Latest / Abide Meditation App / Relaxing Story to Get Sleepy _ At Home with Jane Austen _ Bedtime Biography Story

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Relaxing Story to Get Sleepy _ At Home with Jane Austen _ Bedtime Biography Story · Abide Meditation App

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, the podcast where we listen, we relax,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: and we get sleepy. My name's Tom, and I'm your host.
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning in. Tonight, we'll step back in
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: time to 19th century England and visit the home of
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Jane Austen, the author of many world-renowned books. Make yourself
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: nice and comfortable in bed. Take a deep breath in,
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: gently lifting your shoulders and allowing any tension to collect there.
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: Then breathe back out letting the shoulders fall and the
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: tension to flow all the way down and out through
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  Speaker 1: the tips of your toes. Let's do two more of those.
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  Speaker 1: Breathing in, holding the tension for a moment and release.
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: Breathe in once more. Really squeeze the shoulders this time.
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  Speaker 1: And breathe out, letting it all flow away. Just notice
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  Speaker 1: the sensations of your body now as you relax more
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  Speaker 1: deeply into bed. If there's still some areas of tension
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: continue with those slower breaths releasing it bit by bit.
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  Speaker 1: And just reassure yourself that you are in the best
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  Speaker 1: place for a good night's sleep. This cosy peaceful spot
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  Speaker 1: is yours to enjoy. There's no pressure to do anything,
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  Speaker 1: to think about anything. No need to problem solve or
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: replay events that have come and gone. Your attention can
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: rest solely on our story now your imagination can help
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  Speaker 1: you picture the scenes and gradually in time you'll drift
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  Speaker 1: off to sleep softly and naturally as you begin to
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  Speaker 1: make your way to sleep Allow your mind to drift
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: back in time to Jane Austen's England at the start
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: of the 19th century.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: The year is 1813, and in many ways it's a
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: fascinating time to be alive. England is at the tail
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: end of King George III's reign. His declining conditions has
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: left his son George formally ruling under the title of
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  Speaker 2: Prince Regent since 1811. History will determine these years, the
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: Regency period, characterized by exciting developments in art and architecture, politics, fashion,
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  Speaker 2: and literature. It's a time of change within society, and
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: for the upper classes, a period of refinement and culture,
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  Speaker 2: a mini-renaissance of sorts. It's also the age of Jane Austen,
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  Speaker 2: the beloved writer whose humor, wit, and biting social commentary
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  Speaker 2: will long outlast Regency Britain. Her novels will be lauded
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  Speaker 2: for their romantic realism and strong female characters, producing loyal
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  Speaker 2: fans for centuries to come. Her words will inspire prequels, sequels,
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  Speaker 2: imitations and adaptations, from the stage to the silver screen.
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  Speaker 2: It's quite the legacy for the daughter of a village rector.
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  Speaker 2: Let's join her now at her home in the picturesque
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  Speaker 2: village of Chawton, Hampshire, in southeast England. It's a perfect
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  Speaker 2: summer's morning, neither too warm nor too cool. The sky
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: is a bright, flawless blue, crowned with a golden sun.
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: It casts a soothing glow over everything beneath it, including
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  Speaker 2: our writer, who is taking a quiet stroll around the
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: vast cottage garden. Jane's appearance is much like you might
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: expect from an English rose of the early 1800s. Her
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: cheeks are blush pink, the same rosy hue as her lips.
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  Speaker 2: The dainty features of her face are framed by ringlets
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  Speaker 2: of chocolatey brown curls at the front, and the rest
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  Speaker 2: of her hair is pinned up into a stylish chignon,
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  Speaker 2: or loose bun. She wears a full-length, regency-style dress, drawn
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  Speaker 2: in under the chest, and loose and flowing beneath it.
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  Speaker 2: It's a relatively plain ensemble, in many ways similar to
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: a nightgown. The white cotton fabric looks soft and comfortable.
