feat_summary_path: finished_summaries/novelguide/Sense and Sensibility/section_2_part_1.txt
feat_book_id: Sense and Sensibility.chapter xii
feat_summary_id: chapter xii
feat_summary: {"name": "Chapter XII", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20201020004256/https://www.novelguide.com/sense-and-sensibility/summaries/volume1-chapter12-22", "summary": "Elinor is surprised to hear that Marianne has accepted the gift of a horse from Willoughby. Elinor thinks it improper to accept such a present from a man of whom she knows little, but Marianne insists that she knows him intimately in spite of their short acquaintance. Marianne does give way, however, on the issue of the expense to her family, and agrees to decline the gift. Marianne and Willoughby seem so close that even Elinor believes they must be secretly engaged. Margaret tells Elinor that Willoughby begged a lock of Marianne's hair, which she granted. Margaret indiscreetly reveals to Mrs. Jennings that Elinor likes a young man, though she refuses to say who it is. Elinor is mortified", "analysis": ""}
text: 
  
  As Elinor and Marianne were walking together the next morning the
  latter communicated a piece of news to her sister, which in spite of
  all that she knew before of Marianne's imprudence and want of thought,
  surprised her by its extravagant testimony of both.  Marianne told her,
  with the greatest delight, that Willoughby had given her a horse, one
  that he had bred himself on his estate in Somersetshire, and which was
  exactly calculated to carry a woman.  Without considering that it was
  not in her mother's plan to keep any horse, that if she were to alter
  her resolution in favour of this gift, she must buy another for the
  servant, and keep a servant to ride it, and after all, build a stable
  to receive them, she had accepted the present without hesitation, and
  told her sister of it in raptures.
  
  "He intends to send his groom into Somersetshire immediately for it,"
  she added, "and when it arrives we will ride every day.  You shall
  share its use with me.  Imagine to yourself, my dear Elinor, the
  delight of a gallop on some of these downs."
  
  Most unwilling was she to awaken from such a dream of felicity to
  comprehend all the unhappy truths which attended the affair; and for
  some time she refused to submit to them.  As to an additional servant,
  the expense would be a trifle; Mama she was sure would never object to
  it; and any horse would do for HIM; he might always get one at the
  park; as to a stable, the merest shed would be sufficient.  Elinor then
  ventured to doubt the propriety of her receiving such a present from a
  man so little, or at least so lately known to her.  This was too much.
  
  "You are mistaken, Elinor," said she warmly, "in supposing I know very
  little of Willoughby.  I have not known him long indeed, but I am much
  better acquainted with him, than I am with any other creature in the
  world, except yourself and mama.  It is not time or opportunity that is
  to determine intimacy;--it is disposition alone.  Seven years would be
  insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven
  days are more than enough for others.  I should hold myself guilty of
  greater impropriety in accepting a horse from my brother, than from
  Willoughby.  Of John I know very little, though we have lived together
  for years; but of Willoughby my judgment has long been formed."
  
  Elinor thought it wisest to touch that point no more.  She knew her
  sister's temper.  Opposition on so tender a subject would only attach
  her the more to her own opinion.  But by an appeal to her affection for
  her mother, by representing the inconveniences which that indulgent
  mother must draw on herself, if (as would probably be the case) she
  consented to this increase of establishment, Marianne was shortly
  subdued; and she promised not to tempt her mother to such imprudent
  kindness by mentioning the offer, and to tell Willoughby when she saw
  him next, that it must be declined.
  
  She was faithful to her word; and when Willoughby called at the
  cottage, the same day, Elinor heard her express her disappointment to
  him in a low voice, on being obliged to forego the acceptance of his
  present.  The reasons for this alteration were at the same time
  related, and they were such as to make further entreaty on his side
  impossible.  His concern however was very apparent; and after
  expressing it with earnestness, he added, in the same low voice,--"But,
  Marianne, the horse is still yours, though you cannot use it now.  I
  shall keep it only till you can claim it.  When you leave Barton to
  form your own establishment in a more lasting home, Queen Mab shall
  receive you."
  
  This was all overheard by Miss Dashwood; and in the whole of the
  sentence, in his manner of pronouncing it, and in his addressing her
  sister by her Christian name alone, she instantly saw an intimacy so
  decided, a meaning so direct, as marked a perfect agreement between
  them.  From that moment she doubted not of their being engaged to each
  other; and the belief of it created no other surprise than that she, or
  any of their friends, should be left by tempers so frank, to discover
  it by accident.
  
  Margaret related something to her the next day, which placed this
  matter in a still clearer light.  Willoughby had spent the preceding
  evening with them, and Margaret, by being left some time in the parlour
  with only him and Marianne, had had opportunity for observations,
  which, with a most important face, she communicated to her eldest
  sister, when they were next by themselves.
  
  "Oh, Elinor!" she cried, "I have such a secret to tell you about
  Marianne.  I am sure she will be married to Mr. Willoughby very soon."
  
