from the first without any design that would bear investigation absence might have weakened his regard and convenience might have determined him to overcome it but that such a regard had formerly existed she could not bring herself to doubt as for on the pangs which so unhappy a meeting must already have given her and on those still more severe which might await her in its probable consequence she could not reflect without the deepest concern her own situation gained in the comparison for while she could edward as much as ever however they might be divided in future her mind might be always supported but every circumstance that could such an evil seemed to the misery of in a final separation from � in an immediate and with him chapter the had lit their fire the next day or the sun gained any power over a cold gloomy morning in january only half dressed was kneeling against one of e for the sake of all the little light she could command from it and writing as fast as a continual flow of tears would permit her in this situation and sensibility roused sleep by her and first perceived her end after observing ber for � few with j said in a tone of the most considerate gentleness may i ask no she replied j a k nothing yon will soon know the sort of desperate with which this was said lasted no longer than while spoke and was immediately followed by a return of the same affliction it wa some minutes before she could go on with her letter and the frequent bursts of grief which still obliged her at intervals to withhold her pen were proofs enough of her feeling how more than probable it was tbat she was writing for the time to j � paid her every quiet and attention in m her power j and she would have tried to soothe and her still more had not entreated her with all the e of the most nervous not to speak to her for the world in such it was better for both that they should not be long together and the restless state of s mind not only prevented her from remaining in the room a moment after she was dressed but requiring at solitude and continual change of place made her wander about the house till breakfast time sight of every body at breakfast she neither ate nor attempted to eat any things and s attention was all employed not m urging her not in pitying her nor in appearing to regard her but in end to engage mrs s notice entirely to herself as this was a favourite meal with it lasted a considerable time and ihey were just setting themselves after it round the common working table when a letter delivered to which eagerly caught from the servant and turning of a death like instantly ran out of the room who saw as plainly by this as if she had seen the direction that it must come from sense and sensibility felt immediately such a sickness at heart as made her hardly able to hold up her head and sat in such a general as made her fear it impossible to escape mrs s notice that good lady however saw only that had a letter from which appeared to her a very good joke and which she treated accordingly by with a laugh that she would find it to her liking of s distress she was too busily employed in measuring of for her rug to see any thing at all and continuing her talk as soon as disappeared she said � upon my word i never saw a young woman so desperately in love in my life my girls were nothing to her and yet they used to be foolish enough but as for miss she is quite an altered creature i hope from the bottom of my heart he won t keep her waiting much longer for it is quite grievous to see her look so ill and forlorn pray when are they to be married though never less disposed to speak than at that moment herself to answer such an attack as this and trying to smile replied and have you really ma am talked yourself into a persuasion of my sister s being engaged to mr i thought it had been only a joke but so serious a question seems to imply more and i must beg therefore that you will not deceive yourself any longer i do assure you that nothing would surprise me more t to hear of their being going to be married for shame for shame miss dash wood how can you talk so don t we all know that it must be a match � tiiat they were over head and ears in love with each other from the first moment they met did not i see them together in every day and all day long and did not i know your sister came to town with me on purpose to buy wedding clothes come come this won t do because you are so sly about it yourself you think nobody else has any senses but it is no such thing i can tell you for it has been sense a t sensibility known all o� er town this ever so long i tell eveiy body of it and � o does indeed ma am said very indeed you are doing a very unkind thing in spreading the report and you will find that you have though you will not believe me now laughed again but had not to say more j and eager at ail events to know what had hurried away to their room where on opening the door she saw stretched on the bed almost by grief one letter in her hand and two or three others lying by 