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  Speaker 2: The only jewelry on display is a turquoise and gold
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  Speaker 2: ring worn on Jane's right hand and the delicate cross
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  Speaker 2: of topaz and gold that decorates her neckline. Her sister, Cassandra,
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  Speaker 2: has the same necklace, and like Jane, wears it each
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  Speaker 2: and every day. The necklace has sentimental value, being a
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  Speaker 2: gift from their brother Charles, who purchased it with prize
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  Speaker 2: money he earned in the Royal Navy. And it's a
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  Speaker 2: beautiful piece. adding a touch of classic elegance to the
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: author's appearance. In fact, dressed as she is, and with
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: movements so measured and graceful, one might easily mistake her
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  Speaker 2: for a character from one of her novels. Those close
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  Speaker 2: to her will say that writing has been Jane's dearest
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  Speaker 2: pleasure since childhood, when she began entertaining her family with
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  Speaker 2: readings of her work. By the age of seventeen, she
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  Speaker 2: had resolved to make a career of it, though unbeknownst
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  Speaker 2: to her, it would be nearly two full decades. before
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  Speaker 2: she would become a published author. As we find her now,
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  Speaker 2: 37-year-old Jane has released funeral The first, entitled Sense and Sensibility,
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  Speaker 2: was published on commission two years ago. The author was
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  Speaker 2: left anonymous, being described only as a lady. This was
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  Speaker 2: a bit risky, for had the novel proven unpopular, Jane
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  Speaker 2: herself would have been responsible for covering the printing costs. Thankfully,
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  Speaker 2: it was a risk that paid off, and sense and
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  Speaker 2: sensibility was very well received. In fact, Only last week,
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  Speaker 2: Jane got a letter from her publisher stating that all
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  Speaker 2: 750 copies had now sold out. Sense and Sensibility left
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  Speaker 2: Jane with a profit of £ 140, a substantial amount for
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  Speaker 2: a woman of the 19th century. And thanks to its success,
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  Speaker 2: she was able to sell the copyright of her second novel,
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: Pride and Prejudice, earning £ 110 outright. It was published this January. It, too,
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  Speaker 2: was very successful. In fact, had she chosen to publish
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: again by commission she would have earned her father's annual
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  Speaker 2: income twice over. Again, the novel was published anonymously, but
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  Speaker 2: this time around, it was billed as being written by
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  Speaker 2: the author of Sense and Sensibility. So despite remaining nameless,
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  Speaker 2: Jane's reputation is growing. as is the demand for her
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  Speaker 2: brand of social satire and realism. The Prince Regent himself
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  Speaker 2: is said to be a fan, though Jane herself cares
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  Speaker 2: little for him. She is known to jest that she
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  Speaker 2: writes only for the fame, but if you were to
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  Speaker 2: watch her at work, there would be no doubt you're
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  Speaker 2: in the presence of someone doing what they love. For Jane,
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  Speaker 2: writing is about much more than telling a story. As
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  Speaker 2: the daughter of a rector, she has a strong moral compass.
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  Speaker 2: This sense of morality is at the heart of each
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  Speaker 2: novel she writes. It's why so many of her readers
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  Speaker 2: are left pondering the merits and fates of different characters,
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  Speaker 2: comparing the value of riches and status against the integrity
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  Speaker 2: of their actions. This hour before breakfast belongs to Jane.
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  Speaker 2: Often she'll use this time to practice piano in the
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  Speaker 2: solitude of the drawing room, but on days as lovely
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  Speaker 2: as this, it seems improper to stay inside. She relishes
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  Speaker 2: the time alone with nature and the quiet contemplation it allows.
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  Speaker 2: Within the private sanctuary of these grounds, bounded by high
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  Speaker 2: wooden fences on one side and hornbeam hedges on the other,
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  Speaker 2: she is an image of blissful contentment. She ambles about
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  Speaker 2: the garden now, enjoying acres of spongy grass beneath her slippers,
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  Speaker 2: Every so often, she pauses and simply breathes, taking in
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  Speaker 2: that fresh countryside air. Occasionally, she closes her eyes and
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  Speaker 2: listens to the buzzing of bees, the chatter of birds,
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  Speaker 2: and the rustling of leaves in the morning breeze. Mostly, though,
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  Speaker 2: she walks and observes, taking in the sights of the
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  Speaker 2: sun-drenched garden. She admires the flowers, plants, and shrubbery as
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  Speaker 2: if truly seeing them for the first time. Such is
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  Speaker 2: her nature that she never fails to appreciate the textures, shades, shapes,
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  Speaker 2: and details that she encounters. She is quick to note
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  Speaker 2: any changes, no matter how small or subtle, brought about
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  Speaker 2: by the ever-shifting weather and seasons. Jane is particularly fond
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  Speaker 2: of the garden in summer, in part because many of
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  Speaker 2: its fruits are ripe and ready for picking. It's no surprise, then,
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  Speaker 2: that the first part of her journey takes her between
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  Speaker 2: two shrubberies, towards the vegetable and fruit patch where much
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  Speaker 2: of the family's food is grown. There, her eyes are
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  Speaker 2: immediately drawn to the ruby red of wild strawberries. Suspended
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  Speaker 2: like jewels from drooping stems in amongst a patch of greenery,
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  Speaker 2: their attractions prove too great. Moving closer, Jane pulls one
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  Speaker 2: of the fruits towards her, removing it from its stem
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  Speaker 2: and examining it more closely. Every inch of its scarlet
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  Speaker 2: flesh is decorated with a pattern of tiny, light green seeds,
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  Speaker 2: sunken ever so slightly into position. Its skin is so
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  Speaker 2: glossy that it reflects patches of sunlight from above. Jane
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  Speaker 2: turns it in her fingers, watching the patterns change with wonder.
