by sir john chapter xxii who had never much for any thing like impertinence vulgarity inferiority of parts or even difference of taste from herself was at this time particularly from the state of her spirits to be pleased with the or to encourage their advances and to the invariable coldness of her behaviour towards them which checked every endeavour at intimacy on their side principally attributed that preference of herself which soon l came evident in the manners of both but especially of who missed no opportunity of engaging her in conversation or of striving to improve their acquaintance by an easy and frank communication of her sentiments was naturally clever her remarks were often just and amusing and as a companion for half an hour frequently found her agreeable but her powers had received no aid from education she was ignorant and and her deficiency of all mental improvement her want of information in the most common particulars could not be concealed from miss dash wood in spite of her constant endeavour to appear to advantage saw and pitied her for the neglect of abilities which education might have rendered so respectable but she saw with less tenderness of the thorough want of delicacy of and integrity of mind which her attentions her her at the park betrayed and she could have no lasting satisfaction in the company of a person who joined with ignorance whose want of instruction prevented their meeting in conversation on terms of equality and whose conduct toward others made every show of attention and deference towards herself perfectly you will think my question an odd one i dare say said to her one day as they were walking together from the park to the cottage but pray are you personally acquainted with sister in law s mother mrs � and did think the question a very odd one and her countenance expressed it as she answered that she had never mrs indeed i replied i wonder at that for i thought you must have seen her at sometimes then perhaps you cannot tell me what sort of a woman she is no returned cautious of giving her real opinion of i s mother and not very desirous of satisfying what seemed impertinent curiosity i know nothing of her i am sure you think me very strange for about her in such away said attentively as she spoke but perhaps there may be reasons � i wish i might venture but however i hope you will do me the justice of believing that i do not mean to be impertinent made her a civil reply and they walked on for a few minutes in silence it was broken by who renewed the subject again by saying with some hesitation � i cannot bear to have you think me curious i am sure i would rather do any thing in the world than be thought so by a person whose good opinion is so well worth having as yours and i am sure i should not have the smallest fear of trusting you indeed i should be very glad of your advice how to manage in such an uncomfortable situation as i am but however there is no occasion to trouble you i am sorry you do not happen to know mrs i am sorry i do no said in great 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 ail connected with that family and therefore i am a little surprised i confess at so serious an inquiry into her character i 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 so much surprised mrs is certainly nothing to me at present but the time may come � how soon it will come must depend upon herself � when we may be very intimately connected she looked down as she said this with only one side glance at her companion to observe its effect on her good heavens cried what do you mean are you acquainted with mr robert can you be and she did not feel much delighted with the idea of such a sister in law sense and en no replied not to mr robert � i saw him in my life but fixing her eyes upon to his eldest brother what felt at that moment astonishment that would have been as painful as it was strong had not an immediate of the assertion attended it she turned towards in silent amazement unable to divine the reason or object of such a declaration and though her complexion varied she stood firm in incredulity and felt in no danger of an hysterical fit or a you may well be surprised continued 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 family because it was always meant to be a great 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 hare mentioned it to you if i had not felt the greatest dependence in the world upon your secrecy and i really thought my behaviour in asking so many questions about mrs must seem so odd that it ought to be explained and i do not think mr 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 quite as his own sisters she paused for a few moments remained silent her astonish at what she heard was at first too great for words but 