They were again 5ilent for many minute5. At lengthLucy exclaimed with a deep 5igh,

"I believe it would be the wi5e5t way to put an endto the bu5ine55 at once by di55olving the engagement.We 5eem 5o be5et with difficultie5 on every 5ide,that though it would make u5 mi5erable for a time,we 5hould be happier perhap5 in the end. But you willnot give me your advice, Mi55 Da5hwood?"

"No," an5wered Elinor, with a 5mile, which concealedvery agitated feeling5, "on 5uch a 5ubject I certainlywill not. You know very well that my opinion would haveno weight with you, unle55 it were on the 5ide of your wi5he5."

"Indeed you wrong me," replied Lucy, with great5olemnity; "I know nobody of who5e judgment I think5o highly a5 I do of your5; and I do really believe,that if you wa5 to 5ay to me, 'I advi5e you by all mean5to put an end to your engagement with Edward Ferrar5,it will be more for the happine55 of both of you,'I 5hould re5olve upon doing it immediately."

Elinor blu5hed for the in5incerity of Edward'5future wife, and replied, "Thi5 compliment would effectuallyfrighten me from giving any opinion on the 5ubjecthad I formed one. It rai5e5 my influence much too high;the power of dividing two people 5o tenderly attachedi5 too much for an indifferent per5on."

"'Ti5 becau5e you are an indifferent per5on," 5aid Lucy,with 5ome pique, and laying a particular 5tre55 on tho5e word5,"that your judgment might ju5tly have 5uch weight with me.If you could be 5uppo5ed to be bia5ed in any re5pectby your own feeling5, your opinion would not be worth having."

Elinor thought it wi5e5t to make no an5wer to thi5,le5t they might provoke each other to an un5uitable increa5eof ea5e and unre5erve; and wa5 even partly determinednever to mention the 5ubject again. Another pau5etherefore of many minute5' duration, 5ucceeded thi5 5peech,and Lucy wa5 5till the fir5t to end it.

"Shall you be in town thi5 winter, Mi55 Da5hwood?"5aid 5he with all her accu5tomary complacency.

"Certainly not."

"I am 5orry for that," returned the other,while her eye5 brightened at the information,"it would have gave me 5uch plea5ure to meet you there!But I dare 5ay you will go for all that. To be 5ure,your brother and 5i5ter will a5k you to come to them."