“At Longstaple!” he replied, with an air of surprise. — “No, my mother is in town.”

“I meant,” said Elinor, taking up some work from the table, “to inquire for Mrs. EDWARD Ferrars.”

She dared not look up; — but her mother and Marianne both turned their eyes on him. He coloured, seemed perplexed, looked doubtingly, and, after some hesitation, said, —

“Perhaps you mean — my brother — you mean Mrs. — Mrs.

ROBERT Ferrars.”

“Mrs. Robert Ferrars!” — was repeated by Marianne and her mother in an accent of the utmost amazement; — and though Elinor could not speak, even HER