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 emotion.
"He was four years with my uncle, who lives at Longstaple, near Plymouth.It was there our acquaintance begun, for my sister and me was often staying with my uncle, and it was there our engagement was formed, though not till a year after he had quitted as a pupil; but he was almost always with us afterwards.I was very unwilling to enter into it, as you may imagine, without the knowledge and approbation of his mother; but I was too young, and loved him too well, to be so prudent as I ought to have been.--Though you do not know him so well as me, Miss Dashwood, you must have seen enough of him to be sensible he is very capable of making a woman sincerely attached to him.""Certainly," answered Elinor, without knowing what she said; but after a moment's reflection, she added, with revived security of Edward's honour and love, and her companion's falsehood--"Engaged to Mr.Edward Ferrars!--I confess myself so totally surprised at what you tell me, that really--I beg your pardon;but surely there must be some mistake of person or name.
We cannot mean the same Mr.Ferrars."
"We can mean no other," cried Lucy, smiling.
"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 man on who all my happiness depends.""It is strange," replied Elinor, in a most painful perplexity, "that I should never have heard him even mention your name.""No; considering our situation, it was not strange.
Our first care has been to keep the matter secret.--You knew nothing of me, or my family, and, therefore, there could be no OCCASION for ever mentioning my name to you; and, as he was always particularly afraid of his sister's suspecting any thing, THAT was reason enough for his not mentioning it."She was silent.--Elinor's security sunk; but her self-command did not sink with it.
"Four years you have been engaged," said she with a firm voice.
"Yes; and heaven knows how much longer we may have to wait.Poor Edward! It puts him quite out of heart."Then taking a small miniature from her pocket, she added, "To prevent the possibility of mistake, be so good as to look at this face.It does not do him justice, to be sure, but yet I think you cannot be deceived as to the person it was drew for.--I have had it above these three years."She put it into her hands as she spoke; and when Elinor saw the painting, whatever other doubts her fear of a too hasty decision, or her wish of detecting falsehood might suffer to linger in her mind, she could have none of its being Edward's face.She returned it almost instantly, acknowledging the likeness.
"I have never been able," continued Lucy, "to give him my picture in return, which I am very much vexed at, for he has been always so anxious to get it! But I am determined to set for it the very first opportunity.""You are quite in the right," replied Elinor calmly.
They then proceeded a few paces in silence.Lucy spoke first.
"I am sure," said she, "I have no doubt in the world of your faithfully keeping this secret, because you must know of what importance it is to us, not to have it reach his mother; for she would never approve of it, I dare say.
I shall have no fortune, and I fancy she is an exceeding proud woman.""I certainly did not seek your confidence,"said Elinor;
"but you do me no more than justice in imagining that Imay be depended on.Your secret is safe with me;but pardon me if I express some surprise at so unnecessary a communication.You must at least have felt that my being acquainted with it could not add to its safety."As she said this, she looked earnestly at Lucy, hoping to discover something in her countenance; perhaps the falsehood of the greatest part of what she had been saying;but Lucy's countenance suffered no change.
"I was afraid you would think I was taking a great liberty with you," said she, "in telling you all this.