no doubt of it," replied Marianne.

Colonel Brandon again repeated his sorrow at being the cause ofdisappointing the party; but at the same time declared it to beunavoidable.

"Well, then, when will you come back again?"

"I hope we shall see you at Barton," added her ladyship, "as soon asyou can conveniently leave town; and we must put off the party toWhitwell till you return."

"You are very obliging. But it is so uncertain, when I may have it inmy power to return, that I dare not engage for it at all."

"Ay, so do, Sir John," cried Mrs. Jennings, "and then perhaps you mayfind out what his business is."

"Oh! he must and shall come back," cried Sir John. "If he is not hereby the end of the week, I shall go after him."

"Come Colonel," said Mrs. Jennings, "before you go, do let us know whatyou are going about."

He wished her a good morning, and, attended by Sir John, left the room.

"I do not want to pry into other men's concerns. I suppose it issomething he is ashamed of."

The complaints and lamentations which politeness had hithertorestrained, now burst forth universally; and they all agreed again andagain how provoking it was to be so disappointed.

He then took leave of the whole party.

"I assure you it is not in my power."

To Marianne, he merely bowed and said nothing.

"I can guess what his business is, however," said Mrs. Jenningsexultingly.

"I am afraid, none at all."

"Then I must bid you farewell for a longer time than I should wish todo."

"Well, as you are resolved to go, I wish you a good journey. But youhad better change your mind."

"No. Only to Honiton. I shall then go post."

Colonel Brandon's horses were announced.

"You do not go to town on horseback, do you?" added Sir John.

"Is there no chance of my seeing you and your sisters in town thiswinter, Miss Dashwood?"

"And who is Miss Williams?" asked Marianne.

"Can you, ma'am?" said almost every body.

"What! do not you know who Miss Williams is? I am sure you must haveheard of her before. She is a relation of the Colonel's, my dear; avery near relation. We will not say how near, for fear of shocking theyoung ladies." Then, lowering her voice a little, she said to Elinor,"She is his natural daughter."

"Yes; it is about Miss Williams, I am sure."

"Indeed!"

"Oh, yes; and as like him as she can stare. I dare say the Colonelwill leave her all his fortune."

When Sir John returned, he joined most heartily in the general regreton so unfortunate an event; concluding however by observing, that asthey were all got together, they must do something by way of beinghappy; and after some consultation it was agreed, that althoughhappiness could only be enjoyed at Whitwell, they might procure atolerable composure of mind by driving about the country. Thecarriages were then ordered; Willoughby's was first, and Marianne neverlooked happier than when she got into it. He drove through the parkvery fast, and they were soon out of sight; and nothing more of themwas seen till their return, which did not happen till after the returnof all the rest. They both seemed delighted with their drive; but saidonly in general terms that they had kept in the lanes, while the otherswent on the downs.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Impudence, I know that very well, and I was determinedto find out WHERE you had been to. -- I hope you like your house, MissMarianne. It is a very large one, I know; and when I come to see you, I hope you will have new-furnished it, for it wanted it very much whenI was there six years ago."

"Did not you know," said Willoughby, "that we had been out in mycurricle?"

Marianne coloured, and replied very hastily, "Where, pray?" --

It was settled that there should be a dance in the evening, and thatevery body should be extremely merry all day long. Some more of theCareys came to dinner, and they had the pleasure of sitting down nearlytwenty to table, which Sir John observed with great contentment. Willoughby took his usual place between the two elder Miss Dashwoods. Mrs. Jennings sat on Elinor's right hand; and they had not been longseated, before she leant behind her and Willoughby, and said toMarianne, loud enough for them both to hear, "I have found you out inspite of all your tricks. I know where you spent the morning."

Marianne turned away in great confusion. Mrs. Jennings laughedheartily; and Elinor found that in her resolution to know where theyhad been, she had actually made her own woman enquire of Mr. Willoughby's groom; and that she had by that method been informed thatthey had gone to Allenham, and spent a considerable time there inwalking about the garden and going all over the house.

Elinor could hardly believe this to be true, as it seemed very unlikelythat Willoughby should propose, or Marianne consent, to enter the housewhile Mrs. Smith was in it, with whom Marianne had not the smallestacquaintance.

As soon as they left the dining-room, Elinor enquired of her about it; and great was her surprise when she found that every circumstancerelated by Mrs. Jennings was perfectly true. Marianne was quite angrywith her for doubting it.

"Yes, Marianne, but I would not go while Mrs. Smith was there, and withno other companion than Mr. Willoughby."

"Why should you imagine, Elinor, that we did not go there, or that wedid not see the house? Is not it what you have often wished to doyourself?"

"I am afraid," replied Elinor, "that the pleasantness of an employmentdoes not always evince its propriety."

"Mr. Willoughby however is the only person who can have a right to shewthat house; and as he went in an open carriage, it was impossible tohave any other companion. I never spent a pleasanter morning in mylife."

"On the contrary, nothing can be a stronger proof of it, Elinor; for ifthere had been any real impropriety in what I did, I should have beensensible of it at the time, for we always know when we are actingwrong, and with such a conviction I could have had no pleasure."

"But, my dear Marianne, as it has already exposed you to some veryimpertinent remarks, do you not now begin to doubt the discretion ofyour own conduct?"

"If the impertinent remarks of Mrs. Jennings are to be the proof ofimpropriety in conduct, we are all offending every moment of our lives. I value not her censure any more than I should do her commendation. Iam not sensible of having done anything wrong in walking over Mrs. Smith's grounds, or in seeing her house. They will one day be Mr. Willoughby's, and --"

"If they were one day to be your own, Marianne, you would not bejustified in what you have done."

She blushed at this hint; but it was even visibly gratifying to her; and after a ten minutes' interval of earnest thought, she came to hersister again, and said with great good humour, "Perhaps, Elinor, it WASrather ill-judged in me to go to Allenham; but Mr. Willoughby wantedparticularly to shew me the place; and it is a charming house, I assureyou. -- There is one remarkably pretty sitting room up stairs; of a nicecomfortable size for constant use, and with modern furniture it wouldbe delightful. It is a corner room, and has windows on two sides. Onone side you look across the bowling-green, behind the house, to abeautiful hanging wood, and on the other you have a view of the churchand village, and, beyond them, of those fine bold hills that we have sooften admired. I did not see it to advantage, for nothing could bemore forlorn than the furniture, -- but if it were newly fitted up-acouple of hundred pounds, Willoughby says, would make it one of thepleasantest summer-rooms in England."

Could Elinor have listened to her without interruption from the others, she would have described every room in the house with equal delight.