"ihadmuchrathergointhecoach."

"but,mydear,yourfathercannotsparethehorses,iamsure.theyarewantedinthefarm,mr.bennet,arenotthey?"

"theyarewantedinthefarmmuchoftenerthanicangetthem."

"butifyouhavegotthemtoday,"saidelizabeth,"mymother'spurposewillbeanswered."

shedidatlastextortfromherfatheranacknowledgmentthatthehorseswereengaged.janewasthereforeobligedtogoonhorseback,andhermotherattendedhertothedoorwithmanycheerfulprognosticsofabadday.herhopeswereanswered;janehadnotbeengonelongbeforeitrainedhard.hersisterswereuneasyforher,buthermotherwasdelighted.theraincontinuedthewholeeveningwithoutintermission;janecertainlycouldnotcomeback.

"thiswasaluckyideaofmine,indeed!"saidmrs.bennet,morethanonce,asifthecreditofmakingitrainwereallherown.tillthenextmorning,however,shewasnotawareofallthefelicityofhercontrivance.breakfastwasscarcelyoverwhenaservantfromnetherfieldbroughtthefollowingnoteforelizabeth:

"mydearestlizzy,

ifindmyselfveryunwellthismorning,which,isuppose,istobeimputedtomygettingwetthroughyesterday.mykindfriendswillnothearofmyreturninghometilliambetter.theyinsistalsoonmyseeingmr.jones—thereforedonotbealarmedifyoushouldhearofhishavingbeentome—andexceptingasorethroatandhead-ache,thereisnotmuchthematterwithme.

yours,&c."

"well,mydear,"saidmr.bennet,whenelizabethhadreadthenotealoud,"ifyourdaughtershouldhaveadangerousfitofillness,ifsheshoulddie,itwouldbeacomforttoknowthatitwasallinpursuitofmr.bingley,andunderyourorders."

"oh!iamnotatallafraidofherdying.peopledonotdieoflittletriflingcolds.shewillbetakengoodcareof.aslongasshestaysthere,itisallverywell.iwouldgoandseeher,ificouldhavethecarriage."

elizabeth,feelingreallyanxious,wasdeterminedtogotoher,thoughthecarriagewasnottobehad;andasshewasnohorse-woman,walkingwasheronlyalternative.shedeclaredherresolution.

"howcanyoubesosilly,"criedhermother,"astothinkofsuchathing,inallthisdirt!youwillnotbefittobeseenwhenyougetthere."

"ishallbeveryfittoseejane—whichisalliwant."

"isthisahinttome,lizzy,"saidherfather,"tosendforthehorses?"

"no,indeed.idonotwishtoavoidthewalk.thedistanceisnothing,whenonehasamotive;onlythreemiles.ishallbebackbydinner."

"iadmiretheactivityofyourbenevolence,"observedmary,"buteveryimpulseoffeelingshouldbeguidedbyreason;and,inmyopinion,exertionshouldalwaysbeinproportiontowhatisrequired."

"wewillgoasfarasmerytonwithyou,"saidcatherineandlydia.—elizabethacceptedtheircompany,andthethreeyoungladiessetofftogether.

"ifwemakehaste,"saidlydia,astheywalkedalong,"perhapswemayseesomethingofcaptaincarterbeforehegoes."

inmerytontheyparted;thetwoyoungestrepairedtothelodgingsofoneoftheofficers'wives,andelizabethcontinuedherwalkalone,crossingfieldafterfieldataquickpace,jumpingoverstilesandspringingoverpuddleswithimpatientactivity,andfindingherselfatlastwithinviewofthehouse,withwearyancles,dirtystockings,andafaceglowingwiththewarmthofexercise.

shewasshewnintothebreakfast-parlour,whereallbutjanewereassembled,andwhereherappearancecreatedagreatdealofsurprise.—thatsheshouldhavewalkedthreemilessoearlyintheday,insuchdirtyweather,andbyherself,wasalmostincredibletomrs.hurstandmissbingley;andelizabethwasconvincedthattheyheldherincontemptforit.shewasreceived,however,verypolitelybythem;andintheirbrother'smannerstherewassomethingbetterthanpoliteness;therewasgoodhumourandkindness.—mr.darcysaidverylittle,andmr.hurstnothingatall.theformerwaspidedbetweenadmirationofthebrilliancywhichexercisehadgiventohercomplexion,anddoubtastotheoccasion'sjustifyinghercomingsofaralone.thelatterwasthinkingonlyofhisbreakfast.

herenquiriesafterhersisterwerenotveryfavourablyanswered.missbennethadsleptill,andthoughup,wasveryfeverishandnotwellenoughtoleaveherroom.elizabethwasgladtobetakentoherimmediately;andjane,whohadonlybeenwithheldbythefearofgivingalarmorinconvenience,fromexpressinginhernotehowmuchshelongedforsuchavisit,wasdelightedatherentrance.shewasnotequal,however,tomuchconversation,andwhenmissbingleyleftthemtogether,couldattemptlittlebesideexpressionsofgratitudefortheextraordinarykindnessshewastreatedwith.elizabethsilentlyattendedher.

whenbreakfastwasover,theywerejoinedbythesisters,andelizabethbegantolikethemherself,whenshesawhowmuchaffectionandsolicitudetheyshewedforjane.theapothecarycame,andhavingexaminedhispatient,said,asmightbesupposed,thatshehadcaughtaviolentcold,andthattheymustendeavourtogetthebetterofit;advisedhertoreturntobed,andpromisedhersomedraughts.theadvicewasfollowedreadily,forthefeverishsymptomsincreased,andherheadachedacutely.elizabethdidnotquitherroomforamoment,norweretheotherladiesoftenabsent;thegentlemenbeingout,theyhadinfactnothingtodoelsewhere.

whentheclockstruckthree,elizabethfeltthatshemustgo;andveryunwillinglysaidso.missbingleyofferedherthecarriage,andsheonlywantedalittlepressingtoacceptit,whenjanetestifiedsuchconcerninpartingwithherthatmissbingleywasobligedtoconverttheofferofthechaiseintoaninvitationtoremainatnetherfieldforthepresent.elizabethmostthankfullyconsented,andaservantwasdispatchedtolongbourntoacquaintthefamilywithherstay,andbringbackasupplyofclothes.