'help them?'
what do you mean, 'help them'?
oh, without question! more than amply.
what brother on earth would do half so much for his real sisters--let alone half-blood?
there is no knowing what they expect. the question is, what can you afford?
but if she should live longer than fifteen years we would be completely taken in. people always live forever when there is an annuity to be paid them.
indeed. although to say the truth, i am convinced within myself that your father had no idea of your giving them money.
--and what on earth can four women want for more than that? their housekeeping will be nothing at all they will have no carriage, no horses, hardly any servants and will keep no company. only conceive how comfortable they will be!
they will be much more able to give you something.
your father would be proud of you.
my mother is always in excellent health, thank you. my brother robert is in town with her this season and quite the most popular bachelor in london! he has his own barouche.
indeed, yes. edward is the eldest mamma quite depends upon him. he is traveling up from plymouth shortly and will break his journey here.
good morning, marianne.
edward is due tomorrow. and my dear mrs dashwood, in view of the fact that he will not be with us for long, i wondered if miss margaret would mind giving up her room to him the view is quite incomparable from her windows and i should so much like edward to see norland at its best.
but where is miss margaret? i declare, mrs dashwood, i am beginning to doubt of her existence! she must run positively wild!
stables! edward--your windows overlook the lake.
they are all exceedingly spoilt, i find. miss margaret spends all her time up trees and under furniture and i have barely had a civil word from marianne.
that is no excuse.
i have never liked the smell of books.
oh yes! i shall have it pulled down to make room for a grecian temple.
we have great hopes for him. much is expected of him by our mother with regard to his profession
and in marriage. she is determined that both he and robert will marry well.
love is all very well, but unfortunately we cannot always rely on the heart to lead us in the most suitable directions.
you see, my dear mrs dashwood, edward is entirely the kind of compassionate person upon whom penniless women can prey--and having entered into any kind of understanding, he would never go back on his word. he is quite simply incapable of doing so. but it would lead to his ruin. i worry for him so, mrs dashwood. my mother has always made it perfectly plain that she will withdraw all financial support from edward, should he choose to plant his affections in less.  exalted ground than he deserves.
oh, a cottage! how charming. a little cottage is always very snug.
edward has long been expected in town by our mother.
edward! edward!
i have been all over for you! you are needed in london this instant!
no, no, that will not do. family affairs are in chaos owing to your absence. mother is quite adamant that you should leave at once.
my brother, mrs jennings--edward ferrars.
indeed not. john is just gone to fetch my brother--he has been eating ices.
miss grey has fifty thousand pounds. marianne is virtually penniless.
my love, i would ask them with all my heart, but i have already asked miss steele for a visit and we cannot deprive mrs jennings of all her company at once. we can invite your sisters some other year, you know, and miss steele will profit far more from your generosity--poor girl!
nonsense. you will marry far better than either of the dashwood girls.
you have ten times their sense and looks.
there are qualities which will always make up for that, and you have them in abundance. it would not surprise me if you were to marry far and away beyond your expectations.
ah ha! i am glad to hear of it. is he of good breeding and fortune?
tush! they will allow it as soon as they see you, my dear.
my dear, i am the soul of discretion.
i can assure you i am as silent as the grave.
viper in my bosom!