Finally someone who shares my opinion of Marianne--I thought I'd never find you! :-)

] That's hardly the thing to say to someone who obviously cares for you and is trying to comfort you. In her defense, she does beg for forgiveness and throws her arms around Elinor fairly soon after this.

I totally agree; Marianne is young, but she's old enough to know better (that's why she feels so shabby right after it comes out of her mouth!). I can't imagine Elinor acting the same way at 17.

] "Elinor, I have been cruelly used, but not by Willoughby."

By whom then? I guess I've always been at a loss as to what this was supposed to insinuate. Is M. referring to her family, who have only ever had her best interests at heart? Or maybe she's talking about Mrs. Jennings, who is putting her up for free>/i> for several months and taking her around to society balls? In her mind, it's probably just the depressing, abusive world in general that holds no regard for her best interests (sigh--w/tears shortly following). Puh-lease!!!

] What an ingrate!

Exactly--If I felt any sympathy for her before, at this point in the novel, I lost it. Mrs. Jennings might be a lot of things (insensitive, vulgar, etc.), but it is blatantly evident that she really cares for the two sisters. I thought M. sank to new levels when she abused Mrs. J.