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Mrs Dashwood and her daughters were met at the door of the house by Sir John, elcomed them to Barton Park with unaffected sincerity; and as he attended the ladies the concern which the sa unable to get any s entle at the park, but as neither very young nor very gay He hoped they would all excuse the smallness of the party, and could assure theain He had been to several fa soht and every body was full of engagements Luckily Lady Middleton's mother had arrived at Barton within the last hour, and as she was a very cheerful agreeable wo ladies would not find it so very dull as theyladies, as well as their ers of the party, and wished for no ood-hureat deal, seear She was full of jokes and laughter, and before dinner was over had said s on the subject of lovers and husbands; hoped they had not left their hearts behind them in Sussex, and pretended to see them blush whether they did or not Marianne was vexed at it for her sister's sake, and turned her eyes towards Elinor to see how she bore these attacks, with an earnestness which gave Elinor far more pain than could arise fros's

Colonel Brandon, the friend of Sir John, seemed no more adapted by resemblance of manner to be his friend, than Lady Middleton was to be his wife, or Mrs Jennings to be Lady Middleton's rave His appearance however was not unpleasing, in spite of his being in the opinion of Marianne and Margaret an absolute old bachelor, for he was on the wrong side of five and thirty; but though his face was not handsome, his countenance was sensible, and his address was particularly gentle in any of the party which could recommend them as companions to the Dashwoods; but the cold insipidity of Lady Middleton was so particularly repulsive, that in coravity of Colonel Brandon, and even the boisterousLady Middleton seemed to be roused to enjoyment only by the entrance of her four noisy children after dinner, who pulled her about, tore her clothes, and put an end to every kind of discourse except what related to themselves