ElizabethhadsettleditthatMr.DarcywouldbringhissistertovisithertheverydayafterherreachingPemberley;andwasconsequentlyresolvednottobeoutofsightoftheinnthewholeofthatmorning.Butherconclusionwasfalse;forontheverymorningaftertheirownarrivalatLambton,thesevisitorscame.Theyhadbeenwalkingabouttheplacewithsomeoftheirnewfriends,andwerejustreturningtotheinntodressthemselvesfordiningwiththesamefamily,whenthesoundofacarriagedrewthemtoawindow,andtheysawagentlemanandaladyinacurricledrivingupthestreet.Elizabethimmediatelyrecognizingthelivery,guessedwhatitmeant,andimpartednosmalldegreeofhersurprisetoherrelationsbyacquaintingthemwiththehonourwhichsheexpected.Heruncleandauntwereallamazement;andtheembarrassmentofhermannerasshespoke,joinedtothecircumstanceitself,andmanyofthecircumstancesoftheprecedingday,openedtothemanewideaonthebusiness.Nothinghadeversuggesteditbefore,buttheynowfeltthattherewasnootherwayofaccountingforsuchattentionsfromsuchaquarterthanbysupposingapartialityfortheirniece.Whilethesenewly-bornnotionswerepassingintheirheads,theperturbationofElizabethsfeelingswasateverymomentincreasing.Shewasquiteamazedatherowndiscomposure;butamongstothercausesofdisquiet,shedreadedlestthepartialityofthebrothershouldhavesaidtoomuchinherfavour;and,morethancommonlyanxioustoplease,shenaturallysuspectedthateverypowerofpleasingwouldfailher.
Sheretreatedfromthewindow,fearfulofbeingseen;andasshewalkedupanddowntheroom,endeavouringtocomposeherself,sawsuchlooksofinquiringsurpriseinheruncleandauntasmadeeverythingworse.
MissDarcyandherbrotherappeared,andthisformidableintroductiontookplace.WithastonishmentdidElizabethseethathernewacquaintancewasatleastasmuchembarrassedasherself.SinceherbeingatLambton,shehadheardthatMissDarcywasexceedinglyproud;buttheobservationofaveryfewminutesconvincedherthatshewasonlyexceedinglyshy.Shefounditdifficulttoobtainevenawordfromherbeyondamonosyllable.
MissDarcywastall,andonalargerscalethanElizabeth;and,thoughlittlemorethansixteen,herfigurewasformed,andherappearancewomanlyandgraceful.Shewaslesshandsomethanherbrother;buttherewassenseandgoodhumourinherface,andhermannerswereperfectlyunassumingandgentle.Elizabeth,whohadexpectedtofindinherasacuteandunembarrassedanobserveraseverMr.Darcyhadbeen,wasmuchrelievedbydiscerningsuchdifferentfeelings.
TheyhadnotbeenlongtogetherbeforeMr.DarcytoldherthatBingleywasalsocomingtowaitonher;andshehadbarelytimetoexpresshersatisfaction,andprepareforsuchavisitor,whenBingleysquickstepwasheardonthestairs,andinamomentheenteredtherooAllElizabethsangeragainsthimhadbeenlongdoneaway;buthadshestillfeltany,itcouldhardlyhavestooditsgroundagainsttheunaffectedcordialitywithwhichheexpressedhimselfonseeingheragain.Heinquiredinafriendly,thoughgeneralway,afterherfamily,andlookedandspokewiththesamegood-humouredeasethathehadeverdone.
ToMr.andMrs.Gardinerhewasscarcelyalessinterestingpersonagethantoherself.TheyhadlongwishedtoseehiThewholepartybeforethem,indeed,excitedalivelyattention.ThesuspicionswhichhadjustarisenofMr.Darcyandtheirniecedirectedtheirobservationtowardseachwithanearnestthoughguardedinquiry;andtheysoondrewfromthoseinquiriesthefullconvictionthatoneofthematleastknewwhatitwastolove.Oftheladyssensationstheyremainedalittleindoubt;butthatthegentlemanwasoverflowingwithadmirationwasevidentenough.
Elizabeth,onherside,hadmuchtodo.Shewantedtoascertainthefeelingsofeachofhervisitors;shewantedtocomposeherown,andtomakeherselfagreeabletoall;andinthelatterobject,whereshefearedmosttofail,shewasmostsureofsuccess,forthosetowhomsheendeavouredtogivepleasurewereprepossessedinherfavour.Bingleywasready,Georgianawaseager,andDarcydetermined,tobepleased.
InseeingBingley,herthoughtsnaturallyflewtohersister;and,oh!howardentlydidshelongtoknowwhetheranyofhisweredirectedinalikemanner.Sometimesshecouldfancythathetalkedlessthanonformeroccasions,andonceortwicepleasedherselfwiththenotionthat,ashelookedather,hewastryingtotracearesemblance.But,thoughthismightbeimaginary,shecouldnotbedeceivedastohisbehaviourtoMissDarcy,whohadbeensetupasarivaltoJane.Nolookappearedoneithersidethatspokeparticularregard.Nothingoccurredbetweenthemthatcouldjustifythehopesofhissister.Onthispointshewassoonsatisfied;andtwoorthreelittlecircumstancesoccurrederetheyparted,which,inheranxiousinterpretation,denotedarecollectionofJanenotuntincturedbytenderness,andawishofsayingmorethatmightleadtothementionofher,hadhedared.Heobservedtoher,atamomentwhentheothersweretalkingtogether,andinatonewhichhadsomethingofrealregret,thatit“wasaverylongtimesincehehadhadthepleasureofseeingher;”and,beforeshecouldreply,headded,“Itisaboveeightmonths.Wehavenotmetsincethe26thofNovember,whenwewerealldancingtogetheratNetherfield.”
Elizabethwaspleasedtofindhismemorysoexact;andheafterwardstookoccasiontoaskher,whenunattendedtobyanyoftherest,whetherallhersisterswereatLongbourn.Therewasnotmuchinthequestion,norintheprecedingremark;buttherewasalookandamannerwhichgavethemmeaning.
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