Austen Said:

"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."

"Oh! pray, Miss Margaret, let us know all about it,"

"What is the gentleman's name?"

"Yes, yes, we can guess where he is; at his own house at Norland to be sure. He is the curate of the parish I dare say."

"that it rained very hard,"

"I hope he has had no bad news,"

"It must be something extraordinary that could make Colonel Brandon leave my breakfast table so suddenly."

"No bad news, Colonel, I hope;"

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

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

"My dear madam,"

"recollect what you are saying."

"Perhaps it is to tell you that your cousin Fanny is married?"

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

"Oh! you know who I mean."

"In town!"

"What can you have to do in town at this time of year?"

"If you would but let us know what your business is,"

"we might see whether it could be put off or not."

"I hope we shall see you at Barton,"

"as soon as you can conveniently leave town; and we must put off the party to Whitwell till you return."

"Ay, so do, Sir John,"

"and then perhaps you may find out what his business is."

"Come Colonel,"

"before you go, do let us know what you are going about."

"I can guess what his business is, however,"

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

"What! do not you know who Miss Williams is? I am sure you must have heard of her before. She is a relation of the Colonel's, my dear; a very near relation. We will not say how near, for fear of shocking the young ladies."

"She is his natural daughter."

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

"I have found you out in spite of all your tricks. I know where you spent the morning."

"Yes, yes, Mr. Impudence, I know that very well, and I was determined to find out WHERE you had been to. — I hope you like your house, Miss Marianne. 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 when I was there six years ago."

"Something very melancholy must be the matter, I am sure,"

"I could see it in his face. Poor man! I am afraid his circumstances may be bad. The estate at Delaford was never reckoned more than two thousand a year, and his brother left everything sadly involved. I do think he must have been sent for about money matters, for what else can it be? I wonder whether it is so. I would give anything to know the truth of it. Perhaps it is about Miss Williams and, by the bye, I dare say it is, because he looked so conscious when I mentioned her. May be she is ill in town; nothing in the world more likely, for I have a notion she is always rather sickly. I would lay any wager it is about Miss Williams. It is not so very likely he should be distressed in his circumstances NOW, for he is a very prudent man, and to be sure must have cleared the estate by this time. I wonder what it can be! May be his sister is worse at Avignon, and has sent for him over. His setting off in such a hurry seems very like it. Well, I wish him out of all his trouble with all my heart, and a good wife into the bargain."

"And who knows but you may raise a dance,"

"And that will tempt YOU, Miss Marianne."

"Who! why yourselves, and the Careys, and Whitakers to be sure. — What! you thought nobody could dance because a certain person that shall be nameless is gone!"

"How do you do, my dear? How does Mrs. Dashwood do? And where are your sisters? What! all alone! you will be glad of a little company to sit with you. I have brought my other son and daughter to see you. Only think of their coming so suddenly! I thought I heard a carriage last night, while we were drinking our tea, but it never entered my head that it could be them. I thought of nothing but whether it might not be Colonel Brandon come back again; so I said to Sir John, I do think I hear a carriage; perhaps it is Colonel Brandon come back again" —

"Well! what a delightful room this is! I never saw anything so charming! Only think, Mama, how it is improved since I was here last! I always thought it such a sweet place, ma'am!

but you have made it so charming! Only look, sister, how delightful every thing is! How I should like such a house for myself! Should not you, Mr. Palmer?"

"Mr. Palmer does not hear me,"

"he never does sometimes. It is so ridiculous!"

"You may believe how glad we all were to see them,"

"but, however, I can't help wishing they had not travelled quite so fast, nor made such a long journey of it, for they came all round by London upon account of some business, for you know

it was wrong in her situation. I wanted her to stay at home and rest this morning, but she would come with us; she longed so much to see you all!"

"She expects to be confined in February,"

"Oh! dear, how beautiful these are! Well! how delightful! Do but look, mama, how sweet! I declare they are quite charming; I could look at them for ever."

"My love, have you been asleep?"

"I am so glad to see you!"

"for it is so bad a day I was afraid you might not come, which would be a shocking thing, as we go away again tomorrow. We must go, for the Westons come to us next week you know. It was quite a sudden thing our coming at all, and I knew nothing of it till the carriage was coming to the door, and then