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  Speaker 2: Bringing it to her nose, she takes in its fresh,
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  Speaker 2: fruity scent. Without hesitation, she bites into the sweet, juicy flesh,
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  Speaker 2: and then, wearing an expression of contentment and mischief, she
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  Speaker 2: wanders on, reflecting on another reason for her love of summer.
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  Speaker 2: At this time of year, the garden is thriving, The
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  Speaker 2: trees are abundant with rich emerald leaves, and the flowers
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  Speaker 2: are in bloom, showcasing a whole spectrum of vibrant color.
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  Speaker 2: There is the light purple of lilacs and the deep
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  Speaker 2: sea blue of cornflowers. They stand beside the powder pink hollyhocks,
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  Speaker 2: and pure white dangling snowdrops. A particular favorite of Jane's
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  Speaker 2: are the antique roses, which will become the ancestors of
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  Speaker 2: the roses in British gardens centuries later. They alone display
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  Speaker 2: stunning shades of cream, yellow orange and crimson. She pauses
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  Speaker 2: by them now, sitting down at one of her feet.
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  Speaker 2: favorite spots in the garden, the stone bench surrounded by roses.
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  Speaker 2: The air here is magical. As soon as Jane sits,
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  Speaker 2: she is aware of a unique but familiar perfume that
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  Speaker 2: enraptures and enlivens the senses. The rosy scent ebbs and
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  Speaker 2: flows on the breeze. Every so often, a gust of
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  Speaker 2: wind hits the blooms and causes a tidal wave of
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  Speaker 2: fragrance to wash over her. This place is Jane's sanctuary.
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  Speaker 2: She could sit here for hours, just contemplating the beauty
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  Speaker 2: of these flowers. Those closest to her are a beautiful
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  Speaker 2: shade of pastel yellow, reminiscent of an early morning sunrise.
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  Speaker 2: Climbing towards the sky on thorny stems, the rosebuds dance
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  Speaker 2: upon the air in bundles of swaying color. Today, one
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  Speaker 2: particularly striking rose perks out beyond the bush, seeming to
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  Speaker 2: invite further inspection. Seeing this Jane leans in and touches
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  Speaker 2: the cup-like flower. She gently strokes the soft, velvety petals
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  Speaker 2: before moving closer to smell the irresistibly dreamy fragrance of
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  Speaker 2: the bloom. Jane sits there upon the bench, Basking in
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  Speaker 2: her surroundings for some time longer. Looking over the garden
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  Speaker 2: and the house. What a beautiful building it is. With
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  Speaker 2: its red brick facade and terracotta roof tiles. Gleaming white
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  Speaker 2: window frames and doorways complete the look. Parts of the
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  Speaker 2: walls are decorated with lush ivy that shines bottle green
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  Speaker 2: in the sunlight. It's an exterior that is quintessentially English,
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  Speaker 2: a large country house without buildings and a courtyard, and
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  Speaker 2: yet it has the aura of a small, cozy cottage.
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  Speaker 2: By this point in time, the building itself is some
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  Speaker 2: 300 years old, dating back to about the 1500s. Initially,
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  Speaker 2: it was a farmhouse, which was later used as a
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  Speaker 2: coaching inn until it was purchased by the Knight family.
