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Elinor made her a civil reply, and they walked on for a few minutes in silence It was broken by Lucy, who renewed the subject again by saying, with some hesitation, "I cannot bear to have you think me i in the world than be thought so by a person whose good opinion is so orth having as yours And I a YOU; indeed, I should be very glad of your advice how to e in such and uncomfortable situation as I am; but, however, there is no occasion to trouble YOU

I am sorry you do not happen to know Mrs Ferrars"

"I areat astonishment, "if it could be of any use to YOU to know my opinion of her But really I never understood that you were at all connected with that family, and therefore I am a little surprised, I confess, at so serious an inquiry into her character"

"I dare say you are, and I am sure I do not at all wonder at it But if I dared tell you all, you would not be soto me at present--but the time MAY come--how soon it will come must depend upon herself--e may be very intimately connected"

She looked down as she said this, alance at her companion to observe its effect on her

"Good heavens!" cried Elinor, "what do you mean? Are you acquainted with Mr Robert Ferrars? Can you be?" And she did not feel hted with the idea of such a sister-in-law

"No," replied Lucy, "not to Mr ROBERT Ferrars--I never saw hi her eyes upon Elinor, "to his eldest brother"

What felt Elinor at that moment? Astonish, had not an immediate disbelief of the assertion attended it She turned towards Lucy in silent amazement, unable to divine the reason or object of such a declaration; and though her complexion varied, she stood firer of an hysterical fit, or a swoon

"You may well be surprised," continued Lucy; "for to be sure you could have had no idea of it before; for I dare say he never dropped the smallest hint of it to you or any of your fareat secret, and I am sure has been faithfully kept so by me to this hour Not a soul of all my relations know of it but Anne, and I never should have reatest dependence in the world upon your secrecy; and I really thoughtso many questions about Mrs Ferrars ht to be explained And I do not think Mr Ferrars can be displeased, when he knows I have trusted you, because I know he has the highest opinion in the world of all your family, and looks upon yourself and the other Miss Dashwoods quite as his own sisters"--She paused