Salta il testo dell’articolo
At seven o’clock , leaving Marianne still sweetly asleep , she joined Mrs . Jennings in the drawing - room to tea . Of breakfast she had been kept by her fears , and of dinner by their sudden reverse , from eating much ; — and the present refreshment , therefore , with such feelings of content as she brought to it , was particularly welcome . Mrs . Jennings would have persuaded her , at its conclusion , to take some rest before her mother’s arrival , and allow her to take her place by Marianne ; but Elinor had no sense of fatigue , no capability of sleep at that moment about her , and she was not to be kept away from her sister an unnecessary instant . Mrs . Jennings therefore attending her up stairs into the sick chamber , to satisfy herself that all continued right , left her there again to her charge and her thoughts , and retired to her own room to write letters and sleep . The night was cold and stormy . The wind roared round the house , and the rain beat against the windows ; but Elinor , all happiness within , regarded it not . Marianne slept through every blast ; and the travellers — they had a rich reward in store , for every present inconvenience . The clock struck eight . Had it been ten , Elinor would have been convinced that at that moment she heard a carriage driving up to the house ; and so strong was the persuasion that she did , in spite of the almost impossibility of their being already come , that she moved into the adjoining dressing - closet and opened a window shutter , to be satisfied of the truth . She instantly saw that her ears had not deceived her . The flaring lamps of a carriage were immediately in view . By their uncertain light she thought she could discern it to be drawn by four horses ; and this , while it told the excess of her poor mother’s alarm , gave some explanation to such unexpected rapidity . Never in her life had Elinor found it so difficult to be calm , as at that moment . The knowledge of what her mother must be feeling as the carriage stopt at the door — of her doubt — her dread — perhaps her despair ! — and of what she had to tell ! — with such knowledge it was impossible to be calm . All that remained to be done was to be speedy ; and , therefore staying only till she could leave Mrs . Jennings’s maid with her sister , she hurried down stairs . The bustle in the vestibule , as she passed along an inner lobby , assured her that they were already in the house . She rushed to the drawing - room , — she entered it , — and saw only Willoughby . CHAPTER XLIV . Elinor , starting back with a look of horror at the sight of him , obeyed the first impulse of her heart in turning instantly to quit the room , and her hand was already on the lock , when its action was suspended by his hastily advancing , and saying , in a voice rather of command than supplication , “ Miss Dashwood , for half an hour — for ten minutes — I entreat you to stay . ”
Indietro Pagina 197 di 239 Pagina 197 di 239 Avanti Continua a leggere con le traduzioni Crea un account gratuito: 7 giorni di Pro, poi 20 traduzioni di parole al giorno oppure un piano a pagamento.