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  Speaker 2: in 1769. From then on, it became part of their larger,
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  Speaker 2: shorter estate. The Knights were distant relatives of the Austens,
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  Speaker 2: and having no children of their own, legally adopted Jane's brother, Edward,
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  Speaker 2: as their heir. When he later inherited the estate, he
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  Speaker 2: kindly offered this cottage to his widowed mother and unmarried sisters,
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: Cassandra and Jane. They've lived here quite happily since 1809,
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  Speaker 2: alongside a family friend, Martha Lloyd. As a middle-class family,
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  Speaker 2: and relatives of the head of the estate, they are
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  Speaker 2: supported by a cook and a couple of maid servants.
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  Speaker 2: They live like Eleanor and Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility,
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  Speaker 2: and the Bennet family in Pride and Prejudice. As many
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  Speaker 2: authors do, Jane Austen writes what is familiar to her
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  Speaker 2: In other words, she writes what she knows. People, places,
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  Speaker 2: routines and rituals present in the daily lives of her
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: fictional characters are sometimes borrowed from her own life. As such,
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: readers of her work are given a picture of what
• 25:35
  Speaker 2: life is like for middle-class women in the 1800s, and
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  Speaker 2: what is generally expected of them. Unlike their wealthier counterparts,
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  Speaker 2: the ladies of the Austen family are generally expected to
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  Speaker 2: contribute to the running of the household, particularly in the kitchen. Mrs.
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  Speaker 2: Austen tends to the herds through and vegetables in the garden,
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  Speaker 2: whilst Cassandra and Martha take the lion's share of the
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  Speaker 2: work alongside the cook. Jane is charged with preparing the
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  Speaker 2: family breakfast, which is usually served around nine o'clock in
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  Speaker 2: the morning. In fact, she's heading to the kitchen to
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  Speaker 2: do just that, only she suspects that her efforts might
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  Speaker 2: not be needed today. The smell of freshly baked bread
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  Speaker 2: emanates from the outdoor bakehouse to the left of the
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  Speaker 2: main building. Through the open kitchen window ahead, Jane hears
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  Speaker 2: the clinking of plates and cutlery. punctuated by the sounds
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  Speaker 2: of friendly conversation. Wandering across the stone floor of the kitchen,
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  Speaker 2: Jane is met by the merry faces of her family
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  Speaker 2: and a marvelous spread laid out over the thick wooden
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  Speaker 2: table in the center of the room. Arthur and Cassandra
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  Speaker 2: have already performed Jane's duties on her behalf and arranged
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  Speaker 2: a feast of breads, brioche and cakes. It's a kind
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  Speaker 2: gesture that Jane surely appreciates. Each of the women picks
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  Speaker 2: up as much as they can carry before moving into
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  Speaker 2: the dining parlour. This is a small room, but a
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  Speaker 2: beautiful one, from the gleaming wooden floorboards to the beams
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  Speaker 2: that line its pristine white ceiling. The wallpaper is particularly attractive,
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  Speaker 2: with a design of vibrant green leaves, known as Chawton Leaves.
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  Speaker 2: In the middle of the room is a square wooden table,
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  Speaker 2: just the right size for four women. Opposite this is
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  Speaker 2: a large white framed window which floods the room with
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  Speaker 2: daylight while also offering a view of passers-by upon the
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  Speaker 2: village street. Mrs. Austen The family matriarch is already here
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  Speaker 2: when the others enter. Hovering beside the fireplace, she watches
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  Speaker 2: over a large, boiling copper kettle, which sits upon the
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  Speaker 2: cast-iron fire grate. The water is used to brew delicious tea.
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  Speaker 2: The dishes are quickly laid out upon the table, and
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  Speaker 2: the merry household sits down to their regency breakfast. Breads
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  Speaker 2: and cakes are passed around the table without a single
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  Speaker 2: pause in the chatter, though the pace slows down somewhat
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  Speaker 2: once the food is all served. Jane choose slowly on
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  Speaker 2: a sweet pound cake, washing it down with warm, milky tea.
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  Speaker 2: It's just the refreshment she craves after her morning in
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  Speaker 2: the garden. Once appetites have been satisfied, the ladies are
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  Speaker 2: content to sit, discussing and debating the hot topics of society,
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  Speaker 2: and occasionally passing comment on those they notice through the window.
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  Speaker 2: Jane's wit and humor are second to none, but she
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  Speaker 2: is also kind and compassionate. The conversation is never dull.
