Mr. Palmer took no notice of her.

“He cannot bear writing, you know,” she continued; “he says it is quite shocking.”

“No,” said he, “I never said anything so irrational. Don’t palm all your abuses of languages upon me.”

“There now; you see how droll he is. This is always the way with him! Sometimes he won’t speak to me for half a day together, and then he comes out with something so droll⁠—all about anything in the world.”

She surprised Elinor very much as they returned into the drawing-room, by asking her whether she did not like Mr. Palmer excessively.

“Certainly,” said Elinor; “he seems very agreeable.”