Chapter 39 - Part 5 - Sense and Sensibility

Now, just vacant, as I am informed by this day's post, is his, if he think it worth his acceptance, but that, perhaps, so unfortunately circumstanced as he is now, it may be nonsense to appear to doubt. I only wish it were more valuable. It is a rectory, but a small one. The late incumbent, I believe, did not make more than two hundred pounds per annum, and, is certainly capable of improvement, I fear, not to such an amount as to afford him a very comfortable income. Such as it is, however, my pleasure in presenting it to him will be very great. Pray assure him of it. Eleanor's astonishment at this commission could hardly have been greater, had the colonel been really making her an offer of his hand. The preferment, which only two days before she had considered as hopeless for Edward, was already provided to enable him to marry, and she, of all people in the world, was fixed on to bestow it. Her emotion was such as Mrs. Jennings had attributed to a very different cause, but whatever minor feelings, less pure, less pleasing, might have a share in that emotion. Her esteem for the general benevolence, and her gratitude for the particular friendship which together prompted Colonel Brandon to this act, were strongly felt, and warmly expressed. She thanked him for it with all her heart, spoke of Edward's principles and disposition with that praise which she knew them to deserve, and promised to undertake the commission with pleasure, if it were really his wish to put off so agreeable an office to another. But at the same time, she could not help thinking that no one could so well perform it as himself. It was an office, in short, from which, unwilling to give Edward the pain of receiving an obligation from her, she would have been very glad to be spared herself.