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."

"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!"

"No, none at all,"

"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

Mr. Palmer asked me

He is so droll! He never tells me any thing! I am so sorry we cannot stay longer; however we shall meet again in town very soon, I hope."

"Not go to town!"

"I shall be quite disappointed if you do not. I could get the nicest house in world for you, next door to ours, in Hanover-square. You must come, indeed. I am sure I shall be very happy to chaperon you at any time till I am confined, if Mrs. Dashwood should not like to go into public."

"Oh, my love,"

"you must help me to persuade the Miss Dashwoods to go to town this winter."

"How horrid all this is!"

"Such weather makes every thing and every body disgusting. Dullness is as much produced within doors as without, by rain. It makes one detest all one's acquaintance. What the devil does Sir John mean by not having a billiard room in his house? How few people know what comfort is! Sir John is as stupid as the weather."

"Oh, don't be so sly before us,"

"for we know all about it, I assure you; and I admire your taste very much, for I think he is extremely handsome. We do not live a great way from him in the country, you know. Not above ten miles, I dare say."

"Much nearer thirty,"

"Ah, well! there is not much difference. I never was at his house; but they say it is a sweet pretty place."

"As vile a spot as I ever saw in my life,"

"Is it very ugly?"

"then it must be some other place that is so pretty I suppose."

"Then you would be very ill-bred,"

"My love you contradict every body,"

"Do you know that you are quite rude?"

"I did not know I contradicted any body in calling your mother ill-bred."

"Mr. Palmer is so droll!"

"He is always out of humour."

"Oh, my dear Miss Dashwood,"

"I have got such a favour to ask of you and your sister. Will you come and spend some time at Cleveland this Christmas? Now, pray do, — and come while the Westons are with us. You cannot think how happy I shall be! It will be quite delightful! — My love,"

"don't you long to have the Miss Dashwoods come to Cleveland?"

"Certainly,"

"I came into Devonshire with no other view."

"There now," —

"you see Mr. Palmer expects you; so you cannot refuse to come."

"But indeed you must and shall come. I am sure you will like it of all things. The Westons will be with us, and it will be quite delightful. You cannot think what a sweet place Cleveland is; and we are so gay now, for Mr. Palmer is always going about the country canvassing against the election; and so many people came to dine with us that I never saw before, it is quite charming! But, poor fellow! it is very fatiguing to him! for he is forced to make every body like him."

"How charming it will be,"

"when he is in Parliament! — won't it? How I shall laugh! It will be so ridiculous to see all his letters directed to him with an M.P. — But do you know,

he says,

He declares

Don't you, Mr. Palmer?"

"He cannot bear writing, you know,"

"he says

"No,"

"I never said any thing so irrational. Don't palm all your abuses of languages upon me."

"There now; you see how droll he is. This is always the way with him! Sometimes he won't speak to me for half a day together, and then he comes out with something so droll — all about any thing in the world."

"Well — I am so glad you do. I thought you would, he is so pleasant; and Mr. Palmer is excessively pleased with you and your sisters I can tell you, and you can't think how disappointed he will be if you don't come to Cleveland. — I can't imagine why you should object to it."