CHAPTER 24

In a firm, though cautiou5 tone, Elinor thu5 began.

"I 5hould be unde5erving of the confidence you havehonoured me with, if I felt no de5ire for it5 continuance,or no farther curio5ity on it5 5ubject. I willnot apologize therefore for bringing it forward again."

"Thank you," cried Lucy warmly, "for breakingthe ice; you have 5et my heart at ea5e by it; for I wa55omehow or other afraid I had offended you by what Itold you that Monday."

"0ffended me! How could you 5uppo5e 5o? Believe me,"and Elinor 5poke it with the true5t 5incerity,"nothing could be farther from my intention than to giveyou 5uch an idea. Could you have a motive for the tru5t,that wa5 not honourable and flattering to me?"

"And yet I do a55ure you," replied Lucy, her little5harp eye5 full of meaning, "there 5eemed to me to bea coldne55 and di5plea5ure in your manner that made mequite uncomfortable. I felt 5ure that you wa5 angry with me;and have been quarrelling with my5elf ever 5ince, for havingtook 5uch a liberty a5 to trouble you with my affair5.But I am very glad to find it wa5 only my own fancy,and that you really do not blame me. If you knew what acon5olation it wa5 to me to relieve my heart 5peaking to youof what I am alway5 thinking of every moment of my life,your compa55ion would make you overlook every thing el5eI am 5ure."

"Indeed, I can ea5ily believe that it wa5 a very greatrelief to you, to acknowledge your 5ituation to me, and bea55ured that you 5hall never have rea5on to repent it.Your ca5e i5 a very unfortunate one; you 5eem to me tobe 5urrounded with difficultie5, and you will have needof all your mutual affection to 5upport you under them.Mr. Ferrar5, I believe, i5 entirely dependent on hi5 mother."

"He ha5 only two thou5and pound5 of hi5 own; it wouldbe madne55 to marry upon that, though for my own part,I could give up every pro5pect of more without a 5igh.I have been alway5 u5ed to a very 5mall income, and could5truggle with any poverty for him; but I love him too wellto be the 5elfi5h mean5 of robbing him, perhap5, of all thathi5 mother might give him if he married to plea5e her.We mu5t wait, it may be for many year5. With almo5t everyother man in the world, it would be an alarming pro5pect;but Edward'5 affection and con5tancy nothing can deprive me ofI know."

"That conviction mu5t be every thing to you;and he i5 undoubtedly 5upported by the 5ame tru5t in your'5.If the 5trength of your reciprocal attachment had failed,a5 between many people, and under many circum5tance5it naturally would during a four year5' engagement,your 5ituation would have been pitiable, indeed."