ll the eloquence
of her good-will, when a plan was suggested, which, though detaining
them from home yet a few weeks longer, appeared to Elinor altogether
much more eligible than any other. The Palmers were to remove to
Cleveland about the end of March, for the Easter holidays; and Mrs.
Jennings, with both her friends, received a very warm invitation from
Charlotte to go with them. This would not, in itself, have been
sufficient for the delicacy of Miss Dashwood;--but it was enforced
with so much real politeness by Mr. Palmer himself, as, joined to the
very great amendment of his manners towards them since her sister had
been known to be unhappy, induced her to accept it with pleasure.

When she told Marianne what she had done, however, her first reply was
not very auspicious.

"Cleveland!"--she cried, with great agitation. "No, I cannot go to
Cleveland."--

"You forget," said Elinor gently, "that its situation is not--that it
is not in the neighbourhood of--"

"But it is in Somersetshire. I cannot go into Somersetshire. There,
where I looked forward to going;--no, Elinor, you cannot expect me to
go there."

Elinor would not argue upon the propriety of overcoming such
feelings;--she only endeavoured to counteract them by working on
others;--represented it, therefore, as a measure which would fix the
time of her returning to that dear mother, whom she so much wished to
see, in a more eligible, more comfortable manner, than any other plan
could do, and perhaps without any greater delay. From Cleveland, which
was within a few miles of Bristol, the distance to Barton was not
beyond one day, though a long day's journey; and their mother's
servant might easily come there to attend them down; and as there
could be no occasion of their staying above a week at Cleveland, they
might now be at home in little more than three weeks' time. As
Marianne's affection for her mother was sincere, it must triumph with
little difficulty, over the imaginary evils she had started.

Mrs. Jennings was so far from being weary of her guest, that she
pressed them very earnestly to return with her again from Cleveland.
Elinor was grateful for the attention, but it could not alter her
design; and their mother's concurrence being readily gained, every
thing relative to their return was arranged as far as it could
be;--and Marianne found some relief in drawing up a statement of the
hours that were yet to divide her from Barton.

"Ah! Colonel,