 town.
 

                                  Chapter XIV

After a proper resistance on the part of Mrs. Ferrars, just so violent and so
steady as to preserve her from that reproach which she always seemed fearful of
incurring, the reproach of being too amiable, Edward was admitted to her
presence, and pronounced to be again her son.
    Her family had of late been exceedingly fluctuating. For many years of her
life she had had two sons; but the crime and annihilation of Edward a few weeks
ago, had robbed her of one; the similar annihilation of Robert had left her for
a fortnight without any; and now, by the resuscitation of Edward, she had one
again.
    In spite of his being allowed once more to live, however, he did not feel
the continuance of his existence secure, till he had revealed his present
engagement; for the publication of that circumstance, he feared, might give a
sudden turn to his constitution, and carry him off as rapidly as before. With
apprehensive caution therefore it was revealed, and he was listened to with
unexpected calmness. Mrs. Ferrars at first reasonably endeavoured to dissuade
him from marrying Miss Dashwood, by every argument in her power; - told him,
that in Miss Morton he would have a woman of higher rank and larger fortune; -
and enforced the assertion, by observing that Miss Morton was the daughter of a
nobleman with thirty thousand pounds, while Miss Dashwood was only the daughter
of a private gentleman, with no more than three; but when she found that, though
perfectly admitting the truth of her representation, he was by no means inclined
to be guided by it, she judged it wisest, from the experience of the past, to
submit - and therefore, after such an ungracious delay as she owed to her own
dignity, and as served to prevent every suspicion of good-will, she issued her
decree of consent to the marriage of Edward and Elinor.
    What she would engage to do towards augmenting their income, was next to be
considered; and here it plainly appeared, that though Edward was now her only
son, he was by no means her eldest; for while Robert was inevitably endowed with
a thousand pounds a-year, not the smallest objection was made against Edward's
taking orders for the sake of two hundred and fifty at the utmost; nor was
anything promised either for the present or in future, beyond the ten thousand
pounds, which had been given with Fanny.
    It was as much, however, as was desired, and more than was expected by
Edward and Elinor; and Mrs. Ferrars herself, by
