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Elinor for a few moments remained silent Her astonishreat for words; but at length forcing herself to speak, and to speak cautiously, she said, with calmness of manner, which tolerably well concealed her surprise and solicitude-- "May I ask if your engageed these four years"

"Four years!"

"Yes"

Elinor, though greatly shocked, still felt unable to believe it

"I did not know," said she, "that you were even acquainted till the other day"

"Our acquaintance, however, is of many years date He was under my uncle's care, you know, a considerable while"

"Your uncle!"

"Yes; Mr Pratt Did you never hear him talk of Mr Pratt?"

"I think I have," replied Elinor, with an exertion of spirits, which increased with her increase of estaple, near Plyun, forwith h not till a year after he had quitted as a pupil; but he was al to enter into it, as you e and approbation of his , and loved hih you do not know hih of hi a woman sincerely attached to hi what she said; but after a moment's reflection, she added, with revived security of Edward's honour and love, and her coed to Mr Edward Ferrars!--I confess myself so totally surprised at what you tellyour pardon; but surely there must be some mistake of person or name We cannot mean the sa "Mr Edward Ferrars, the eldest son of Mrs Ferrars, of Park Street, and brother of your sister-in-law, Mrs John Dashwood, is the person I mean; you must allow that I am not likely to be deceived as to the name of the e," replied Elinor, in a most painful perplexity, "that I should never have heard him even mention your name"