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  Speaker 2: In fact, the whole group is lively this morning. and
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  Speaker 2: eager to talk and drink tea until they can do
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  Speaker 2: so no more. At last, their appetite for both runs dry. Then,
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  Speaker 2: as is routine, Cassandra and Martha tidy the breakfast things,
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  Speaker 2: whilst Jane moves to a small wooden table positioned beside
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  Speaker 2: the window. Here, she puts on her spectacles, organizes her paper, blotter, inkwell,
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  Speaker 2: and quill, and begins to write. Today, she is working
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  Speaker 2: on her third novel, called Mansfield Park. She reads and writes,
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  Speaker 2: and she revises and repeats, occasionally pausing to think or
• 32:04
  Speaker 2: gaze out the window. Writing is a pursuit of pleasure
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  Speaker 2: for Jane, an activity so utterly absorbing that she loses
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  Speaker 2: all sense of time and place. When she puts pen
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  Speaker 2: to paper, she's transported far away. To all appearances, she
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  Speaker 2: is presently seated in the dining parlor in Chawton, Hampshire.
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  Speaker 2: Her mind, however, is 120 miles north in Northamptonshire. Specifically,
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  Speaker 2: she is in the grand drawing room of the fictional
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  Speaker 2: Mansfield Park, where the shy, sweet Fanny Price makes awkward
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  Speaker 2: conversation with her rich relatives. It's a beautiful way to
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  Speaker 2: spend the morning hours and the early afternoon at that.
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  Speaker 2: So eventually, Jane has written all that she can write
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  Speaker 2: today and so tidies up her workspace, putting her paper
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  Speaker 2: and pen away. She then stands up, stretches her arms
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  Speaker 2: towards the ceiling and gives her hands a gentle shake.
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  Speaker 2: She feels relaxed and accomplished, and keen to move on
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  Speaker 2: to other pursuits. Thankfully, today there are no pressing house
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  Speaker 2: calls to make, no visitors expected here, and not even
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  Speaker 2: any letters to read and respond to. So the day
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  Speaker 2: is well and truly hers. Jane pauses now to consider
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  Speaker 2: her options. She might walk into Alton Town with Martha
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  Speaker 2: and Cassandra and peruse the shops there. Or maybe she'll
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  Speaker 2: help her mother pickle vegetables from the garden, something she
• 34:45
  Speaker 2: always enjoys. She thinks these through, and settles on something
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  Speaker 2: a bit quieter. Perhaps she'll read a book, or practice
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  Speaker 2: on the piano. Then, Jane remembers she has a bit
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  Speaker 2: of sewing that needs to be done. That's what she'll do,
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  Speaker 2: she decides. Her mind made up, she heads directly into
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  Speaker 2: the empty drawing room. stepping across polished floorboards and retrieving
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  Speaker 2: her sewing kit from a wooden cabinet. The drawing room
• 35:33
  Speaker 2: is one of Jane's favorite places in the house, and
• 35:37
  Speaker 2: she pauses momentarily to gaze around it now. The chorten
• 35:46
  Speaker 2: vine wallpaper is decorated with the white leaves of a
• 35:52
  Speaker 2: sycamore tree. They weave in and around each other, set
• 35:59
  Speaker 2: against a yellowish-green background, the color of summertime. Here and there,
• 36:10
  Speaker 2: painted family pictures and countryside scenes cover parts of the walls.
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  Speaker 2: Her eyes rest on a gold-framed portrait of her brother, Edward,
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  Speaker 2: as a child, hung above a beautiful square piano. Beside
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  Speaker 2: the piano is this striking mahogany bureau where her father,
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  Speaker 2: the Reverend George Austin, would want to sit and draft
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: his sermons. It's an exquisite piece of furniture, a desk
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  Speaker 2: at the lower half and a glass cabinet at the upper.
• 37:00
  Speaker 2: Through the trellis glass doors, she can make out the
• 37:05
  Speaker 2: titles of her father's extensive library. James unrestricted access to
• 37:15
  Speaker 2: these books from an early age. form the basis of
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  Speaker 2: her informal education. It also ignited a passion for reading
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  Speaker 2: that would last a lifetime. She takes a seat now,
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  Speaker 2: positioned in between her father's bureau and a large, bright
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  Speaker 2: window that looks out onto the gardens. Carefully, she arranges
• 37:51
  Speaker 2: her sewing on her lap before threading a needle with
• 37:55
  Speaker 2: cotton and tying a knot at one end. Jane has
• 38:02
  Speaker 2: a reputation for being a neat and skillful needlewoman, an
• 38:08
  Speaker 2: important skill in a household which relies on items being homemade.
