's advanced state of life which humanity required.
 

                                  Chapter VIII

Mrs. Jennings was a widow, with an ample jointure. She had only two daughters,
both of whom she had lived to see respectably married, and she had now therefore
nothing to do but to marry all the rest of the world. In the promotion of this
object she was zealously active, as far as her ability reached; and missed no
opportunity of projecting weddings among all the young people of her
acquaintance. She was remarkably quick in the discovery of attachments, and had
enjoyed the advantage of raising the blushes and the vanity of many a young lady
by insinuations of her power over such a young man; and this kind of discernment
enabled her soon after her arrival at Barton decisively to pronounce that
Colonel Brandon was very much in love with Marianne Dashwood. She rather
suspected it to be so, on the very first evening of their being together, from
his listening so attentively while she sang to them; and when the visit was
returned by the Middletons' dining at the cottage, the fact was ascertained by
his listening to her again. It must be so. She was perfectly convinced of it. It
would be an excellent match, for he was rich and she was handsome. Mrs. Jennings
had been anxious to see Colonel Brandon well married, ever since her connection
with Sir John first brought him to her knowledge; and she was always anxious to
get a good husband for every pretty girl.
    The immediate advantage to herself was by no means inconsiderable, for it
supplied her with endless jokes against them both. At the park she laughed at
the colonel, and in the cottage at Marianne. To the former her raillery was
probably, as far as it regarded only himself, perfectly indifferent; but to the
latter it was at first incomprehensible; and when its object was understood, she
hardly knew whether most to laugh at its absurdity, or censure its impertinence,
for she considered it as an unfeeling reflection on the colonel's advanced
years, and on his forlorn condition as an old bachelor.
    Mrs. Dashwood, who could not think a man five years younger than herself, so
exceedingly ancient as he appeared to the youthful fancy of her daughter,
ventured to clear Mrs. Jennings from the probability of wishing to throw
ridicule on his age.
    »But at least, mama, you cannot deny the absurdity of the accusation, though
you may not think it intentionally ill-natured. Colonel Brandon is certainly
younger than Mrs. Jennings, but he is old enough to be my father; and if he were
ever
