nce knew a lady who in temper
and mind greatly resembled your sister, who thought and judged like
her, but who from an enforced change--from a series of unfortunate
circumstances--" Here he stopped suddenly; appeared to think that he
had said too much, and by his countenance gave rise to conjectures,
which might not otherwise have entered Elinor's head. The lady would
probably have passed without suspicion, had he not convinced Miss
Dashwood that what concerned her ought not to escape his lips. As it
was, it required but a slight effort of fancy to connect his emotion
with the tender recollection of past regard. Elinor attempted no more.
But Marianne, in her place, would not have done so little. The whole
story would have been speedily formed under her active imagination;
and every thing established in the most melancholy order of disastrous
love.

CHAPTER XII

As Elinor and Marianne were walking together the next morning the
latter communicated a piece of news to her sister, which in spite of
all that she knew before of Marianne's imprudence and want of thought,
surprised her by its extravagant testimony of both. Marianne told her,
with the greatest delight, that Willoughby had given her a horse, one
that he had bred himself on his estate in Somersetshire, and which was
exactly calculated to carry a woman. Without considering that it was
not in her mother's plan to keep any horse, that if she were to alter
her resolution in favour of this gift, she must buy another for the
servant, and keep a servant to ride it, and after all, build a stable
to receive them, she had accepted the present without hesitation, and
told her sister of it in raptures.

"He intends to send his groom into Somersetshire immediately for it,"
she added, "and when it arrives we will ride every day. You shall
share its use with me. Imagine to yourself, my dear Elinor, the
delight of a gallop on some of these downs."

Most unwilling was she to awaken from such a dream of felicity to
comprehend all the unhappy truths which attended the affair; and for
some time she refused to submit to them. As to an additional servant,
the expense would be a trifle; Mamma she was sure would never object
to it; and any horse would do for _him_; he might always get one at
the park; as to a stable, the merest shed would be sufficient. Elinor
then ventured to doubt the propriety of her receiving such a present
from a man so little, or at least so lately know