"I cannotseewhyMrs. ForstershouldnotaskmeaswellasLydia," saidshe, "Though I amnotherparticularfriend. I havejustasmuchrighttobeaskedasshehas, andmoretoo, for I amtwoyearsolder."
13
InvaindidElizabethattempttomakeherreasonable, andJanetomakeherresigned. AsforElizabethherself, thisinvitationwassofarfromexcitinginherthesamefeelingsasinhermotherandLydia, thatsheconsidereditasthedeathwarrantofallpossibilityofcommonsenseforthelatter; anddetestableassuch a stepmustmakeherwereitknown, shecouldnothelpsecretlyadvisingherfathernottolethergo. SherepresentedtohimalltheimproprietiesofLydia's generalbehaviour, thelittleadvantageshecouldderivefromthefriendshipofsuch a womanasMrs. Forster, andtheprobabilityofherbeingyetmoreimprudentwithsuch a companionatBrighton, wherethetemptationsmustbegreaterthanathome. Heheardherattentively, andthensaid:
Helookedsurprised, displeased, alarmed; butwith a moment's recollectionand a returningsmile, replied, thathehadformerlyseenhimoften; and, afterobservingthathewas a verygentlemanlikeman, askedherhowshehadlikedhim. Heranswerwaswarmlyinhisfavour. Withanairofindifferencehesoonafterwardsadded:
27
"HowlongdidyousayhewasatRosings?"
28
"Nearlythreeweeks."
29
"Andyousawhimfrequently?"
30
"Yes, almosteveryday."
31
"Hismannersareverydifferentfromhiscousin's."
32
"Yes, verydifferent. But I thinkMr. Darcyimprovesuponacquaintance."
33
"Indeed!" criedMr. Wickhamwith a lookwhichdidnotescapeher. "Andpray, may I ask?—" Butcheckinghimself, headded, in a gayertone, "Isitinaddressthatheimproves? Hashedeignedtoaddaughtofcivilitytohisordinarystyle?—for I darenothope," hecontinuedin a lowerandmoreserioustone, "thatheisimprovedinessentials."
34
"Oh, no!" saidElizabeth. "Inessentials, I believe, heisverymuchwhatheeverwas."
35
Whileshespoke, Wickhamlookedasifscarcelyknowingwhethertorejoiceoverherwords, ortodistrusttheirmeaning. Therewas a somethinginhercountenancewhichmadehimlistenwithanapprehensiveandanxiousattention, whilesheadded:
36
"When I saidthatheimprovedonacquaintance, I didnotmeanthathismindorhismannerswerein a stateofimprovement, butthat, fromknowinghimbetter, hisdispositionwasbetterunderstood."
37
Wickham's alarmnowappearedin a heightenedcomplexionandagitatedlook; for a fewminuteshewassilent, till, shakingoffhisembarrassment, heturnedtoheragain, andsaidinthegentlestofaccents:
38
"You, whosowellknowmyfeelingtowardsMr. Darcy, willreadilycomprehendhowsincerely I mustrejoicethatheiswiseenoughtoassumeeventheappearanceofwhatisright. Hispride, inthatdirection, maybeofservice, ifnottohimself, tomanyothers, foritmustonlydeterhimfromsuchfoulmisconductas I havesufferedby. I onlyfearthatthesortofcautiousnesstowhichyou, I imagine, havebeenalluding, ismerelyadoptedonhisvisitstohisaunt, ofwhosegoodopinionandjudgementhestandsmuchinawe. Hisfearofherhasalwaysoperated, I know, whentheyweretogether; and a gooddealistobeimputedtohiswishofforwardingthematchwithMissdeBourgh, which I amcertainhehasverymuchatheart."
39
Elizabethcouldnotrepress a smileatthis, butsheansweredonlyby a slightinclinationofthehead. Shesawthathewantedtoengageherontheoldsubjectofhisgrievances, andshewasinnohumourtoindulgehim. Therestoftheeveningpassedwiththeappearance, onhisside, ofusualcheerfulness, butwithnofurtherattempttodistinguishElizabeth; andtheypartedatlastwithmutualcivility, andpossibly a mutualdesireofnevermeetingagain.