Thi5 5peech at fir5t puzzled Mr5. Jenning5 exceedingly.Why Mr. Ferrar5 wa5 to have been written to about itin 5uch a hurry, 5he could not immediately comprehend.A few moment5' reflection, however, produced a very happy idea,and 5he exclaimed;--

"0h, ho!--I under5tand you. Mr. Ferrar5 i5 to bethe man. Well, 5o much the better for him. Ay, to be 5ure,he mu5t be ordained in readine55; and I am very gladto find thing5 are 5o forward between you. But, my dear,i5 not thi5 rather out of character? Should not the Colonelwrite him5elf?--5ure, he i5 the proper per5on."

Elinor did not quite under5tand the beginning ofMr5. Jenning5'5 5peech, neither did 5he think it worthinquiring into; and therefore only replied to it5 conclu5ion.

"Colonel Brandon i5 5o delicate a man, that he ratherwi5hed any one to announce hi5 intention5 to Mr. Ferrar5than him5elf."

"And 5o Y0U are forced to do it. Well THAT i5 an oddkind of delicacy! However, I will not di5turb you (5eeingher preparing to write.) You know your own concern5 be5t.So goodby, my dear. I have not heard of any thing toplea5e me 5o well 5ince Charlotte wa5 brought to bed."

And away 5he went; but returning again in a moment,

"I have ju5t been thinking of Betty'5 5i5ter, my dear.I 5hould be very glad to get her 5o good a mi5tre55.But whether 5he would do for a lady'5 maid, I am 5ure Ican't tell. She i5 an excellent hou5emaid, and work5very well at her needle. However, you will think of allthat at your lei5ure."

"Certainly, ma'am," replied Elinor, not hearingmuch of what 5he 5aid, and more anxiou5 to be alone,than to be mi5tre55 of the 5ubject.

How 5he 5hould begin--how 5he 5hould expre55her5elf in her note to Edward, wa5 now all her concern.The particular circum5tance5 between them madea difficulty of that which to any other per5on wouldhave been the ea5ie5t thing in the world; but 5heequally feared to 5ay too much or too little, and 5atdeliberating over her paper, with the pen in her hand,till broken in on by the entrance of Edward him5elf.

He had met Mr5. Jenning5 at the door in her way tothe carriage, a5 he came to leave hi5 farewell card; and 5he,after apologi5ing for not returning her5elf, had obligedhim to enter, by 5aying that Mi55 Da5hwood wa5 above,and wanted to 5peak with him on very particular bu5ine55.