wdling through the
green-house, where the loss of her favourite plants, unwarily exposed,
and nipped by the lingering frost, raised the laughter of
Charlotte,--and in visiting her poultry-yard, where, in the
disappointed hopes of her dairy-maid, by hens forsaking their nests,
or being stolen by a fox, or in the rapid decrease of a promising
young brood, she found fresh sources of merriment.

The morning was fine and dry, and Marianne, in her plan of employment
abroad, had not calculated for any change of weather during their stay
at Cleveland. With great surprise therefore, did she find herself
prevented by a settled rain from going out again after dinner. She had
depended on a twilight walk to the Grecian temple, and perhaps all
over the grounds, and an evening merely cold or damp would not have
deterred her from it; but a heavy and settled rain even _she_ could
not fancy dry or pleasant weather for walking.

Their party was small, and the hours passed quietly away. Mrs. Palmer
had her child, and Mrs. Jennings her carpet-work; they talked of the
friends they had left behind, arranged Lady Middleton's engagements,
and wondered whether Mr. Palmer and Colonel Brandon would get farther
than Reading that night. Elinor, however little concerned in it,
joined in their discourse; and Marianne, who had the knack of finding
her way in every house to the library, however it might be avoided by
the family in general, soon procured herself a book.

Nothing was wanting on Mrs. Palmer's side that constant and friendly
good humour could do, to make them feel themselves welcome. The
openness and heartiness of her manner more than atoned for that want
of recollection and elegance which made her often deficient in the
forms of politeness; her kindness, recommended by so pretty a face,
was engaging; her folly, though evident was not disgusting, because it
was not conceited; and Elinor could have forgiven every thing but her
laugh.

[Illustration: _The gardener's lamentations._]

The two gentlemen arrived the next day to a very late dinner,
affording a pleasant enlargement of the party, and a very welcome
variety to their conversation, which a long morning of the same
continued rain had reduced very low.

Elinor had seen so little of Mr. Palmer, and in that little had seen
so much variety in his address to her sister and herself, that she
knew not what to expect to find him in his own family. She found him,
however, perfectly the g