r of proper submission!" repeated he; "would they have me beg
my mother's pardon for Robert's ingratitude to _her_, and breach of
honour to _me_? I can make no submission. I am grown neither humble
nor penitent by what has passed. I am grown very happy; but that would
not interest. I know of no submission that _is_ proper for me to
make."

"You may certainly ask to be forgiven," said Elinor, "because you have
offended;--and I should think you might _now_ venture so far as to
profess some concern for having ever formed the engagement which drew
on you your mother's anger."

He agreed that he might.

"And when she has forgiven you, perhaps a little humility may be
convenient while acknowledging a second engagement, almost as
imprudent in _her_ eyes as the first."

He had nothing to urge against it, but still resisted the idea of a
letter of proper submission; and therefore, to make it easier to him,
as he declared a much greater willingness to make mean concessions by
word of mouth than on paper, it was resolved that, instead of writing
to Fanny, he should go to London, and personally entreat her good
offices in his favour. "And if they really _do_ interest themselves,"
said Marianne, in her new character of candour, "in bringing about a
reconciliation, I shall think that even John and Fanny are not
entirely without merit."

After a visit on Colonel Brandon's side of only three or four days,
the two gentlemen quitted Barton together. They were to go immediately
to Delaford, that Edward might have some personal knowledge of his
future home, and assist his patron and friend in deciding on what
improvements were needed to it; and from thence, after staying there a
couple of nights, he was to proceed on his journey to town.

CHAPTER L

After a proper resistance on the part of Mrs. Ferrars, just so violent
and so steady as to preserve her from that reproach which she always
seemed fearful of incurring, the reproach of being too amiable, Edward
was admitted to her presence, and pronounced to be again her son.

Her family had of late been exceedingly fluctuating. For many years of
her life she had had two sons; but the crime and annihilation of
Edward a few weeks ago, had robbed her of one; the similar
annihilation of Robert had left her for a fortnight without any; and
now, by the resuscitation of Edward, she had one again.

In spite of his being allowed once more to live, however, he did not
feel the contin