第104章

She enquired after his sister，but could do no more.

'It is a long time，Mr. Bingley，since you went away，'said Mrs.Bennet.

He readily agreed to it.

'I began to be afraid you would never come back again. People did say，you meant to quit the place entirely at Michaelmas；but，however，I hope it is not true.A great many changes have happened in the neighbourhood，since you went away.

Miss Lucas is married and settled. And one of my own daugh-ters.I suppose you have heard of it；indeed，you must have seen it in the papers.It was in the Times and the Courier，I know；though it was not put in as it ought to be.It was only said，“Lately，George Wickham，Esq.to Miss Lydia Bennet，”without there being a syllable said of her father，or the place where she lived，or any thing.It was my brother Gardiner's drawing up too，and I wonder how he came to make such an awkward business of it.Did you see it？'

Bingley replied that he did，and made his congratulations. Elizabeth dared not lift up her eyes.How Mr.Darcy looked，therefore，she could not tell.

'It is a delightful thing，to be sure，to have a daughter well married，'continued her mother，'but at the same time，Mr. Bingley，it is very hard to have her taken such a way from me.They are gone down to Newcastle，a place quite northward，it seems，and there they are to stay，I do not know how long.His regiment is there；for I suppose you have heard of his leaving the—shire，and of his being gone into the regulars.Thank Heaven！he has some friends，though perhaps not so many as he deserves.'

Elizabeth，who knew this to be levelled at Mr. Darcy，was in such misery of shame，that she could hardly keep her seat.It drew from her，however，the exertion of speaking，which nothing else had so effectually done before；and she asked Bingley，whether he meant to make any stay in the country at present.A few weeks，he believed.

'When you have killed all your own birds，Mr. Bingley，'said her mother，'I beg you will come here，and shoot as many as you please，on Mr.Bennet's manor.I am sure he will be vastly happy to oblige you，and will save all the best of the covies for you.'

Elizabeth's misery increased，at such unnecessary，such officious attention！Were the same fair prospect to arise at present，as had flattered them a year ago，every thing，she was persuaded，would be hastening to the same vexatious conclusion. At that instant she felt，that years of happiness could not make Jane or herself amends，for moments of such painful confusion.

'The first wish of my heart，'said she to herself，'is never more to be in company with either of them. Their society can afford no pleasure，that will atone for such wretchedness as this！Let me never see either one or the other again！'

Yet the misery，for which years of happiness were to offer no compensation，received soon afterwards material relief，from observing how much the beauty of her sister re-kindled the admiration of her former lover. When first he came in，he hadspoken to her but little；but every five minutes seemed to be giving her more of his attention.He found her as handsome as she had been last year；as good-natured，and as unaffected，though not quite so chatty.Jane was anxious that no difference should be perceived in her at all，and was really persuaded that she talked as much as ever.But her mind was so busily engaged，that she did not always know when she was silent.

When the gentlemen rose to go away，Mrs. Bennet was mindful of her intended civility，and they were invited and engaged to dine at Longbourn in a few days time.

'You are quite a visit in my debt，Mr. Bingley，'she added，'for when you went to town last winter，you promised to take a family dinner with us，as soon as you returned.I have not forgot，you see；and I assure you，I was very much disappointed that you did not come back and keep your engagement.'

Bingley looked a little silly at this reflection，and said something of his concern，at having been prevented by business. They then went away.

Mrs. Bennet had been strongly inclined to ask them to stay and dine there，that day；but，though she always kept a very good table，she did not think any thing less than two courses，could be good enough for a man，on whom she had such anxious designs，or satisfy the appetite and pride of one who had ten thousand a-year.

XII

A s soon as they were gone，Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits；or in other words，to dwell without interruption on those subjects that must deaden them more. Mr.Darcy's behaviour astonished and vexed her.

'Why，if he came only to be silent，grave，and indifferent，'said she，'did he come at all？'

She could settle it in no way that gave her pleasure.

'He could be still amiable，still pleasing，to my uncle and aunt，when he was in town；and why not to me？If he fears me，why come hither？If he no longer cares for me，why silent？Teazing，teazing，man！I will think no more about him.'

Her resolution was for a short time involuntarily kept by the approach of her sister，who joined her with a cheerful look，which shewed her better satisfied with their visitors，than Elizabeth.

'Now，'said she，'that this first meeting is over，I feel perfectly easy. I know my own strength，and I shall never be embarrassed again by his coming.I am glad he dines here on Tuesday.It will then be publicly seen，that on both sides，we meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance.'

'Yes，very indifferent indeed，'said Elizabeth，laughingly.'Oh，Jane，take care.'

'My dear Lizzy，you cannot think me so weak，as to be in danger now.'

'I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever.'

——

They did not see the gentlemen again till Tuesday；and Mrs. Bennet，in the meanwhile，was giving way to all the happy schemes，which the good humour，and common politeness of Bingley，in half an hour's visit，had revived.