art as
any in the kingdom; and I declare and protest to you I never was so
shocked in my life, as when it all burst forth. I could not believe
it. My mother was the first person who told me of it; and I, feeling
myself called on to act with resolution, immediately said to her,--'My
dear madam, I do not know what you may intend to do on the occasion,
but as for myself, I must say, that if Edward does marry this young
woman, I never will see him again.' That was what I said immediately.
I was most uncommonly shocked, indeed! Poor Edward! he has done for
himself completely,--shut himself out for ever from all decent
society! but, as I directly said to my mother, I am not in the least
surprised at it; from his style of education, it was always to be
expected. My poor mother was half frantic."

"Have you ever seen the lady?"

"Yes; once, while she was staying in this house, I happened to drop in
for ten minutes; and I saw quite enough of her. The merest awkward
country girl, without style, or elegance, and almost without beauty. I
remember her perfectly. Just the kind of girl I should suppose likely
to captivate poor Edward. I offered immediately, as soon as my mother
related the affair to me, to talk to him myself, and dissuade him from
the match; but it was too late _then_, I found, to do any thing, for
unluckily, I was not in the way at first, and knew nothing of it till
after the breach had taken place, when it was not for me, you know, to
interfere. But had I been informed of it a few hours earlier, I think
it is most probable that something might have been hit on. I certainly
should have represented it to Edward in a very strong light. 'My dear
fellow,' I should have said, 'consider what you are doing. You are
making a most disgraceful connection, and such a one as your family
are unanimous in disapproving.' I cannot help thinking, in short, that
means might have been found. But now it is all too late. He must be
starved, you know, that is certain; absolutely starved."

He had just settled this point with great composure, when the entrance
of Mrs. John Dashwood put an end to the subject. But though _she_
never spoke of it out of her own family, Elinor could see its
influence on her mind, in the something like confusion of countenance
with which she entered, and an attempt at cordiality in her behaviour
to herself. She even proceeded so far as to be concerned to find that
Elinor and her sister were so soon to leave t