"Youaretoosensible a girl, Lizzy, tofallinlovemerelybecauseyouarewarnedagainstit; and, therefore, I amnotafraidofspeakingopenly. Seriously, I wouldhaveyoubeonyourguard. Donotinvolveyourselforendeavourtoinvolvehiminanaffectionwhichthewantoffortunewouldmakesoveryimprudent. I havenothingtosayagainsthim; heis a mostinterestingyoungman; andifhehadthefortuneheoughttohave, I shouldthinkyoucouldnotdobetter. Butasitis, youmustnotletyourfancyrunawaywithyou. Youhavesense, andweallexpectyoutouseit. Yourfatherwoulddependonyourresolutionandgoodconduct, I amsure. Youmustnotdisappointyourfather."
2
"Mydearaunt, thisisbeingseriousindeed."
3
"Yes, and I hopetoengageyoutobeseriouslikewise."
4
"Well, then, youneednotbeunderanyalarm. I willtakecareofmyself, andofMr. Wickhamtoo. Heshallnotbeinlovewithme, if I canpreventit."
5
"Elizabeth, youarenotseriousnow."
6
"I begyourpardon, I willtryagain. Atpresent I amnotinlovewithMr. Wickham; no, I certainlyamnot. Butheis, beyondallcomparison, themostagreeableman I eversaw—andifhebecomesreallyattachedtome—I believeitwillbebetterthatheshouldnot. I seetheimprudenceofit. Oh! thatabominableMr. Darcy! Myfather's opinionofmedoesmethegreatesthonour, and I shouldbemiserabletoforfeitit. Myfather, however, ispartialtoMr. Wickham. Inshort, mydearaunt, I shouldbeverysorrytobethemeansofmakinganyofyouunhappy; butsinceweseeeverydaythatwherethereisaffection, youngpeopleareseldomwithheldbyimmediatewantoffortunefromenteringintoengagementswitheachother, howcan I promisetobewiserthansomanyofmyfellow-creaturesif I amtempted, orhowam I eventoknowthatitwouldbewisdomtoresist? Allthat I canpromiseyou, therefore, isnottobein a hurry. I willnotbein a hurrytobelievemyselfhisfirstobject. When I amincompanywithhim, I willnotbewishing. Inshort, I willdomybest."
"As I didtheotherday," saidElizabethwith a conscioussmile: "verytrue, itwillbewiseinmetorefrainfromthat. Butdonotimaginethatheisalwaysheresooften. Itisonyouraccountthathehasbeensofrequentlyinvitedthisweek. Youknowmymother's ideasastothenecessityofconstantcompanyforherfriends. Butreally, anduponmyhonour, I willtrytodowhat I thinktobethewisest; andnow I hopeyouaresatisfied."
9
Herauntassuredherthatshewas, andElizabethhavingthankedherforthekindnessofherhints, theyparted; a wonderfulinstanceofadvicebeinggivenonsuch a point, withoutbeingresented.
Janehadalreadywritten a fewlinestohersistertoannouncetheirsafearrivalinLondon; andwhenshewroteagain, ElizabethhopeditwouldbeinherpowertosaysomethingoftheBingleys.
20
Herimpatienceforthissecondletterwasaswellrewardedasimpatiencegenerallyis. Janehadbeen a weekintownwithouteitherseeingorhearingfromCaroline. Sheaccountedforit, however, bysupposingthatherlastlettertoherfriendfromLongbournhadbysomeaccidentbeenlost.
21
"Myaunt," shecontinued, "isgoingto-morrowintothatpartofthetown, and I shalltaketheopportunityofcallinginGrosvenorStreet."
22
Shewroteagainwhenthevisitwaspaid, andshehadseenMissBingley. "I didnotthinkCarolineinspirits," wereherwords, "butshewasverygladtoseeme, andreproachedmeforgivinghernonoticeofmycomingtoLondon. I wasright, therefore, mylastletterhadneverreachedher. I inquiredaftertheirbrother, ofcourse. Hewaswell, butsomuchengagedwithMr. Darcythattheyscarcelyeversawhim. I foundthatMissDarcywasexpectedtodinner. I wish I couldseeher. Myvisitwasnotlong, asCarolineandMrs. Hurstweregoingout. I daresay I shallseethemsoonhere."
