be off, for she could live with
him upon a trifle, and how little so ever he might have, she should be
very glad to have it all, you know, or something of the kind. So then
he was monstrous happy, and talked on some time about what they should
do, and they agreed he should take orders directly, and they must wait
to be married till he got a living. And just then I could not hear any
more, for my cousin called from below to tell me Mrs. Richardson was
come in her coach, and would take one of us to Kensington Gardens; so
I was forced to go into the room and interrupt them, to ask Lucy if
she would like to go, but she did not care to leave Edward; so I just
run up stairs and put on a pair of silk stockings and came off with
the Richardsons."

"I do not understand what you mean by interrupting them," said Elinor;
"you were all in the same room together, were not you?"

"No, indeed, not us. La! Miss Dashwood, do you think people make love
when any body else is by? Oh, for shame!--To be sure you must know
better than that. (Laughing affectedly.)--No, no; they were shut up in
the drawing-room together, and all I heard was only by listening at
the door."

"How!" cried Elinor; "have you been repeating to me what you only
learnt yourself by listening at the door? I am sorry I did not know it
before; for I certainly would not have suffered you to give me
particulars of a conversation which you ought not to have known
yourself. How could you behave so unfairly by your sister?"

"Oh, la! there is nothing in _that._ I only stood at the door, and
heard what I could. And I am sure Lucy would have done just the same
by me; for a year or two back, when Martha Sharpe and I had so many
secrets together, she never made any bones of hiding in a closet, or
behind a chimney-board, on purpose to hear what we said."

Elinor tried to talk of something else; but Miss Steele could not be
kept beyond a couple of minutes, from what was uppermost in her mind.

[Illustration: _Listening at the door._]

"Edward talks of going to Oxford soon," said she; "but now he is
lodging at No. --, Pall Mall. What an ill-natured woman his mother is,
an't she? And your brother and sister were not very kind! However, I
shan't say anything against them to _you_; and to be sure they did
send us home in their own chariot, which was more than I looked for.
And for my part, I was all in a fright for fear your sister should ask
us for the huswifes she had gave us a