Chapter 23 - Part 7 - Sense and Sensibility

Dear little love, some amends for her disappointment tomorrow, and then I hope she will not much mind it. This hint was enough. Lucy recollected herself instantly and replied, Indeed you are very much mistaken, Lady Middleton. I am only waiting to know whether you can make your party without me, or I should have been at my filigree already. I would not disappoint the little angel for all the world, and if you want me at the car table now, I am resolved to finish the basket after supper. You are very good, I hope it won't hurt your eyes. Will you ring the bell for some working candles? My poor little girl would be sadly disappointed, I know, if the basket was not finished tomorrow, for though I told her it certainly would not, I am sure she depends upon having it done. Lucy directly drew her work table near her and reseated herself with an alacrity and cheerfulness which seemed to infer that she could taste no greater delight than in making a filigree basket for a spoiled child. Lady Middleton proposed a rubber of casino to the others. No one made any objection but Marianne, who, with her usual inattention to the forms of general civility, exclaimed, Your ladyship will have the goodness to excuse me. You know I detest cards. I should go to the pianoforte. I have not touched it since it was tuned. And without further ceremony she turned away and walked to the instrument. Lady Middleton looked as if she thanked heaven that she had never made so rude a speech. Marianne can never keep long from that instrument, you know, ma'am, said Eleanor, endeavouring to smooth away the offence, and I do not much wonder at it, for it is the very best-toned pianoforte I ever heard. The remaining five were now to draw their cards. Perhaps, continued Eleanor, if I should sharpen to cut out, I may be of some use to Miss Lucy still in rolling her papers for her, and there is so much still to be done to the basket that it must be impossible, I think, for her labour singly to finish it this evening. I should like the work exceedingly if she would allow me a share in it. Indeed, I shall be very much obliged to you for your help, cried Lucy, for I find there is more to be done to it than I thought there was, and it would be a shocking thing to disappoint dear Anna Maria after all. Oh, that would be terrible indeed, said Miss Steele, dear little soul, how I do love her. You are very kind, said Lady Middleton to Eleanor, and as you really like the work, perhaps you will be as well pleased not to cut in till another rubber, for we take your chance now. Eleanor joyfully profited by the first of these proposals, and thus by a little of that address which Marianne could never condescend to practice, gained her own end, and pleased Lady Middleton at the same time. Lucy made room for her with ready attention, and the two fair rivals were thus seated side by side at the same table, and, with the utmost harmony, engaged in forwarding the same work. The pianoforte at which Marianne, wrapped up in her own music and her own thoughts, had by this time forgotten that anybody was in the room besides herself, was luckily so near them that Miss Dashwood now judged she might safely, under the shelter of its noise, introduce the interesting subject, without any risk of being heard at the card table.