In the presentinstance, this last-arrived lady allowed her fancy to so far outruntruth and probability, that on merely hearing the name of the MissDashwoods, and understanding them to be Mr. Dashwood's sisters, sheimmediately concluded them to be staying in Harley Street; and thismisconstruction produced within a day or two afterwards, cards ofinvitation for them as well as for their brother and sister, to a smallmusical party at her house. The consequence of which was, that Mrs.John Dashwood was obliged to submit not only to the exceedingly greatinconvenience of sending her carriage for the Miss Dashwoods, but, whatwas still worse, must be subject to all the unpleasantness of appearingto treat them with attention: and who could tell that they might notexpect to go out with her a second time?
The power of disappointingthem, it was true, must always be hers. But that was not enough; forwhen people are determined on a mode of conduct which they know to bewrong, they feel injured by the expectation of any thing better fromthem.
Marianne had now been brought by degrees, so much into the habit ofgoing out every day, that it was become a matter of indifference toher, whether she went or not: and she prepared quietly and mechanicallyfor every evening's engagement, though without expecting the smallestamusement from any, , till the lastmoment, where it was to take her.
To her dress and appearance she was grown so perfectly indifferent, asnot to bestow half the consideration on it, during the whole of hertoilet, which it received from Miss Steele in the first five minutes oftheir being together, when it was finished. Nothing escaped HER minuteobservation and general curiosity; she saw every thing, and asked everything; was never easy till she knew the price of every part ofMarianne's dress; could have guessed the number of her gowns altogetherwith better judgment than Marianne herself, and was not without hopesof finding out before they parted, how much her washing cost per week,and how much she had every year to spend upon herself.
Theimpertinence of these kind of scrutinies, moreover, was generallyconcluded with a compliment, which though meant as its douceur, wasconsidered by Marianne as the greatest impertinence of all; for afterundergoing an examination into the value and make of her gown, thecolour of her shoes, and the arrangement of her hair, she was almostsure of being told that upon "her word she looked vastly smart, and shedared to say she would make a great many conquests.