pondence; but
her difficulties were instantly obviated, for with a readiness that
seemed to speak the occasion, and the service pre-arranged in his
mind, he offered himself as the messenger who should fetch Mrs.
Dashwood. Elinor made no resistance that was not easily overcome. She
thanked him with brief, though fervent gratitude, and while he went to
hurry off his servant with a message to Mr. Harris, and an order for
post-horses directly, she wrote a few lines to her mother.

The comfort of such a friend at that moment as Colonel Brandon--or
such a companion for her mother,--how gratefully was it felt!--a
companion whose judgment would guide, whose attendance must relieve,
and whose friendship might soothe her!--as far as the shock of such a
summons _could_ be lessened to her, his presence, his manners, his
assistance, would lessen it.

_He_, meanwhile, whatever he might feel, acted with all the firmness
of a collected mind, made every necessary arrangement with the utmost
despatch, and calculated with exactness the time in which she might
look for his return. Not a moment was lost in delay of any kind. The
horses arrived, even before they were expected, and Colonel Brandon
only pressing her hand with a look of solemnity, and a few words
spoken too low to reach her ear, hurried into the carriage. It was
then about twelve o'clock, and she returned to her sister's apartment
to wait for the arrival of the apothecary, and to watch by her the
rest of the night. It was a night of almost equal suffering to both.
Hour after hour passed away in sleepless pain and delirium on
Marianne's side, and in the most cruel anxiety on Elinor's, before Mr.
Harris appeared. Her apprehensions once raised, paid by their excess
for all her former security; and the servant who sat up with her, for
she would not allow Mrs. Jennings to be called, only tortured her
more, by hints of what her mistress had always thought.

Marianne's ideas were still, at intervals, fixed incoherently on her
mother, and whenever she mentioned her name, it gave a pang to the
heart of poor Elinor, who, reproaching herself for having trifled with
so many days of illness, and wretched for some immediate relief,
fancied that all relief might soon be in vain, that every thing had
been delayed too long, and pictured to herself her suffering mother
arriving too late to see this darling child, or to see her rational.

She was on the point of sending again for Mr. Harris,