“MydearLizzy,wherecanyouhavebeenwalkingto?”wasaquestionwhichElizabethreceivedfromJaneassoonassheenteredtheirroom,andfromalltheotherswhentheysatdowntotable.Shehadonlytosayinreply,thattheyhadwanderedabout,tillshewasbeyondherownknowledge.Shecolouredasshespoke;butneitherthat,noranythingelse,awakenedasuspicionofthetruth.
Theeveningpassedquietly,unmarkedbyanythingextraordinary.Theacknowledgedloverstalkedandlaughed,theunacknowledgedweresilent.Darcywasnotofadispositioninwhichhappinessoverflowsinmirth;andElizabeth,agitatedandconfused,ratherknewthatshewashappythanfeltherselftobeso;for,besidestheimmediateembarrassment,therewereotherevilsbeforeher.Sheanticipatedwhatwouldbefeltinthefamilywhenhersituationbecameknown;shewasawarethatnoonelikedhimbutJane;andevenfearedthatwiththeothersitwasadislikewhichnotallhisfortuneandconsequencemightdoaway.
AtnightsheopenedherhearttoJane.ThoughsuspicionwasveryfarfromMissBennetsgeneralhabits,shewasabsolutelyincreduloushere.
“Youarejoking,Lizzy.Thiscannotbe!—engagedtoMr.Darcy!No,no,youshallnotdeceiveme.Iknowittobeimpossible.”
“Thisisawretchedbeginningindeed!Mysoledependencewasonyou;andIamsurenobodyelsewillbelieveme,ifyoudonot.Yet,indeed,Iaminearnest.Ispeaknothingbutthetruth.Hestilllovesme,andweareengaged.”
Janelookedatherdoubtingly.“Oh,Lizzy!itcannotbe.Iknowhowmuchyoudislikehi”
“Youknownothingofthematter.Thatisalltobeforgot.PerhapsIdidnotalwayslovehimsowellasIdonow.Butinsuchcasesasthese,agoodmemoryisunpardonable.ThisisthelasttimeIshalleverrememberitmyself.”
MissBennetstilllookedallamazement.Elizabethagain,andmoreseriouslyassuredherofitstruth.
“GoodHeaven!canitbereallyso!YetnowImustbelieveyou,”criedJane.“Mydear,dearLizzy,Iwould—Idocongratulateyou—butareyoucertain?forgivethequestion—areyouquitecertainthatyoucanbehappywithhim?”
“Therecanbenodoubtofthat.Itissettledbetweenusalready,thatwearetobethehappiestcoupleintheworld.Butareyoupleased,Jane?Shallyouliketohavesuchabrother?”
“Very,verymuch.NothingcouldgiveeitherBingleyormyselfmoredelight.Butweconsideredit,wetalkedofitasimpossible.Anddoyoureallylovehimquitewellenough?Oh,Lizzy!doanythingratherthanmarrywithoutaffection.Areyouquitesurethatyoufeelwhatyououghttodo?”
“Oh,yes!YouwillonlythinkIfeelmorethanIoughttodo,whenItellyouall.”
“Whatdoyoumean?”
“Why,ImustconfessthatIlovehimbetterthanIdoBingley.Iamafraidyouwillbeangry.”
“Mydearestsister,nowbeserious.Iwanttotalkveryseriously.LetmeknoweverythingthatIamtoknow,withoutdelay.Willyoutellmehowlongyouhavelovedhim?”
“Ithasbeencomingonsogradually,thatIhardlyknowwhenitbegan.ButIbelieveImustdateitfrommyfirstseeinghisbeautifulgroundsatPemberley.”
Anotherentreatythatshewouldbeserious,however,producedthedesiredeffect;andshesoonsatisfiedJanebyhersolemnassurancesofattachment.Whenconvincedonthatarticle,MissBennethadnothingfurthertowish.
“NowIamquitehappy,”saidshe,“foryouwillbeashappyasmyself.IalwayshadavalueforhiWereitfornothingbuthisloveofyou,Imustalwayshaveesteemedhim;butnow,asBingleysfriendandyourhusband,therecanbeonlyBingleyandyourselfmoredeartome.ButLizzy,youhavebeenverysly,veryreservedwithme.HowlittledidyoutellmeofwhatpassedatPemberleyandLambton!IoweallthatIknowofittoanother,nottoyou.”
Elizabethtoldherthemotivesofhersecrecy.ShehadbeenunwillingtomentionBingley;andtheunsettledstateofherownfeelingshadmadeherequallyavoidthenameofhisfriend.ButnowshewouldnolongerconcealfromherhisshareinLydiasmarriage.Allwasacknowledged,andhalfthenightspentinconversation.
“Goodgracious!”criedMrs.Bennet,asshestoodatawindowthenextmorning,“ifthatdisagreeableMr.DarcyisnotcominghereagainwithourdearBingley!Whatcanhemeanbybeingsotiresomeastobealwayscominghere?Ihadnonotionbuthewouldgoa-shooting,orsomethingorother,andnotdisturbuswithhiscompany.Whatshallwedowithhim?Lizzy,youmustwalkoutwithhimagain,thathemaynotbeinBingleysway.”
Elizabethcouldhardlyhelplaughingatsoconvenientaproposal;yetwasreallyvexedthathermothershouldbealwaysgivinghimsuchanepithet.
Assoonastheyentered,Bingleylookedathersoexpressively,andshookhandswithsuchwarmth,asleftnodoubtofhisgoodinformation;andhesoonafterwardssaidaloud,“Mrs.Bennet,haveyounomorelaneshereaboutsinwhichLizzymayloseherwayagainto-day?”
“IadviseMr.Darcy,andLizzy,andKitty,”saidMrs.Bennet,“towalktoOakhamMountthismorning.Itisanicelongwalk,andMr.Darcyhasneverseentheview.”
“Itmaydoverywellfortheothers,”repliedMr.Bingley;“butIamsureitwillbetoomuchforKitty.Wontit,Kitty?”
Kittyownedthatshehadratherstayathome.DarcyprofessedagreatcuriositytoseetheviewfromtheMount,andElizabethsilentlyconsented.Asshewentupstairstogetready,Mrs.Bennetfollowedher,saying:
“Iamquitesorry,Lizzy,thatyoushouldbeforcedtohavethatdisagreeablemanalltoyourself,butIhopeyouwillnotmindit.ItisallforJanessake,youknow;andthereisnooccasionfortalkingtohim,exceptjustnowandthen.So,donotputyourselftoinconvenience.”
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