Reason and Emotion: The Complete Works of Jane Austen

Author: Jane Austen (English)
Translator: Yin Xu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-08-01
Features:
Excerpt: If indifference and selfishness do not amount to ill will, he is not a ill-natured young man either. On the whole, he is respectable, for he behaves with courtesy in the performance of his usual duties. If he married a more compassionate woman, he would appear more distinguished than he does now, and even he himself would be more compassionate. He was still young when he married and he loved his wife very much, while Mrs. Dashwood was the complete caricature of his comic image: narrow-minded and selfish. When he assured his father, he was thinking of giving each of his sisters a thousand pounds, so that by increasing their property, he would be considered to have helped them. He did not take into account the current income; he had an annual income of four thousand pounds, in addition to the property left by his mother. This idea excited him, and he believed he had the generosity to do so. "Yes, give them three thousand pounds—that would be so generous! Enough to make their lives comfortable. Three thousand pounds! To lose such a considerable sum would not be inconvenient." He thought about this all day and for several days in a row, and he would not regret it in this matter.
After the funeral of his father-in-law, Mrs. Dashwood, with her children and servants, came to Norland estate without informing her stepmother of her intentions. No one could doubt her right to be here, for the house had belonged to her husband since his father's death. However, her behavior was too abrupt, and for a woman of Mrs. Dashwood's position and ordinary sensibilities, it must have been very unpleasant. But she had a strong sense of honor and a false sense of generosity, which made her detest anyone who gave or suffered such an offense. In the eyes of anyone in her husband's family, Mrs. Dashwood was not a welcome person. But at this moment, she had the opportunity to show herself: when someone needed her to perform a duty for their comfortable lives, she was so indifferent. Mrs. Dashwood keenly felt this rude behavior and despised her daughter-in-law for it. When her daughter-in-law arrived, she had planned to leave the house forever if not for her eldest daughter begging her to consider politeness first, if not for her love for her three daughters, which made her decide to stay, and if not to avoid quarreling with her brother. Her eldest daughter, Elinor, was persuasive in her advice, coming from an understanding of the situation and a calm judgment, which made her, though only nineteen, qualified to be her mother's advisor. She could often restrain her mother's impetuosity, which often led to imprudence, and her restraint benefited everyone. She was kind-hearted, gentle in nature, and emotionally strong, but she knew how to control her emotions—a skill her mother still had to learn, and one of her sisters considered unnecessary.
Marianne was more talented than Elinor. She was clever and quick-witted but overly enthusiastic about everything, unable to restrain her sorrows and joys. She was generous and lovable, except for her lack of caution, which was her only fault. She was remarkably similar to her mother. Elinor noticed her sister's excessive indulgence in her emotions and was concerned. To Mrs. Dashwood, however, this temperament was rare and precious. Now, their personalities were only adding to each other's troubles. The sudden grief that had initially made them completely submit had returned, and it occupied their thoughts again and again. They were immersed in their sorrow, repeatedly reflecting on its origins, hoping that future comfort might gradually erase it. Elinor was also deeply troubled, but she remained calm and did her best. She could advocate for her sisters' rights and welcome her sister-in-law when she arrived, showing her due concern. This encouraged her mother to join in her efforts and inspired her to restrain herself like a daughter. The other sister, Margaret, was a gentle and helpful girl. She had absorbed her sister Marianne's romanticism but not her temperament, so this thirteen-year-old girl had hope of surpassing her two older sisters in the future.