"Mrs.Jennings told me," said he, "that you wished to speak with me, at least I understood her so--or Icertainly should not have intruded on you in such a manner;though at the same time, I should have been extremely sorry to leave London without seeing you and your sister;especially as it will most likely be some time--it is not probable that I should soon have the pleasure of meeting you again.I go to Oxford tomorrow.""You would not have gone, however," said Elinor, recovering herself, and determined to get over what she so much dreaded as soon as possible, "without receiving our good wishes, even if we had not been able to give them in person.Mrs.Jennings was quite right in what she said.
I have something of consequence to inform you of, which I was on the point of communicating by paper.
I am charged with a most agreeable office (breathing rather faster than usual as she spoke.) Colonel Brandon, who was here only ten minutes ago, has desired me to say, that understanding you mean to take orders, he has great pleasure in offering you the living of Delaford now just vacant, and only wishes it were more valuable.
Allow me to congratulate you on having so respectable and well-judging a friend, and to join in his wish that the living--it is about two hundred a-year--were much more considerable, and such as might better enable you to--as might be more than a temporary accommodation to yourself--such, in short, as might establish all your views of happiness."What Edward felt, as he could not say it himself, it cannot be expected that any one else should say for him.
He LOOKED all the astonishment which such unexpected, such unthought-of information could not fail of exciting;but he said only these two words, "Colonel Brandon!""Yes," continued Elinor, gathering more resolution, as some of the worst was over, "Colonel Brandon means it as a testimony of his concern for what has lately passed--for the cruel situation in which the unjustifiable conduct of your family has placed you--a concern which I am sure Marianne, myself, and all your friends, must share; and likewise as a proof of his high esteem for your general character, and his particular approbation of your behaviour on the present occasion.""Colonel Brandon give ME a living!--Can it be possible?""The unkindness of your own relations has made you astonished to find friendship any where.""No," replied be, with sudden consciousness, "not to find it in YOU; for I cannot be ignorant that to you, to your goodness, I owe it all.--I feel it--I would express it if I could--but, as you well know, I am no orator.""You are very much mistaken.I do assure you that you owe it entirely, at least almost entirely, to your own merit, and Colonel Brandon's discernment of it.I have had no hand in it.I did not even know, till I understood his design, that the living was vacant;nor had it ever occurred to me that he might have had such a living in his gift.As a friend of mine, of my family, he may, perhaps--indeed I know he HAS, still greater pleasure in bestowing it; but, upon my word, you owe nothing to my solicitation."Truth obliged her to acknowledge some small share in the action, but she was at the same time so unwilling to appear as the benefactress of Edward, that she acknowledged it with hesitation; which probably contributed to fix that suspicion in his mind which had recently entered it.
For a short time he sat deep in thought, after Elinor had ceased to speak;--at last, and as if it were rather an effort, he said, "Colonel Brandon seems a man of great worth and respectability.I have always heard him spoken of as such, and your brother I know esteems him highly.