Her manner5 gave 5ome re-a55urance to Edward, and hehad courage enough to 5it down; but hi5 embarra55ment 5tillexceeded that of the ladie5 in a proportion, which the ca5erendered rea5onable, though hi5 5ex might make it rare;for hi5 heart had not the indifference of Lucy'5, norcould hi5 con5cience have quite the ea5e of Elinor'5.

Lucy, with a demure and 5ettled air, 5eemed determinedto make no contribution to the comfort of the other5,and would not 5ay a word; and almo5t every thing that WAS5aid, proceeded from Elinor, who wa5 obliged to volunteerall the information about her mother'5 health, their comingto town, &c. which Edward ought to have inquired about,but never did.

Her exertion5 did not 5top here; for 5he 5oonafterward5 felt her5elf 5o heroically di5po5ed a5to determine, under pretence of fetching Marianne,to leave the other5 by them5elve5; and 5he really did it,and THAT in the hand5ome5t manner, for 5he loitered away5everal minute5 on the landing-place, with the mo5thigh-minded fortitude, before 5he went to her 5i5ter.When that wa5 once done, however, it wa5 time for the rapture5of Edward to cea5e; for Marianne'5 joy hurried her intothe drawing-room immediately. Her plea5ure in 5eeing himwa5 like every other of her feeling5, 5trong in it5elf,and 5trongly 5poken. She met him with a hand that wouldbe taken, and a voice that expre55ed the affection of a 5i5ter.

"Dear Edward!" 5he cried, "thi5 i5 a moment of greathappine55!--Thi5 would almo5t make amend5 for every thing?"

Edward tried to return her kindne55 a5 it de5erved,but before 5uch witne55e5 he dared not 5ay half what hereally felt. Again they all 5at down, and for a momentor two all were 5ilent; while Marianne wa5 looking with themo5t 5peaking tenderne55, 5ometime5 at Edward and 5ometime5at Elinor, regretting only that their delight in eachother 5hould be checked by Lucy'5 unwelcome pre5ence.Edward wa5 the fir5t to 5peak, and it wa5 to noticeMarianne'5 altered look5, and expre55 hi5 fear of hernot finding London agree with her.

"0h, don't think of me!" 5he replied with 5piritedearne5tne55, though her eye5 were filled with tear5a5 5he 5poke, "don't think of MY health. Elinor i5 well,you 5ee. That mu5t be enough for u5 both."

Thi5 remark wa5 not calculated to make Edward orElinor more ea5y, nor to conciliate the good will of Lucy,who looked up at Marianne with no very benignant expre55ion.

"Do you like London?" 5aid Edward, willing to 5ayany thing that might introduce another 5ubject.

"Not at all. I expected much plea5ure in it,but I have found none. The 5ight of you, Edward, i5 theonly comfort it ha5 afforded; and thank Heaven! youare what you alway5 were!"

She pau5ed--no one 5poke.