n incident which, though full of
discomfort and inconvenience for the actors, yet lacks the note of
tragedy contained in the last. It rests on the same excellent authority,
with the additional safeguard that Caroline Austen's own mother must
have known the circumstances exactly. The story is as follows:--

In November 1802 Cassandra and Jane came from Bath to pay a visit to
their old home--then in the possession of their eldest brother James and
his wife Mary. In the course of it, they went to spend a few days with
some old friends in the neighbourhood. On the morning of Friday,
December 3, they suddenly reappeared--their friends having driven them
back--at an unlooked-for moment. All got out, and to Mrs. James Austen's
surprise a tender scene of embraces and tears and distressing farewells
took place in the hall. No sooner had the carriage disappeared than
Cassandra and Jane, without offering any explanation, turned to her and
said that they must at once go back to Bath--the very next day--it was
absolutely necessary, and (as an escort for young ladies travelling by
coach was also necessary) their brother James must take them--although
Saturday was a day on which it was most inconvenient for a single-handed
rector to go far from his parish; for he could not return till Monday,
and there was hardly any time to provide for his Sunday duty. But
Cassandra and Jane, in a manner very unlike their usual considerate
selves, refused to remain till Monday, nor would they give any reason
for this refusal. James was therefore obliged to yield and to go with
them to Bath. In course of time the mystery was solved. One[69] of the
family with whom they had been staying had made Jane an offer of
marriage, which she accepted--only to repent of her action deeply before
many hours had passed. Her niece Caroline's remarks are as follows:--

I conjecture that the advantages he could offer,
and her gratitude for his love, and her long
friendship with his family, induced my aunt to
decide that she would marry him when he should ask
her, but that having accepted him she found she
was miserable. To be sure, she should not have
said 'Yes' overnight; but I have always respected
her for her courage in cancelling that 'Yes' the
next morning; all worldly advantages would have
been to her, and she was of an age to know this
quite well (she