People: Marianne, Elinor
Text: Elinor spent many minutes grieving over the coldness of the letter, one from the hand of the man who had indicated that he had loved no one else but Marianne. Elinor saw how Marianne suffered physically as well as emotionally. She had already spent more than a week under the stress of constantly looking for Willoughby to call on her. Elinor procured for Marianne a glass of wine which made her more comfortable.
Elinor desired to discuss the situation with Marianne. Finally, Marianne began the conversation.
“Poor Elinor! How unhappy I make you!”
“I only wish,” replied her sister, “there was anything I could do, which might be of comfort to you.”
This was too much for Marianne. In the anguish of her heart, she cried, “Oh! Elinor, I am miserable indeed,” before her voice was entirely lost in sobs.
“Exert yourself, dear Marianne,” she cried, “if you would not kill yourself and all who love you. Think of your mother; think of her misery while you suffer; for her sake you must exert yourself.”
“I cannot, I cannot. Oh! How easy for those who have no sorrow of their own to talk of exertion! Happy, happy Elinor, you cannot have an idea of what I suffer.”
“Do you call me happy, Marianne? Ah! If you knew! And can you believe me to be so, while I see you so wretched!”
“Forgive me, forgive me,” throwing her arms around Elinor’s neck. “But you must be happy; Edward loves you. What can do away with such happiness as that?”
“Many, many circumstances,” said Elinor solemnly.
“No, no, no,” cried Marianne wildly, “he loves you and only you. You can have no grief.”
“I can have no pleasure while I see you in this state.”
“And you will never see me otherwise. Mine is a misery which nothing can do away with.”
Elinor said, “Think of what you would have suffered if the discovery of his character had been delayed-if your engagement had been carried on for months and months…”
“Engagement!” cried Marianne, “there has been no engagement.”
“No engagement!”
“No, he is not so unworthy as you believe him. He has broken no faith with me.”
“But he told you that he loved you?” said Elinor.
“Yes-no-never absolutely. It was everyday implied, but never professedly declared. Sometimes I thought it had been-but it never was. I cannot talk more now.”
Emotion: Grief
Insight: Matthew 11:28 offers this hope, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Poor Marianne! Her passionate nature led her to believe more than was truly promised. Although Willoughby was cold in his letter to her, his lack of explanation, he had truly broken no faith with her. They were never officially engaged. He had never even openly declared that he loved her. And yet she wrote to him believing all the passion that he had shared with her back at Barton Cottage. Marianne is heartbroken and declares herself to be irreparably miserable.
If we ever find ourselves as wounded and miserable as Marianne, may we realize the Resource of comfort that we have in our loving Savior. Jesus invites those who are weary, wounded, and weighed down with pain to come to Him. He offers that break from pain that we are seeking; He is the rest that our souls crave. May we learn to exert ourselves to arise from our woundedness and come to Him and accept His invitation to lay our burdens down at His feet and pick up His comfort and hope.
Commentaires