The sisters set out at a pace, slow as the feebleness of Marianne in an exercise hitherto untried since her illness required; and they had advanced only so far beyond the house as to admit a full view of the hill, the important hill behind, when pausing with her eyes turned towards it, Marianne calmly said⁠—

“There, exactly there,” pointing with one hand, “on that projecting mound, there I fell; and there I first saw Willoughby.”

Her voice sunk with the word, but presently reviving she added⁠—

“I am thankful to find that I can look with so little pain on the spot! Shall we ever talk on that subject, Elinor?” hesitatingly it was said. “Or will it be wrong? I can talk of it now, I hope, as I ought to do.”

Elinor tenderly invited her to be open.