Page 169 (1/1)

When the ladies withdrew to the drawing-room after dinner, this poverty was particularly evident, for the gentlemen HAD supplied the discourse with so land, and breaking horses--but then it was all over; and one subject only engaged the ladies till coffee cahts of Harry Dashwood, and Lady Middleton's second son Williae

Had both the children been there, the affairthem at once; but as Harry only was present, it was all conjectural assertion on both sides; and every body had a right to be equally positive in their opinion, and to repeat it over and over again as often as they liked

The parties stood thus: The two h each really convinced that her own son was the tallest, politely decided in favour of the other

The two grandmothers, with not less partiality, but more sincerity, were equally earnest in support of their own descendant

Lucy, as hardly less anxious to please one parent than the other, thought the boys were both ree, and could not conceive that there could be the smallest difference in the world between theave it, as fast as she could, in favour of each

Elinor, having once delivered her opinion on William's side, by which she offended Mrs Ferrars and Fanny stillit by any farther assertion; and Marianne, when called on for her's, offended theive, as she had never thought about it

Before her re from Norland, Elinor had painted a very pretty pair of screens for her sister-in-lahich being now justroo the eye of John Dashwood on his following the other gentlemen into the room, were officiously handed by him to Colonel Brandon for his admiration

"These are done by my eldest sister," said he; "and you, as a man of taste, will, I dare say, be pleased with them I do not knohether you have ever happened to see any of her perforeneral reckoned to draw extremely well"

The Colonel, though disclai all pretensions to connoisseurship, war painted by Miss Dashwood; and on the curiosity of the others being of course excited, they were handed round for general inspection Mrs Ferrars, not aware of their being Elinor's work, particularly requested to look at the testimony of Lady Middletons's approbation, Fanny presented the her, at the same time, that they were done by Miss Dashwood