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CHAPTER XVIII . Elinor saw , with great uneasiness the low spirits of her friend . His visit afforded her but a very partial satisfaction , while his own enjoyment in it appeared so imperfect . It was evident that he was unhappy ; she wished it were equally evident that he still distinguished her by the same affection which once she had felt no doubt of inspiring ; but hitherto the continuance of his preference seemed very uncertain ; and the reservedness of his manner towards her contradicted one moment what a more animated look had intimated the preceding one . He joined her and Marianne in the breakfast - room the next morning before the others were down ; and Marianne , who was always eager to promote their happiness as far as she could , soon left them to themselves . But before she was half way upstairs she heard the parlour door open , and , turning round , was astonished to see Edward himself come out . “ I am going into the village to see my horses , ” said he , “ as you are not yet ready for breakfast ; I shall be back again presently . ” Edward returned to them with fresh admiration of the surrounding country ; in his walk to the village , he had seen many parts of the valley to advantage ; and the village itself , in a much higher situation than the cottage , afforded a general view of the whole , which had exceedingly pleased him . This was a subject which ensured Marianne’s attention , and she was beginning to describe her own admiration of these scenes , and to question him more minutely on the objects that had particularly struck him , when Edward interrupted her by saying , “ You must not enquire too far , Marianne — remember I have no knowledge in the picturesque , and I shall offend you by my ignorance and want of taste if we come to particulars . I shall call hills steep , which ought to be bold ; surfaces strange and uncouth , which ought to be irregular and rugged ; and distant objects out of sight , which ought only to be indistinct through the soft medium of a hazy atmosphere . You must be satisfied with such admiration as I can honestly give . I call it a very fine country — the hills are steep , the woods seem full of fine timber , and the valley looks comfortable and snug — with rich meadows and several neat farm houses scattered here and there . It exactly answers my idea of a fine country , because it unites beauty with utility — and I dare say it is a picturesque one too , because you admire it ; I can easily believe it to be full of rocks and promontories , grey moss and brush wood , but these are all lost on me . I know nothing of the picturesque . ” “ I am afraid it is but too true , ” said Marianne ; “ but why should you boast of it ? ” “ I suspect , ” said Elinor , “ that to avoid one kind of affectation , Edward here falls into another . Because he believes many people pretend to more admiration of the beauties of nature than they really feel , and is disgusted with such pretensions , he affects greater indifference and less discrimination in viewing them himself than he possesses . He is fastidious and will have an affectation of his own . ”
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