Should he do anything?

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Should he do anything? Written by Barbara (10/1/2009 8:59 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, What about John?, penned by Ivonne

I hate to let John or Fanny off the hook for anything, but I don't see that there is anything he could or should have done in this case. As Carol says, Willoughby didn't break an engagement, and Marianne is not carrying his child. Even Mr. Dashwood did not expect him to act as a parental figure to Marianne, as Mr. Darcy did for his sister. Marianne has a parent and while Mrs. Dashwood certainly should have been more vigilant, I don't see that it is John's responsibility to step in there.

In fact, in this case, it is John who may be somewhat injured by the gossip that Marianne has caused. Despite this exchange between Elinor and Mrs. Jennings:

"For my part, I think the less that is said about such things, the better, the sooner 'tis blown over and forgot. And what good does talking ever do, you know?"

"In this affair it can only do harm -- more so perhaps than in many cases of a similar kind, for it has been attended by circumstances which, for the sake of every one concerned in it, make it unfit to become the public conversation."

...this is literally ALL over town, and it is gossip of a most unsavoury kind. John certainly has no grounds to force Willoughby to marry Marianne, and it's too late now anyhow. I have to give him a pass this time. The best he could do would be to pretend to know nothing about it, as Elinor wants Mrs. Jennings to do.

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Willoughby lucky to be alive ? Jeffrey (9/29/2009 8:29 a.m.)

What about John? Ivonne (9/30/2009 4:21 p.m.)
- Should he do anything? Barbara (10/1/2009 8:59 a.m.)
  - Ridiculously opaque Ivonne (10/1/2009 2:11 p.m.)
    - Thrashing? Louise H (10/1/2009 8:41 p.m.)
      - "Small House at Allingham"   Heather Leigh (10/4/2009 9:18 p.m.)
        
        Great stuff   Ivonne (10/6/2009 6:23 p.m.)
        
        I found a fascinating site   Louise H (10/6/2009 8:51 p.m.)
        
        thanks much, will bookmark it for my SHaA read! -nfm   Ivonne (10/7/2009 11:45 p.m.)
        
        Ooops. I mean Allington. ; -nfm   Ivonne (10/6/2009 6:25 p.m.)
        
        Allingham/Allington... weird   Heather Leigh (10/6/2009 6:51 p.m.)
        
        Funny...sounds like Allenham! ; ) -nfm   Ivonne (10/7/2009 6:38 p.m.)
      - Thanks... Ivonne (10/4/2009 8:52 p.m.)
    - Brotherly relationship Barbara (10/1/2009 2:27 p.m.)
- But they weren't engaged CarolTS (9/30/2009 7:24 p.m.)
Duelling with pistols Anselm (9/29/2009 11:17 a.m.)
- About all we can surmise is that there was a "Duel." Jeffrey (9/29/2009 12:14 p.m.)
  - I want to believe, like you, Elbè (9/29/2009 1:42 p.m.)
    - I don't think she would have known about this Barbara (9/29/2009 2:23 p.m.)
      - I am not so sure about this   Neus (9/30/2009 10:32 a.m.)
        
        It was illegal (nfm)   Barbara (9/30/2009 12:26 p.m.)
        
        Something just occurred to me:   Anselm (9/30/2009 11:02 a.m.)
      - Yes, he would have been tried   Anselm (9/30/2009 8:32 a.m.)
        
        Excellent article on duelling!   Rachel G (9/30/2009 10:30 a.m.)
        
        More serious than a slap on the wrist!   Barbara (9/30/2009 9:13 a.m.)
        
        Thanks for the link to this post.   Anselm (9/30/2009 11:55 a.m.)
        
        I think Col. Brandon called Willoughby out because...   Cathy Allen (9/30/2009 12:16 p.m.)
        
        Public-spiritedness?   Tom P2 (9/30/2009 4:33 p.m.)
        
        Inefficiency of the Law   Barb JA (9/30/2009 11:07 a.m.)
        
        proof of courage   Karen G (10/1/2009 1:19 p.m.)
        
        Lack of recourse   Barb JA (10/4/2009 2:16 p.m.)
      - Thanks, Barbara! - nfm Elbè (9/29/2009 5:07 p.m.)
  - Yes, lucky to be alive Barb JA (9/29/2009 1:37 p.m.)
    - To paraphrase Lord Peter Wimsey Katharine W (9/29/2009 3:24 p.m.)
      - Another consideration for Colonel Brandon Barbara (9/29/2009 5:06 p.m.)

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