• 38:17
  Speaker 2: Over the years, She's repaired shirts for all six of
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  Speaker 2: her brothers, alongside many a bonnet or nightgown for her
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  Speaker 2: sister and mother. At present, she is working on a
• 38:36
  Speaker 2: beautiful white shawl, simply for herself, and embroidering delicate little
• 38:44
  Speaker 2: crosses onto the fine muslin material Needlework to Jane is
• 38:54
  Speaker 2: as relaxing as it is useful. She works fastidiously with focus,
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  Speaker 2: but her expression is one of peace and serenity. She
• 39:10
  Speaker 2: takes great pleasure in the repetitive motion of the needle,
• 39:15
  Speaker 2: gliding up through the surface of the fabric and down again,
• 39:21
  Speaker 2: through the other side. Cheerful birdsong drifts in through the window.
• 39:30
  Speaker 2: putting the finishing touch on this calm and tranquil scene.
• 39:40
  Speaker 2: Jane spends an hour or so in this fashion, until
• 39:45
  Speaker 2: the sound of her sister's approaching footsteps alerts her to
• 39:50
  Speaker 2: dinner just before four o'clock. She returns to the parlor,
• 39:59
  Speaker 2: sitting down beside her family to a three-course feast of
• 40:05
  Speaker 2: regency delights. As always, the cook has outdone herself. The
• 40:15
  Speaker 2: first course is a beautiful chestnut soup, wholesome and refreshing.
• 40:24
  Speaker 2: The second is a thick meat pie topped with pastry
• 40:30
  Speaker 2: leaves that are not unlike those that decorate the walls
• 40:35
  Speaker 2: of the parlor. It's served with a variety of vegetables,
• 40:43
  Speaker 2: all grown in the cottage garden, including cauliflower florets and
• 40:50
  Speaker 2: slices of cabbage, lovingly pickled by Martha in a tangy,
• 40:57
  Speaker 2: flavourful brine. There are also carrots and potatoes dripping with hot,
• 41:07
  Speaker 2: runny butter. It's a meal so delightful that conversation all
• 41:16
  Speaker 2: but stops and a wave of satisfaction washes over the room.
• 41:26
  Speaker 2: The final dish is dessert, a triumph for fruits, nuts
• 41:33
  Speaker 2: and marzipan, accompanied by Martha's cheesecake famed within these walls
• 41:44
  Speaker 2: Jane enjoys the cake, delighting in its soft, crumbly texture
• 41:51
  Speaker 2: and sweet, creamy taste. She eats until every last crumb
• 42:01
  Speaker 2: is gone, takes a sip from her wine glass, and
• 42:07
  Speaker 2: emphatically praises Martha's skill in the kitchen. After dinner, the
• 42:16
  Speaker 2: group retires upstairs to the family room. Jane takes up
• 42:23
  Speaker 2: her place upon an elegant chaise longue. As one might expect,
• 42:32
  Speaker 2: the walls of the family room are cluttered with family
• 42:37
  Speaker 2: portraits hung upon a wallpaper that Jane is particularly fond of.
