, and the brilliant cheerfulness of Mrs.
Dashwood's looks and spirits proved her to be, as she repeatedly declared
herself, one of the happiest women in the world. Elinor could not hear the
declaration, nor witness its proofs without sometimes wondering whether her
mother ever recollected Edward. But Mrs. Dashwood, trusting to the temperate
account of her own disappointment which Elinor had sent her, was led away by the
exuberance of her joy to think only of what would increase it. Marianne was
restored to her from a danger in which, as she now began to feel, her own
mistaken judgment in encouraging the unfortunate attachment to Willoughby, had
contributed to place her; - and in her recovery she had yet another source of
joy unthought of by Elinor. It was thus imparted to her, as soon as any
opportunity of private conference between them occurred.
    »At last we are alone. My Elinor, you do not yet know all my happiness.
Colonel Brandon loves Marianne. He has told me so himself.«
    Her daughter, feeling by turns both pleased and pained, surprised and not
surprised, was all silent attention.
    »You are never like me, dear Elinor, or I should wonder at your composure
now. Had I sat down to wish for any possible good to my family, I should have
fixed on Colonel Brandon's marrying one of you as the object most desirable. And
I believe Marianne will be the most happy with him of the two.«
    Elinor was half inclined to ask her reason for thinking so, because
satisfied that none founded on an impartial consideration of their age,
characters, or feelings, could be given; - but her mother must always be carried
away by her imagination on any interesting subject, and therefore instead of an
inquiry, she passed it off with a smile.
    »He opened his whole heart to me yesterday as we travelled. It came out
quite unawares, quite undesignedly. I, you may well believe, could talk of
nothing but my child; - he could not conceal his distress; I saw that it
equalled my own, and he perhaps, thinking that mere friendship, as the world now
goes, would not justify so warm a sympathy - or rather not thinking at all, I
suppose - giving way to irresistible feelings, made me acquainted with his
earnest, tender, constant, affection for Marianne. He has loved her, my Elinor,
ever since the first moment of seeing her.«
    Here, however, Elinor perceived, - not the language, not the professions of
Colonel Brandon, but the natural embellishments
