“WhenIconsider,”sheaddedinayetmoreagitatedvoice,“thatImighthavepreventedit!I,whoknewwhathewas.HadIbutexplainedsomepartofitonly—somepartofwhatIlearnt,tomyownfamily!Hadhischaracterbeenknown,thiscouldnothavehappened.Butitisall—alltoolatenow.”
“Iamgrievedindeed,”criedDarcy;“grieved—shocked.Butisitcertain—absolutelycertain?”
“Oh,yes!TheyleftBrightontogetheronSundaynight,andweretracedalmosttoLondon,butnotbeyond;theyarecertainlynotgonetoScotland.”
“Andwhathasbeendone,whathasbeenattempted,torecoverher?”
“MyfatherhasgonetoLondon,andJanehaswrittentobegmyunclesimmediateassistance;andweshallbeoff,Ihope,inhalf-an-hour.Butnothingcanbedone—Iknowverywellthatnothingcanbedone.Howissuchamantobeworkedon?Howaretheyeventobediscovered?Ihavenotthesmallesthope.Itiseverywayhorrible!”
Darcyshookhisheadinsilentacquiescence.
“Whenmyeyeswereopenedtohisrealcharacter—Oh!hadIknownwhatIought,whatIdaredtodo!ButIknewnot—Iwasafraidofdoingtoomuch.Wretched,wretchedmistake!”
Darcymadenoanswer.Heseemedscarcelytohearher,andwaswalkingupanddowntheroominearnestmeditation,hisbrowcontracted,hisairgloomy.Elizabethsoonobserved,andinstantlyunderstoodit.Herpowerwassinking;everythingmustsinkundersuchaproofoffamilyweakness,suchanassuranceofthedeepestdisgrace.Shecouldneitherwondernorcondemn,butthebeliefofhisself-conquestbroughtnothingconsolatorytoherbosom,affordednopalliationofherdistress.Itwas,onthecontrary,exactlycalculatedtomakeherunderstandherownwishes;andneverhadshesohonestlyfeltthatshecouldhavelovedhim,asnow,whenalllovemustbevain.
Butself,thoughitwouldintrude,couldnotengrossher.Lydia—thehumiliation,themiseryshewasbringingonthemall,soonswallowedupeveryprivatecare;andcoveringherfacewithherhandkerchief,Elizabethwassoonlosttoeverythingelse;and,afterapauseofseveralminutes,wasonlyrecalledtoasenseofhersituationbythevoiceofhercompanion,who,inamannerwhich,thoughitspokecompassion,spokelikewiserestraint,said,
“Iamafraidyouhavebeenlongdesiringmyabsence,norhaveIanythingtopleadinexcuseofmystay,butreal,thoughunavailingconcern.WouldtoHeaventhatanythingcouldbeeithersaidordoneonmypartthatmightofferconsolationtosuchdistress!ButIwillnottormentyouwithvainwishes,whichmayseempurposelytoaskforyourthanks.Thisunfortunateaffairwill,Ifear,preventmysistershavingthepleasureofseeingyouatPemberleyto-day.”
“Oh,yes.BesokindastoapologiseforustoMissDarcy.Saythaturgentbusinesscallsushomeimmediately.Concealtheunhappytruthaslongasitispossible,Iknowitcannotbelong.”
Hereadilyassuredherofhissecrecy;againexpressedhissorrowforherdistress,wisheditahappierconclusionthantherewasatpresentreasontohope,andleavinghiscomplimentsforherrelations,withonlyoneserious,partinglook,wentaway.
Ashequittedtheroom,ElizabethfelthowimprobableitwasthattheyshouldeverseeeachotheragainonsuchtermsofcordialityashadmarkedtheirseveralmeetingsinDerbyshire;andasshethrewaretrospectiveglanceoverthewholeoftheiracquaintance,sofullofcontradictionsandvarieties,sighedattheperversenessofthosefeelingswhichwouldnowhavepromoteditscontinuance,andwouldformerlyhaverejoicedinitstermination.
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