door, she saw Marianne
stretched on the bed, almost choked by grief, one letter in her hand,
and two or three others laying by her. Elinor drew near, but without
saying a word; and seating herself on the bed, took her hand, kissed
her affectionately several times, and then gave way to a burst of
tears, which at first was scarcely less violent than Marianne's. The
latter, though unable to speak, seemed to feel all the tenderness of
this behaviour, and after some time thus spent in joint affliction,
she put all the letters into Elinor's hands; and then covering her
face with her handkerchief, almost screamed with agony. Elinor, who
knew that such grief, shocking as it was to witness it, must have its
course, watched by her till this excess of suffering had somewhat
spent itself, and then turning eagerly to Willoughby's letter, read as
follows:--

"Bond Street, January.

"MY DEAR MADAM,

"I have just had the honour of receiving your letter, for
which I beg to return my sincere acknowledgments. I am much
concerned to find there was anything in my behaviour last
night that did not meet your approbation; and though I am
quite at a loss to discover in what point I could be so
unfortunate as to offend you, I entreat your forgiveness of
what I can assure you to have been perfectly unintentional.
I shall never reflect on my former acquaintance with your
family in Devonshire without the most grateful pleasure, and
flatter myself it will not be broken by any mistake or
misapprehension of my actions. My esteem for your whole
family is very sincere; but if I have been so unfortunate as
to give rise to a belief of more than I felt, or meant to
express, I shall reproach myself for not having been more
guarded in my professions of that esteem. That I should ever
have meant more you will allow to be impossible, when you
understand that my affections have been long engaged
elsewhere, and it will not be many weeks, I believe, before
this engagement is fulfilled. It is with great regret that I
obey your commands in returning the letters with which I
have been honoured from you, and the lock of hair, which you
so obligingly bestowed on me.

I am, dear Madam,

Your most obedient humble servant,

"JOHN WILLOUGHBY."

With what indignation such a letter as this must be read by Miss
Dashwood, may be imagined. Though aware, be