their construction could ever be deemed clever, time has long ago
destroyed all its ingenuity.”

Sir John did not much understand this reproof; but he laughed as
heartily as if he did, and then replied,

“Ay, you will make conquests enough, I dare say, one way or other. Poor
Brandon! he is quite smitten already, and he is very well worth setting
your cap at, I can tell you, in spite of all this tumbling about and
spraining of ankles.”

CHAPTER X.

Marianne’s preserver, as Margaret, with more elegance than precision,
styled Willoughby, called at...
Sir John called on them as soon as the next interval of fair weather
that morning allowed him to get out of doors; and Marianne’s accident
being related to him, he was eagerly asked whether he knew any
gentleman of the name of Willoughby at Allenham.

“Willoughby!” cried Sir John; “what, is _he_ in the country? That is
good news however; I will ride over tomorrow, and ask him to dinner on
Thursday.”

“You know him then,” said Mrs. Dashwood.

“Know him! to be sure I do. Why, he is down here every year.”

“And what sort of a young man is he?”

“As good a kind of fellow as ever lived, I assure you. A very decent
shot, and there is not a bolder rider in England.”

“And is _that_ all you can say for him?” cried Marianne, indignantly.

“But what are his manners on more intimate acquaintance? What his
pursuits, his talents, and genius?”

Sir John was rather puzzled.

 Prev. P 31/273 next