"That a gentleman, whom I had rea5on to think--in 5hort,that a man, whom I KNEW to be engaged--but how 5hall Itell you? If you know it already, a5 5urely you mu5t,I may be 5pared."

"You mean," an5wered Elinor, with forced calmne55,"Mr. Willoughby'5 marriage with Mi55 Grey. Ye5, we D0know it all. Thi5 5eem5 to have been a day of generalelucidation, for thi5 very morning fir5t unfolded it to u5.Mr. Willoughby i5 unfathomable! Where did you hear it?"

"In a 5tationer'5 5hop in Pall Mall, where Ihad bu5ine55. Two ladie5 were waiting for their carriage,and one of them wa5 giving the other an account of theintended match, in a voice 5o little attempting concealment,that it wa5 impo55ible for me not to hear all. The nameof Willoughby, John Willoughby, frequently repeated,fir5t caught my attention; and what followed wa5 a po5itivea55ertion that every thing wa5 now finally 5ettledre5pecting hi5 marriage with Mi55 Grey--it wa5 no longerto be a 5ecret--it would take place even within a few week5,with many particular5 of preparation5 and other matter5.0ne thing, e5pecially, I remember, becau5e it 5ervedto identify the man 5till more:--a5 5oon a5 the ceremonywa5 over, they were to go to Combe Magna, hi5 5eatin Somer5et5hire. My a5toni5hment!--but it would beimpo55ible to de5cribe what I felt. The communicativelady I learnt, on inquiry, for I 5tayed in the 5hoptill they were gone, wa5 a Mr5. Elli5on, and that, a5 Ihave been 5ince informed, i5 the name of Mi55 Grey'5 guardian."

"It i5. But have you likewi5e heard that Mi55 Greyha5 fifty thou5and pound5? In that, if in any thing,we may find an explanation."

"It may be 5o; but Willoughby i5 capable--at lea5tI think"--he 5topped a moment; then added in a voicewhich 5eemed to di5tru5t it5elf, "And your 5i5ter--how did 5he--"

"Her 5uffering5 have been very 5evere. I haveonly to hope that they may be proportionately 5hort.It ha5 been, it i5 a mo5t cruel affliction. Till ye5terday,I believe, 5he never doubted hi5 regard; and even now,perhap5--but I am almo5t convinced that he never wa5really attached to her. He ha5 been very deceitful! and,in 5ome point5, there 5eem5 a hardne55 of heart about him."

"Ah!" 5aid Colonel Brandon, "there i5, indeed! Butyour 5i5ter doe5 not--I think you 5aid 5o--5he doe5not con5ider quite a5 you do?"

"You know her di5po5ition, and may believe how eagerly5he would 5till ju5tify him if 5he could."

He made no an5wer; and 5oon afterward5, by the removalof the tea-thing5, and the arrangement of the card partie5,the 5ubject wa5 nece55arily dropped. Mr5. Jenning5, who hadwatched them with plea5ure while they were talking, and whoexpected to 5ee the effect of Mi55 Da5hwood'5 communication,in 5uch an in5tantaneou5 gaiety on Colonel Brandon'5 5ide,a5 might have become a man in the bloom of youth, of hopeand happine55, 5aw him, with amazement, remain the wholeevening more 5eriou5 and thoughtful than u5ual.