Sense and Sensibility, Volume the First, Chapters Twelve to Fourteen

In which Colonel Brandon is called away on "business," about which there is endless speculation (primarily from Mrs. Jennings, and in which we learn that the Colonel supposedly has an illegitimate daughter), and it becomes increasingly clear to all that Marianne and Willoughby are engaged, and in which we learn of yet another type of carriage.



We've got two of the Thompson illustrations this time around. Honestly, I'm surprised that there are so many illustrations in his edition. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love this book (of course), but it's not exactly what I would call "action-packed," and yet there are a solid forty illustrations throughout. That's, like, three times as many as were in Treasure Island! Though, I suppose Thompson could probably do these line drawings somewhat faster than Wyeth could do his full oil paintings.

Um. Anyway.

A quick note: at 4:17, Willoughby mentions that the horse he is giving Marianne is named Queen Mab. For those of you unfamiliar, Queen Mab (though potentially drawn from various folkloric characters) is a fairy originally described in one of Mercutio's monologues in Romeo and Juliet. It's... not a good sign for their relationship.

5:52 - He cut off a long lock of her hair. Creeper.

When Colonel Brandon "looked at the direction" on his letter at 9:41, it means that he checked the address, and when at 13:26 he states that he will "go post," he means to travel by a post-chaise, a two or four-seater carriage on four wheels, pulled by two or four horses, one of which was ridden by the driver. They were apparently quite fast, which explains the good colonel's choice.

Oh, and when Mrs. Jennings tells Elinor at 14:37 that Miss Williams is Colonel Brandon's "natural daughter," she doesn't just mean his biological daughter, she means his illegitimate daughter, a rather important distinction.

15:59 - "I have found you out in spite of all your tricks."

By the way, I love Mrs. Jennings. Much like with Mrs. Rachel Lynde, I just adore a good busybody.


If you would like to read along, the text can be found at Project Gutenberg, and high-res copies of the Thompson illustrations can be found in the British Library's Flickr stream. No reading ahead, though!