歐美研究季刊第46卷第3期 - page 328

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looked directly at her companion. “But then at other
times I have not resolution enough for it.
I cannot
bear the thoughts of making him so miserable, as I
know the very mention of such a thing would do. And
on my own account too
so dear as he is to me
I
don’t think I could be equal to it. What would you
advice me to do in such a case, Miss Dashwood? What
would you do yourself?”
“Pardon me,” replied Elinor, startled by the
question; “but I can give you no advice under such
circumstances. Your own judgement must direct you.”
(152-153)
In this passage we see Elinor readily dismissing Lucy’s
sentimental posture as a falsehood that deserves no sympathy.
Lucy’s tears meet Elinor’s refusal to participate in her emotions.
Austen’s concise sentence structure (“Elinor did not feel very
compassionate”) suggests that this refusal is Elinor’s
spontaneous response unaided by her characteristic
thoughtfulness. Noticing that her effort to engage Elinor’s
feeling fails, Lucy opts for a new strategy. Instead of focusing
on her suffering alone, she talks about that of Edward and
offers a solution out of this conundrum: ending the
engagement. As this solution would free Edward to marry
another woman, it is reasonable to expect Elinor’s obvious
interest in this proposal. Lucy’s direct gaze at her companion
betrays her expectation to see Elinor’s consequent emotional
turmoil. But Elinor once again refuses to dance with Lucy’s
tune. Her reply, deliberately cold and polite, distances herself
from the difficulties besetting Lucy. Elinor appears an
indifferent spectator to the emotional drama that Lucy stages
in front of her. Her indifference defends her against Lucy’s
triumphalism and disarms her hurtful claim on Edward’s
affection.
Into this scene of verbal duelling Austen drops important
clues that indifference need not mean emotional
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