ichaelmas, and by the end
of a week that it would not be a match at all. The good understanding
between the Colonel and Miss Dashwood seemed rather to declare that
the honours of the mulberry-tree, the canal, and the yew arbour, would
all be made over to _her_; and Mrs. Jennings had, for some time ceased
to think at all of Mrs. Ferrars.

Early in February, within a fortnight from the receipt of Willoughby's
letter, Elinor had the painful office of informing her sister that he
was married. She had taken care to have the intelligence conveyed to
herself, as soon as it was known that the ceremony was over, as she
was desirous that Marianne should not receive the first notice of it
from the public papers, which she saw her eagerly examining every
morning.

She received the news with resolute composure; made no observation on
it, and at first shed no tears; but after a short time they would
burst out, and for the rest of the day, she was in a state hardly less
pitiable than when she first learnt to expect the event.

The Willoughbys left town as soon as they were married; and Elinor now
hoped, as there could be no danger of her seeing either of them, to
prevail on her sister, who had never yet left the house since the blow
first fell, to go out again by degrees as she had done before.

About this time the two Miss Steeles, lately arrived at their cousin's
house in Bartlett's Buildings, Holborn, presented themselves again
before their more grand relations in Conduit and Berkeley Streets; and
were welcomed by them all with great cordiality.

Elinor only was sorry to see them. Their presence always gave her
pain, and she hardly knew how to make a very gracious return to the
overpowering delight of Lucy in finding her _still_ in town.

"I should have been quite disappointed if I had not found you here
_still_," said she repeatedly, with a strong emphasis on the word.
"But I always thought I _should_ I was almost sure you would not leave
London yet awhile; though you _told_ me, you know, at Barton, that you
should not stay above a _month._ But I thought, at the time, that you
would most likely change your mind when it came to the point. It would
have been such a great pity to have went away before your brother and
sister came. And now to be sure you will be in no _hurry_ to be gone.
I am amazingly glad you did not keep to _your word._"

Elinor perfectly understood her, and was forced to use all her
self-command to make it