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Another pause . Elinor resolving to exert herself , though fearing the sound of her own voice , now said , “ Is Mrs . Ferrars at Longstaple ? ” “ 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 enquire 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 eyes were fixed on him with the same impatient wonder . He rose from his seat , and walked to the window , apparently from not knowing what to do ; took up a pair of scissors that lay there , and while spoiling both them and their sheath by cutting the latter to pieces as he spoke , said , in a hurried voice , — “ Perhaps you do not know : you may not have heard that my brother is lately married to — to the youngest — to Miss Lucy Steele . ” His words were echoed with unspeakable astonishment by all but Elinor , who sat with her head leaning over her work , in a state of such agitation as made her hardly know where she was . “ Yes , ” said he , “ they were married last week , and are now at Dawlish . ” Elinor could sit it no longer . She almost ran out of the room , and as soon as the door was closed , burst into tears of joy , which at first she thought would never cease . Edward , who had till then looked any where , rather than at her , saw her hurry away , and perhaps saw — or even heard , her emotion ; for immediately afterwards he fell into a reverie , which no remarks , no inquiries , no affectionate address of Mrs . Dashwood could penetrate , and at last , without saying a word , quitted the room , and walked out towards the village — leaving the others in the greatest astonishment and perplexity on a change in his situation , so wonderful and so sudden ; — a perplexity which they had no means of lessening but by their own conjectures . CHAPTER XLIX . Unaccountable , however , as the circumstances of his release might appear to the whole family , it was certain that Edward was free ; and to what purpose that freedom would be employed was easily pre - determined by all ; — for after experiencing the blessings of one imprudent engagement , contracted without his mother’s consent , as he had already done for more than four years , nothing less could be expected of him in the failure of that , than the immediate contraction of another . His errand at Barton , in fact , was a simple one . It was only to ask Elinor to marry him ; — and considering that he was not altogether inexperienced in such a question , it might be strange that he should feel so uncomfortable in the present case as he really did , so much in need of encouragement and fresh air .
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