Page:Austen - Sense and Sensibility, vol. I, 1811.djvu/308

 Then, perhaps, you cannot tell me what sort of a woman she is?”

“No;” returned Elinor, cautious of giving her real opinion of Edward’s mother, and not very desirous of satisfying, what seemed impertinent curiosity—“I know nothing of her.”

“I am sure you think me very strange, for inquiring about her in such a way;” said Lucy, eyeing Elinor attentively as she spoke; “but perhaps there may be reasons—I wish I might venture; but however I hope you will do me the justice of believing that I do not mean to be impertinent.”

Elinor made her a civil reply, and they walked on for a few minutes in silence. It was broken by Lucy, who renewed the subject again by saying, with some hesitation,

“I cannot bear to have you think me