OfMr.Darcyitwasnowamatterofanxietytothinkwell;and,asfarastheiracquaintancereached,therewasnofaulttofind.Theycouldnotbeuntouchedbyhispoliteness;andhadtheydrawnhischaracterfromtheirownfeelingsandhisservantsreport,withoutanyreferencetoanyotheraccount,thecircleinHertfordshiretowhichhewasknownwouldnothaverecognizeditforMr.Darcy.Therewasnowaninterest,however,inbelievingthehousekeeper;andtheysoonbecamesensiblethattheauthorityofaservantwhohadknownhimsincehewasfouryearsold,andwhoseownmannersindicatedrespectability,wasnottobehastilyrejected.NeitherhadanythingoccurredintheintelligenceoftheirLambtonfriendsthatcouldmateriallylessenitsweight.Theyhadnothingtoaccusehimofbutpride;prideheprobablyhad,andifnot,itwouldcertainlybeimputedbytheinhabitantsofasmallmarket-townwherethefamilydidnotvisit.Itwasacknowledged,however,thathewasaliberalman,anddidmuchgoodamongthepoor.
WithrespecttoWickham,thetravellerssoonfoundthathewasnotheldthereinmuchestimation;forthoughthechiefofhisconcernswiththesonofhispatronwereimperfectlyunderstood,itwasyetawell-knownfactthat,onhisquittingDerbyshire,hehadleftmanydebtsbehindhim,whichMr.Darcyafterwardsdischarged.
AsforElizabeth,herthoughtswereatPemberleythiseveningmorethanthelast;andtheevening,thoughasitpasseditseemedlong,wasnotlongenoughtodetermineherfeelingstowardsoneinthatmansion;andshelayawaketwowholehoursendeavouringtomakethemout.ShecertainlydidnothatehiNo;hatredhadvanishedlongago,andshehadalmostaslongbeenashamedofeverfeelingadislikeagainsthim,thatcouldbesocalled.Therespectcreatedbytheconvictionofhisvaluablequalities,thoughatfirstunwillinglyadmitted,hadforsometimeceasedtoberepugnanttoherfeeling;anditwasnowheightenedintosomewhatofafriendliernature,bythetestimonysohighlyinhisfavour,andbringingforwardhisdispositioninsoamiablealight,whichyesterdayhadproduced.Butaboveall,aboverespectandesteem,therewasamotivewithinherofgoodwillwhichcouldnotbeoverlooked.Itwasgratitude;gratitude,notmerelyforhavingoncelovedher,butforlovingherstillwellenoughtoforgiveallthepetulanceandacrimonyofhermannerinrejectinghim,andalltheunjustaccusationsaccompanyingherrejection.Hewho,shehadbeenpersuaded,wouldavoidherashisgreatestenemy,seemed,onthisaccidentalmeeting,mosteagertopreservetheacquaintance,andwithoutanyindelicatedisplayofregard,oranypeculiarityofmanner,wheretheirtwoselvesonlywereconcerned,wassolicitingthegoodopinionofherfriends,andbentonmakingherknowntohissister.Suchachangeinamanofsomuchprideexcitingnotonlyastonishmentbutgratitude—fortolove,ardentlove,itmustbeattributed;andassuchitsimpressiononherwasofasorttobeencouraged,asbynomeansunpleasing,thoughitcouldnotbeexactlydefined.Sherespected,sheesteemed,shewasgratefultohim,shefeltarealinterestinhiswelfare;andsheonlywantedtoknowhowfarshewishedthatwelfaretodependuponherself,andhowfaritwouldbeforthehappinessofboththatsheshouldemploythepower,whichherfancytoldhershestillpossessed,ofbringingonhertherenewalofhisaddresses.
Ithadbeensettledintheeveningbetweentheauntandtheniece,thatsuchastrikingcivilityasMissDarcysincomingtothemontheverydayofherarrivalatPemberley,forshehadreacheditonlytoalatebreakfast,oughttobeimitated,thoughitcouldnotbeequalled,bysomeexertionofpolitenessontheirside;and,consequently,thatitwouldbehighlyexpedienttowaitonheratPemberleythefollowingmorning.Theywere,therefore,togo.Elizabethwaspleased;thoughwhensheaskedherselfthereason,shehadverylittletosayinreply.
Mr.Gardinerleftthemsoonafterbreakfast.Thefishingschemehadbeenrenewedthedaybefore,andapositiveengagementmadeofhismeetingsomeofthegentlemenatPemberleybeforenoon.
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