Chapter 37 - Part 3 - Sense and Sensibility

I forget who. So you may think what a blow it was to all her vanity and pride. She fell into violent hysterics immediately, with such screams as reached your brother's ears, as he was sitting in his own dressing room downstairs, thinking about writing a letter to his steward in the country. So up he flew directly and a terrible scene took place, for Lucy was come to them by that time, little dreaming what was going on. Poor soul, I pity her, and I must say, I think she was used very hardly, for your sister scolded like any fury and soon drove her into a fainting fit. Nancy, she fell upon her knees and cried bitterly, and your brother, he walked about the room and said he did not know what to do. Mrs Dashwood declared they should not stay a minute longer in the house, and your brother was forced to go down upon his knees too, to persuade her to let them stay till they had packed up their clothes. Then she fell into hysterics again, and he was so frightened that he would send for Mr Donovan, and Mr Donovan found the house in all this uproar. The carriage was at the door ready to take my poor cousins away, and they were just stepping in as he came off. Poor Lucy, in such a condition, he says, she could hardly walk, and Nancy, she was almost as bad. I declare I have no patience with your sister, and I hope with all my heart it will be a match in spite of her. Lord, what a taking poor Mr Edward will be in when he hears of it, to have his love used so scornfully, for they say he is monstrously fond of her, as well he may. I should not wonder if he was to be in the greatest passion. And Mr Donovan thinks just the same. He and I had a great deal of talk about it, and the best of all is that he was right.