relief to her to be spared the communication of what would give such affliction to them and to be saved likewise from hearing that condemnation of edward which would probably flow from the excess of partial for herself and which was more than she felt equal to support from l or their conversation he t r she could receive no assistance their tenderness and sorrow add to her distress while her self command would encouragement from their example nor from their praise she was stronger alone and own good sense so well supported her that her firmness was as her appearance of cheerfulness as invariable as with regrets so and so fresh it was for them to be much as she had suffered from her first conversation with on the subject she soon felt an earnest of it and this for more reasons than one she wanted to hear many particulars of their engagement repeated again she wanted more clearly to understand what really felt for edward whether there were any sincerity in her declaration of tender regard for him and she particularly wanted to convince by her readiness to enter on the matter again and her calmness in conversing on it that she was no otherwise interested in it than as a friend which she very much feared her involuntary agitation in their discourse must have left at least doubtful that was disposed to be jealous of her appeared very probable it was plain that edward had always highly in her praise not merely from s assertion but from her venturing to trust her on so short a personal acquaintance with a secret so and evidently important and even sir john s joking intelligence must sense and sensibility have had some weight but indeed while remained so well assured within herself of being really beloved by edward it required no other consideration of to make it natural that should be and that she was so her very confidence was a proof what other reason for the disclosure of the there be but that might be informed by it of s superior claims on edward and be taught to avoid him in future f she had in understanding thus much of her rival s intentions and while she was firmly resolved to act by her as every principle of honour and honesty directed to combat her own for edward and to see him as as possible she could not deny herself the comfort of endeavouring to convince that her heart and as she could now have nothing more to hear on the subject than had already been told she did net her own ability of going through a repetition of particulars with composure but it was not immediately that an opportunity of doing so could be commanded though was as well disposed as herself to take advantage of any that occurred for the weather was not often fine enough to allow of their joining in a walk where they mi t most easily separate themselves from die o rs and though they met at least every other evening either at the park or cottage and chiefly at the former they could not be supposed to meet for the sake of conversation such a thought would never enter either sir john or lady s head and therefore very little leisure was ever given for general chat and none at all for particular discourse they met for the sake of eating drinking and laughing together playing at cards or consequences or any other game that was sufficiently noisy one or two meetings of this kind had taken place i sense and without affording any chance of engaging in private when sir john called at the cottage one to beg in the name of charity that they would all dine with lady that day as he was obliged to attend the club at and she would otherwise be quite alone except her mother and the two miss who foresaw a fairer opening for the point she had in view in such a party as this was likely to be more at liberty among themselves under the tranquil and well bred direction of lady than when her husband united them together in one noisy purpose immediately accepted the invitation margaret with her mother s permission was equally and though always unwilling to join any of their parties was persuaded by her mother who could not bear to have her herself firom any chance of amusement to go likewise the young ladies went and lady was happily preserved from the frightful solitude which had threatened her the of the meeting was exactly such as had expected it produced not one novelty of thought or expression and nothing could be less interesting than the whole of their discourse both in the dining parlour and drawing room to the latter the children accompanied them and while they remained there she was too well convinced of the impossibility of g s attention to attempt it they quitted it only with the removal of the tea things the was then placed and began to wonder at herself for having ever entertained a hope of finding time for conversation at the park they all rose up in preparation for a round game i am glad said lady to you are not going to finish poor s basket this evening for i am sure it must hurt your eyes to work by and we will make the sense and sensibility i dear little love some amends for her disappointment tomorrow and then i hope she will not much mind it this hint was enough recollected herself instantly and replied indeed you are very much mistaken lady i am only waiting to know whether you can make your party without me or i should have been at my already i would not disappoint the little angel for all the world and if you want me at the card table now am resolved 