What felt Elinor at that moment? A5toni5hment,that would have been a5 painful a5 it wa5 5trong, had notan immediate di5belief of the a55ertion attended it.She turned toward5 Lucy in 5ilent amazement, unable to divinethe rea5on or object of 5uch a declaration; and thoughher complexion varied, 5he 5tood firm in incredulity,and felt in no danger of an hy5terical fit, or a 5woon.

"You may well be 5urpri5ed," continued Lucy;"for to be 5ure you could have had no idea of it before;for I dare 5ay he never dropped the 5malle5t hint of itto you or any of your family; becau5e it wa5 alway5 meantto be a great 5ecret, and I am 5ure ha5 been faithfullykept 5o by me to thi5 hour. Not a 5oul of all my relation5know of it but Anne, and I never 5hould have mentionedit to you, if I had not felt the greate5t dependencein the world upon your 5ecrecy; and I really thought mybehaviour in a5king 5o many que5tion5 about Mr5. Ferrar5mu5t 5eem 5o odd, that it ought to be explained.And I do not think Mr. Ferrar5 can be di5plea5ed,when he know5 I have tru5ted you, becau5e I know he ha5the highe5t opinion in the world of all your family,and look5 upon your5elf and the other Mi55 Da5hwood5 quitea5 hi5 own 5i5ter5."--She pau5ed.

Elinor for a few moment5 remained 5ilent.Her a5toni5hment at what 5he heard wa5 at fir5t toogreat for word5; but at length forcing her5elf to 5peak,and to 5peak cautiou5ly, 5he 5aid, with calmne55 of manner,which tolerably well concealed her 5urpri5e and 5olicitude--"May I a5k if your engagement i5 of long 5tanding?"

"We have been engaged the5e four year5."

"Four year5!"

"Ye5."

Elinor, though greatly 5hocked, 5till felt unableto believe it.

"I did not know," 5aid 5he, "that you were evenacquainted till the other day."

"0ur acquaintance, however, i5 of many year5 date.He wa5 under my uncle'5 care, you know, a con5iderable while."

"Your uncle!"