Page:Jane Austen (Sarah Fanny Malden 1889).djvu/47

 facts, and, indeed, the story practically crumbles to pieces when investigated. First, the whole episode must have been before 1805, for Mr. Austen died in that year, but neither then nor at any other time is there any probability that Jane Austen was ever abroad; her own family believe that she never crossed the sea in her life. A second objection, which Sir Francis himself remarks upon, is that none of Jane's own generation of relatives knew anything of the story, nor any of her nephews or nieces except the unnamed one who told it to Sir Francis's friend. Mr. Austen Leigh and his sisters, Mrs. Lefroy and Miss Austen, all remembered their aunt Jane well; so did Lady Knatchbull, who had been a special companion and chosen confidante of hers; yet none of these had ever heard of Jane Austen being definitely engaged to anyone, and it is certain that the niece who related the story was not one of those who remembered her aunt, so that she can only have had it at second hand herself. Indeed, the Austens were on such intimate terms with each other that it is inconceivable they should not all have known of any declared engagement among themselves; but what above all is utterly and entirely inconceivable is that Cassandra Austen, who must have known all about it, should not only have never mentioned it to anyone, but should have told a different story to account for her sister's never having married. Another explanation of Sir Francis's story is also possible. Though Jane Austen never was engaged to be married, Cassandra Austen was; her fiancé died while out of England, after a short and sudden illness. With a resemblance like this between the sisters' stories it is not difficult to see how, years later, when Cassandra and Jane were both gone, the more tragic