Elinor was soon called to the card-table by the conclusion of the firstrubber, and the confidential discourse of the two ladies was thereforeat an end, to which both of them submitted without any reluctance, fornothing had been said on either side to make them dislike each otherless than they had done before; and Elinor sat down to the card tablewith the melancholy persuasion that Edward was not only withoutaffection for the person who was to be his wife; but that he had noteven the chance of being tolerably happy in marriage, which sincereaffection on HER side would have given, for self-interest alone couldinduce a woman to keep a man to an engagement, of which she seemed sothoroughly aware that he was weary.

From this time the subject was never revived by Elinor, and whenentered on by Lucy, who seldom missed an opportunity of introducing it, of her happinesswhenever she received a letter from Edward, it was treated by theformer with calmness and caution, and dismissed as soon as civilitywould allow; for she felt such conversations to be an indulgence whichLucy did not deserve, and which were dangerous to herself.

The visit of the Miss Steeles at Barton Park was lengthened far beyondwhat the first invitation implied. Their favour increased; they couldnot be spared; Sir John would not hear of their going; and in spite oftheir numerous and long arranged engagements in Exeter, in spite of theabsolute necessity of returning to fulfill them immediately, which wasin full force at the end of every week, they were prevailed on to staynearly two months at the park, and to assist in the due celebration ofthat festival which requires a more than ordinary share of privateballs and large dinners to proclaim its importance.