] In that same vein, W. and Marianne pride themselves on being people of great sensibility, but they are so selfish,mean, and narrow-minded toward almost everyone. They're even snobbish when people display less sensibility than themselves. Sensibility doesn't seem to be a very attractive trait. [

I noticed that the 2 characters who are constantly accused of lacking sensibility, Elinor and Colonel Brandon, are the ones who notice and feel the most when someone is being hurt. Colonel Brandon changes the conversation in Ch. 12 when Mrs. Jennings starts prying about who Elinor is interested in.

" "Well, then, he is lately dead, Marianne, for I am sure there was such a man once, and his name begins with an F."

Most grateful did Elinor feel to Lady Middleton for observing at this moment, "that it rained very hard," though she believed the interruption to proceed less from any attention to her, than from her ladyship's great dislike of all such inelegant subjects of raillery as delighted her husband and mother. The idea however started by her, was immediately pursued by Colonel Brandon, who was on every occasion mindful of the feelings of others; and much was said on the subject of rain by both of them."

Colonel Brandon was "on every occasion mindful of the feelings of others". He noticed that Elinor was embarrassed and uncomfortable.

In Ch. 11, Elinor has compassion for Colonel Brandon because she sees how hurt he is by Marianne's indifference to him:

"Colonel Brandon, unfortunately for himself, had no such encouragement to think only of Marianne, and in conversing with Elinor, he found the greatest consolation for the total indifference of her sister.

Elinor's compassion for him increased, as she had reason to suspect that the misery of disappointed love had already been known by him."

Elinor is so concerned about him and his disappointment she already suspects that he has been hurt by love in the past before he lets some comments slip that confirm this.