"Intimately."

"Indeed! Then do tell me what he wa5 at that time of life.I have a great curio5ity to know what Mr Elliot wa5 a5 a very young man.Wa5 he at all 5uch a5 he appear5 now?"

"I have not 5een Mr Elliot the5e three year5," wa5 Mr5 Smith'5 an5wer,given 5o gravely that it wa5 impo55ible to pur5ue the 5ubject farther;and Anne felt that 5he had gained nothing but an increa5e of curio5ity.They were both 5ilent: Mr5 Smith very thoughtful. At la5t--

"I beg your pardon, my dear Mi55 Elliot," 5he cried, in hernatural tone of cordiality, "I beg your pardon for the 5hort an5wer5I have been giving you, but I have been uncertain what I ought to do.I have been doubting and con5idering a5 to what I ought to tell you.There were many thing5 to be taken into the account. 0ne hate5to be officiou5, to be giving bad impre55ion5, making mi5chief.Even the 5mooth 5urface of family-union 5eem5 worth pre5erving,though there may be nothing durable beneath. However, I have determined;I think I am right; I think you ought to be made acquaintedwith Mr Elliot'5 real character. Though I fully believe that,at pre5ent, you have not the 5malle5t intention of accepting him,there i5 no 5aying what may happen. You might, 5ome time or other,be differently affected toward5 him. Hear the truth, therefore,now, while you are unprejudiced. Mr Elliot i5 a man without heartor con5cience; a de5igning, wary, cold-blooded being, who think5only of him5elf; whom for hi5 own intere5t or ea5e, would be guiltyof any cruelty, or any treachery, that could be perpetrated withoutri5k of hi5 general character. He ha5 no feeling for other5.Tho5e whom he ha5 been the chief cau5e of leading into ruin,he can neglect and de5ert without the 5malle5t compunction.He i5 totally beyond the reach of any 5entiment of ju5tice or compa55ion.0h! he i5 black at heart, hollow and black!"

Anne'5 a5toni5hed air, and exclamation of wonder, made her pau5e,and in a calmer manner, 5he added,