Fourweekspassedaway, andJanesawnothingofhim. Sheendeavouredtopersuadeherselfthatshedidnotregretit; butshecouldnolongerbeblindtoMissBingley's inattention. Afterwaitingathomeeverymorningfor a fortnight, andinventingeveryevening a freshexcuseforher, thevisitordidatlastappear; buttheshortnessofherstay, andyetmore, thealterationofhermannerwouldallowJanetodeceiveherselfnolonger. Theletterwhichshewroteonthisoccasiontohersisterwillprovewhatshefelt.
25
"MydearestLizzywill, I amsure, beincapableoftriumphinginherbetterjudgement, atmyexpense, when I confessmyselftohavebeenentirelydeceivedinMissBingley's regardforme. But, mydearsister, thoughtheeventhasprovedyouright, donotthinkmeobstinateif I stillassertthat, consideringwhatherbehaviourwas, myconfidencewasasnaturalasyoursuspicion. I donotatallcomprehendherreasonforwishingtobeintimatewithme; butifthesamecircumstancesweretohappenagain, I amsure I shouldbedeceivedagain. Carolinedidnotreturnmyvisittillyesterday; andnot a note, not a line, did I receiveinthemeantime. Whenshedidcome, itwasveryevidentthatshehadnopleasureinit; shemade a slight, formalapology, fornotcallingbefore, saidnot a wordofwishingtoseemeagain, andwasineveryrespectsoaltered a creature, thatwhenshewentaway I wasperfectlyresolvedtocontinuetheacquaintancenolonger. I pity, though I cannothelpblamingher. Shewasverywronginsinglingmeoutasshedid; I cansafelysaythateveryadvancetointimacybeganonherside. But I pityher, becauseshemustfeelthatshehasbeenactingwrong, andbecause I amverysurethatanxietyforherbrotheristhecauseofit. I neednotexplainmyselffarther; andthoughweknowthisanxietytobequiteneedless, yetifshefeelsit, itwilleasilyaccountforherbehaviourtome; andsodeservedlydearasheistohissister, whateveranxietyshemustfeelonhisbehalfisnaturalandamiable. I cannotbutwonder, however, atherhavinganysuchfearsnow, because, ifhehadatallcaredaboutme, wemusthavemet, longago. Heknowsofmybeingintown, I amcertain, fromsomethingshesaidherself; andyetitwouldseem, byhermanneroftalking, asifshewantedtopersuadeherselfthatheisreallypartialtoMissDarcy. I cannotunderstandit. If I werenotafraidofjudgingharshly, I shouldbealmosttemptedtosaythatthereis a strongappearanceofduplicityinallthis. But I willendeavourtobanisheverypainfulthought, andthinkonlyofwhatwillmakemehappy—youraffection, andtheinvariablekindnessofmydearuncleandaunt. Letmehearfromyouverysoon. MissBingleysaidsomethingofhisneverreturningtoNetherfieldagain, ofgivingupthehouse, butnotwithanycertainty. Wehadbetternotmentionit. I amextremelygladthatyouhavesuchpleasantaccountsfromourfriendsatHunsford. Praygotoseethem, withSirWilliamandMaria. I amsureyouwillbeverycomfortablethere.—Yours, etc."
26
ThislettergaveElizabethsomepain; butherspiritsreturnedassheconsideredthatJanewouldnolongerbeduped, bythesisteratleast. Allexpectationfromthebrotherwasnowabsolutelyover. Shewouldnotevenwishfor a renewalofhisattentions. Hischaractersunkoneveryreviewofit; andas a punishmentforhim, aswellas a possibleadvantagetoJane, sheseriouslyhopedhemightreallysoonmarryMr. Darcy's sister, asbyWickham's account, shewouldmakehimabundantlyregretwhathehadthrownaway.