"well, my dear," said mrs. jennings, and how did you travel? "
"not in the stage, i assure you," replied miss steele, with quick exultation; "we came post all the way, and had
a very smart beau to attend us. dr. davies was coming to town, and so we thought we'd join him in a post-
chaise, and he behaved very genteelly, and paid ten or twelve shillings more than we did."
"oh, oh! " cried mrs. jennings: "very pretty, indeed! and the doctor is a single man, i warrant you."
"there now," said miss steele, affectedly simpering, "everybody laughs at me so about the doctor, and i
cannot think why. my cousins say they are sure i have made a conquest; but for my part i declare i never think
about him from one hour's end to another.." (sense and sensibility, chapter 32, pp. 11-12)
which of the novel's themes is elaborated in this excerpt?
economic concern and stablility
looking beyond appearances
social status
marriage is for life