  "You have said so," replied Elinor, "almost every day since they first
  met on High-church Down; and they had not known each other a week, I
  believe, before you were certain that Marianne wore his picture round
  her neck; but it turned out to be only the miniature of our great
  uncle."
  
  "But indeed this is quite another thing.  I am sure they will be
  married very soon, for he has got a lock of her hair."
  
  "Take care, Margaret.  It may be only the hair of some great uncle of
  HIS."
  
  "But, indeed, Elinor, it is Marianne's. I am almost sure it is, for I
  saw him cut it off.  Last night after tea, when you and mama went out
  of the room, they were whispering and talking together as fast as could
  be, and he seemed to be begging something of her, and presently he took
  up her scissors and cut off a long lock of her hair, for it was all
  tumbled down her back; and he kissed it, and folded it up in a piece of
  white paper; and put it into his pocket-book."
  
  For such particulars, stated on such authority, Elinor could not
  withhold her credit; nor was she disposed to it, for the circumstance
  was in perfect unison with what she had heard and seen herself.
  
  Margaret's sagacity was not always displayed in a way so satisfactory
  to her sister.  When Mrs. Jennings attacked her one evening at the
  park, to give the name of the young man who was Elinor's particular
  favourite, which had been long a matter of great curiosity to her,
  Margaret answered by looking at her sister, and saying, "I must not
  tell, may I, Elinor?"
  
  This of course made every body laugh; and Elinor tried to laugh too.
  But the effort was painful.  She was convinced that Margaret had fixed
  on a person whose name she could not bear with composure to become a
  standing joke with Mrs. Jennings.
  
  Marianne felt for her most sincerely; but she did more harm than good
  to the cause, by turning very red and saying in an angry manner to
  Margaret,
  
  "Remember that whatever your conjectures may be, you have no right to
  repeat them."
  
  "I never had any conjectures about it," replied Margaret; "it was you
  who told me of it yourself."
  
  This increased the mirth of the company, and Margaret was eagerly
  pressed to say something more.
  
  "Oh! pray, Miss Margaret, let us know all about it," said Mrs.
  Jennings.  "What is the gentleman's name?"
  
  "I must not tell, ma'am. But I know very well what it is; and I know
  where he is too."
  
  "Yes, yes, we can guess where he is; at his own house at Norland to be
  sure.  He is the curate of the parish I dare say."
  
  "No, THAT he is not.  He is of no profession at all."
  
  "Margaret," said Marianne with great warmth, "you know that all this is
  an invention of your own, and that there is no such person in
  existence."
  
  "Well, then, he is lately dead, Marianne, for I am sure there was such
  a man once, and his name begins with an F."
  
  Most grateful did Elinor feel to Lady Middleton for observing, at this
  moment, "that it rained very hard," though she believed the
  interruption to proceed less from any attention to her, than from her
  ladyship's great dislike of all such inelegant subjects of raillery as
  delighted her husband and mother.  The idea however started by her, was
  immediately pursued by Colonel Brandon, who was on every occasion
  mindful of the feelings of others; and much was said on the subject of
  rain by both of them.  Willoughby opened the piano-forte, and asked
  Marianne to sit down to it; and thus amidst the various endeavours of
  different people to quit the topic, it fell to the ground.  But not so
  easily did Elinor recover from the alarm into which it had thrown her.
  
  A party was formed this evening for going on the following day to see a
  very fine place about twelve miles from Barton, belonging to a
  brother-in-law of Colonel Brandon, without whose interest it could not
  be seen, as the proprietor, who was then abroad, had left strict orders
  on that head.  The grounds were declared to be highly beautiful, and
  Sir John, who was particularly warm in their praise, might be allowed
  to be a tolerable judge, for he had formed parties to visit them, at
  least, twice every summer for the last ten years.  They contained a
  noble piece of water; a sail on which was to a form a great part of the
  morning's amusement; cold provisions were to be taken, open carriages
  only to be employed, and every thing conducted in the usual style of a
  complete party of pleasure.
  
  To some few of the company it appeared rather a bold undertaking,
  considering the time of year, and that it had rained every day for the
  last fortnight;--and Mrs. Dashwood, who had already a cold, was
  persuaded by Elinor to stay at home.
  
  
  
feat_summary_name: Chapter XII
target: Elinor is surprised to hear that Marianne has accepted the gift of a horse from Willoughby. Elinor thinks it improper to accept such a present from a man of whom she knows little, but Marianne insists that she knows him intimately in spite of their short acquaintance. Marianne does give way, however, on the issue of the expense to her family, and agrees to decline the gift. Marianne and Willoughby seem so close that even Elinor believes they must be secretly engaged. Margaret tells Elinor that Willoughby begged a lock of Marianne's hair, which she granted. Margaret indiscreetly reveals to Mrs. Jennings that Elinor likes a young man, though she refuses to say who it is. Elinor is mortified