The necessity of concealing from her mother and Marianne what had been entrusted in confidence to herself,though it obliged her to unceasing exertion,was no aggravation of Elinor's distress.On the contrary,it was a relief to her to be spared the communication of what would give such affliction to them,and to be saved likewise from hearing that condemnation of Edward which would probably flow from the excess of their partial affection for herself,and which was more than she felt equal to support.
From their counsel or their conversation she knew she could receive no assistance;their tenderness and sorrow must add to her distress,while her self-command would neither receive encouragement from their example nor from their praise.She was stronger alone,and her own good sense so well supported her,that her firmness was as unshaken,her appearance of cheerfulness as invariable,as,with regrets so poignant and so fresh,it was possible for them to be.
Much as she had suffered from her first conversation with Lucy on the subject,she soon felt an earnest wish of renewing it,and this for more reasons than one.She wanted to hear many particulars of their engagement repeated again,she wanted more clearly to understand what Lucy really felt for Edward,whether there were any sincerity in her declaration of tender regard for him,and she particularly wanted to convince Lucy,by her readiness to enter on the matter again,and her calmness in conversing on it,that she was no otherwise interested in it than as a friend,which she very much feared her involuntary agitation,in their morning discourse,must have left at least doubtful.That Lucy was disposed to be jealous of her,appeared very probable;it was plain that Edward had always spoken highly in her praise,not merely from Lucy's assertion,but from her venturing to trust her on so short a personal acquaintance,with a secret so confessedly and evidently important.And even Sir John's joking intelligence must have had some weight.But indeed,while Elinor remained so well assured within herself,of being really beloved by Edward,it required no other consideration of probabilities to make it natural that Lucy should be jealous;and that she was so,her very confidence was a proof.What other reason for the disclosure of the affair could there be,but that Elinor might be informed by it of Lucy's superior claims on Edward,and be taught to avoid him in future?She had little difficulty in understanding thus much of her rival's intentions,and while she was firmly resolved to act by her as every principle of honour and honesty directed,to combat her own affection for Edward and to see him as little as possible;she could not deny herself the comfort of endeavouring to convince Lucy that her heart was unwounded.And as she could now have nothing more painful to hear on the subject than had already been told,she did not mistrust her own ability of going through a repetition of particulars with composure.
But it was not immediately that an opportunity of doing so could be commanded,though Lucy was as well disposed as herself to take advantage of any that occurred;for the weather was not often fine enough to allow of their joining in a walk,where they might most easily separate themselves from the others;and though they met at least every other evening either at the Park or cottage,and chiefly at the former,they could not be supposed to meet for the sake of conversation.Such a thought would never enter either Sir John or Lady Middleton's head,and therefore very little leisure was ever given for general chat,and none at all for particular discourse.They met for the sake of eating,drinking,and laughing together,playing at cards or consequences,or any other game that was sufficiently noisy.
One or two meetings of this kind had taken place without affording Elinor any chance of engaging Lucy in private,when Sir John called at the cottage one morning,to beg in the name of charity,that they would all dine with Lady Middleton that day,as he was obliged to attend the club at Exeter,and she would otherwise be quite alone,except her mother and the two Miss Steeles.Elinor,who foresaw a fairer opening for the point she had in view,in such a party as this was likely to be,more at liberty among themselves under the tranquil and well-bred direction of Lady Middleton than when her husband united them together in one noisy purpose,immediately accepted the invitation：Margaret,with her mother's permission,was equally compliant,and Marianne,though always unwilling to join any of their parties,was persuaded by her mother,who could not bear to have her seclude herself from any chance of amusement,to go likewise.
The young ladies went,and Lady Middleton was happily preserved from the frightful solitude which had threatened her.The insipidity of the meeting was exactly such as Elinor had expected;it produced not one novelty of thought or expression,and nothing could be less interesting than the whole of their discourse both in the dining-parlour and drawing-room:to the latter,the children accompanied them,and while they remained there,she was too well convinced of the impossibility of engaging Lucy's attention to attempt it.They quitted it only with the removal of the tea-things.The card-table was then placed,and Elinor began to wonder at herself for having ever entertained a hope of finding time for conversation at the Park.They all rose up in preparation for a round game.
‘I am glad,’said Lady Middleton to Lucy,‘you are not going to finish poor little Annamaria's basket this evening;for I am sure it must hurt your eyes to work filigree by candlelight.And we will make the dear little love some amends for her disappointment tomorrow,and then I hope she will not much mind it.’