• 42:47
  Speaker 2: Blue and white diagonal patterns swirl like vines. Looking upon
• 42:56
  Speaker 2: these walls, Jane is taken right back to her beloved
• 43:02
  Speaker 2: bench in the garden, where only this morning she soaked
• 43:07
  Speaker 2: up the scents of roses. Gazing out of the window now,
• 43:16
  Speaker 2: towards that very place, she notes that the daylight is
• 43:21
  Speaker 2: beginning to fade. She takes a small wooden splint from
• 43:29
  Speaker 2: a box beside the hearth and lights it carefully. Soon,
• 43:37
  Speaker 2: there's a golden fire which flickers in the shadows against
• 43:42
  Speaker 2: the walls. Jane lights the four candles that stand atop
• 43:49
  Speaker 2: the elegant white mantelpiece, and with the help of her sister,
• 43:55
  Speaker 2: these are placed at each corner of the room. The
• 44:02
  Speaker 2: group then settles into relaxed and happy conversation. They retire
• 44:11
  Speaker 2: here most evenings, often playing parlor games or card games
• 44:18
  Speaker 2: and occasionally practicing their formal dance routines. Tonight they are
• 44:26
  Speaker 2: in very high spirits and opt to play a series
• 44:31
  Speaker 2: of word games. Participants are challenged to create impromptu rhyming
• 44:39
  Speaker 2: verses using preset words a task which proves more than
• 44:46
  Speaker 2: a little amusing. This is followed by a game of
• 44:52
  Speaker 2: Regency-style charades, in which rhyming riddles are read aloud by
• 44:59
  Speaker 2: one player at a time. The other players must decipher
• 45:06
  Speaker 2: the subject of the riddle. It's a challenge. and again
• 45:13
  Speaker 2: it results in much laughter and merriment. Time moves rather
• 45:21
  Speaker 2: quickly when spent in such a manner, and soon the
• 45:26
  Speaker 2: day outside gives way to darkness. In the dim glow
• 45:33
  Speaker 2: of candlelight, the women begin to grow weary, Mrs. Austin
• 45:41
  Speaker 2: disappears from the room, returning with a tray of hot
• 45:46
  Speaker 2: cocoa for all. Cups and saucers with steam rising from
• 45:55
  Speaker 2: the top are distributed around the room. The group sits
• 46:03
  Speaker 2: and drinks, quietly enjoying each chocolatey sip. Of course, the
• 46:13
  Speaker 2: night wouldn't be complete without a bedtime story, read by
• 46:19
  Speaker 2: the writer in residence. And so, when Jane finishes her cocoa,
• 46:27
  Speaker 2: she reads a passage from Pride and Prejudice, the family favorite.
• 46:37
  Speaker 2: They listen intently, following the twist. and turns of the
• 46:43
  Speaker 2: story despite having heard it many times before. When the
• 46:51
  Speaker 2: chapter is finished, they give Jane a round of applause. Then,
• 46:59
  Speaker 2: with expressions of love and kindness, they bid each other goodnight.
• 47:08
  Speaker 2: One by one, they take a candle from each corner
• 47:13
  Speaker 2: of the room and proceed to their separate bedrooms. Jane
• 47:21
  Speaker 2: walks sleepily into her room across the hall and places
• 47:27
  Speaker 2: her candle down upon the windowsill. It sits beside a
• 47:34
  Speaker 2: framed portrait of herself which was drawn by her sister
• 47:40
  Speaker 2: Cassandra and presented to her as a gift. She changes
• 47:48
  Speaker 2: into a loose-fitting nightgown, hanging her clothes over a chair
• 47:55
  Speaker 2: and placing her jewelry upon the dressing table. Pulling back
• 48:04
  Speaker 2: the white drapes of her four-poster bed Jane reveals a
• 48:10
  Speaker 2: stunning patchwork quilt. This is the Austin family quilt, which
• 48:19
  Speaker 2: includes 64 different patterns. All were meticulously sewn in diamond
• 48:29
  Speaker 2: shapes across its surface by Jane, Cassandra, and their mother.
• 48:38
  Speaker 2: It was an ambitious project, and it took them an
• 48:42
  Speaker 2: age to complete, but it was a worthwhile effort. Just
• 48:50
  Speaker 2: the sight of it now offers warmth and comfort, and
• 48:55
  Speaker 2: the touch of it is even better. She slides into bed,
• 49:04
  Speaker 2: snuggling beneath this cozy quilt. and offering a silent thanks
• 49:11
  Speaker 2: for all that she has. Closing her eyes, Jane smiled.
• 49:20
  Speaker 2: scans back over the day. She recalls her blissful walk
• 49:28
  Speaker 2: around the garden, the hours joyfully lost to writing and
• 49:36
  Speaker 2: then sewing. the hilarity of evening charades, and the taste
• 49:46
  Speaker 2: of Martha's cheesecake. Her body relaxed and her heart full
• 49:56
  Speaker 2: of gratitude, she drifts away into a deep and peaceful sleep.
• 50:08
  Speaker 1: Thank you.
• 50:24
  Speaker 2: Thank you. Thank you.
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you.
• 53:46
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 54:07
  Speaker 1: Thank you.
• 54:21
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 54:44
  Speaker 1: Thank you.
• 55:00
  Speaker 2: Thank you. Thank you for watching. you