elizabethrelatedtojanethenextday,whathadpassedbetweenmr.wickhamandherself.janelistenedwithastonishmentandconcern;—sheknewnothowtobelievethatmr.darcycouldbesounworthyofmr.bingley'sregard;andyet,itwasnotinhernaturetoquestiontheveracityofayoungmanofsuchamiableappearanceaswickham.—thepossibilityofhishavingreallyenduredsuchunkindness,wasenoughtointerestallhertenderfeelings;andnothingthereforeremainedtobedone,buttothinkwellofthemboth,todefendtheconductofeach,andthrowintotheaccountofaccidentormistake,whatevercouldnotbeotherwiseexplained.

"theyhaveboth,"saidshe,"beendeceived,idaresay,insomewayorother,ofwhichwecanformnoidea.interestedpeoplehaveperhapsmisrepresentedeachtotheother.itis,inshort,impossibleforustoconjecturethecausesorcircumstanceswhichmayhavealienatedthem,withoutactualblameoneitherside."

"verytrue,indeed;andnow,mydearjane,whathaveyougottosayinbehalfoftheinterestedpeoplewhohaveprobablybeenconcernedinthebusiness?—doclearthemtoo,orweshallbeobligedtothinkillofsomebody."

"laughasmuchasyouchuse,butyouwillnotlaughmeoutofmyopinion.mydearestlizzy,dobutconsiderinwhatadisgracefullightitplacesmr.darcy,tobetreatinghisfather'sfavouriteinsuchamanner,—one,whomhisfatherhadpromisedtoprovidefor.—itisimpossible.nomanofcommonhumanity,nomanwhohadanyvalueforhischaracter,couldbecapableofit.canhismostintimatefriendsbesoexcessivelydeceivedinhim?oh!no."

"icanmuchmoreeasilybelievemr.bingley'sbeingimposedon,thanthatmr.wickhamshouldinventsuchahistoryofhimselfashegavemelastnight;names,facts,everythingmentionedwithoutceremony.—ifitbenotso,letmr.darcycontradictit.besides,therewastruthinhislooks."

"itisdifficultindeed—itisdistressing.—onedoesnotknowwhattothink."

"ibegyourpardon;—oneknowsexactlywhattothink."

butjanecouldthinkwithcertaintyononlyonepoint,—thatmr.bingley,ifhehadbeenimposedon,wouldhavemuchtosufferwhentheaffairbecamepublic.

thetwoyoungladiesweresummonedfromtheshrubberywherethisconversationpassed,bythearrivalofsomeoftheverypersonsofwhomtheyhadbeenspeaking;mr.bingleyandhissisterscametogivetheirpersonalinvitationforthelongexpectedballatnetherfield,whichwasfixedforthefollowingtuesday.thetwoladiesweredelightedtoseetheirdearfriendagain,calleditanagesincetheyhadmet,andrepeatedlyaskedwhatshehadbeendoingwithherselfsincetheirseparation.totherestofthefamilytheypaidlittleattention;avoidingmrs.bennetasmuchaspossible,sayingnotmuchtoelizabeth,andnothingatalltotheothers.theyweresoongoneagain,risingfromtheirseatswithanactivitywhichtooktheirbrotherbysurprise,andhurryingoffasifeagertoescapefrommrs.bennet'scivilities.

theprospectofthenetherfieldballwasextremelyagreeabletoeveryfemaleofthefamily.mrs.bennetchosetoconsideritasgivenincomplimenttohereldestdaughter,andwasparticularlyflatteredbyreceivingtheinvitationfrommr.bingleyhimself,insteadofaceremoniouscard;janepicturedtoherselfahappyeveninginthesocietyofhertwofriends,andtheattentionoftheirbrother;andelizabeththoughtwithpleasureofdancingagreatdealwithmr.wickham,andofseeingaconfirmationofeverythinginmr.darcy'slooksandbehaviour.thehappinessanticipatedbycatherineandlydia,dependedlessonanysingleevent,oranyparticularperson,forthoughtheyeach,likeelizabeth,meanttodancehalftheeveningwithmr.wickham,hewasbynomeanstheonlypartnerwhocouldsatisfythem,andaballwasatanyrate,aball.andevenmarycouldassureherfamilythatshehadnodisinclinationforit.

"whileicanhavemymorningstomyself,"saidshe,"itisenough.—ithinkitnosacrificetojoinoccasionallyineveningengagements.societyhasclaimsonusall;andiprofessmyselfoneofthosewhoconsiderintervalsofrecreationandamusementasdesirableforeverybody."

elizabeth'sspiritsweresohighontheoccasionthat,thoughshedidnotoftenspeakunnecessarilytomr.collins,shecouldnothelpaskinghimwhetherheintendedtoacceptmr.bingley'sinvitation,and,ifhedid,whetherhewouldthinkitpropertojoinintheevening'samusement;andshewasrathersurprisedtofindthatheentertainednoscruplewhateveronthathead,andwasveryfarfromdreadingarebukeeitherfromthearchbishop,orladycatherinedebourgh,byventuringtodance.

"iambynomeansofopinion,iassureyou,"saidhe,"thataballofthiskind,givenbyayoungmanofcharactertorespectablepeople,canhaveanyeviltendency;andiamsofarfromobjectingtodancingmyself,thatishallhopetobehonouredwiththehandsofallmyfaircousinsinthecourseoftheevening,anditakethisopportunityofsolicitingyours,misselizabeth,forthetwofirstdancesespecially,—apreferencewhichitrustmycousinjanewillattributetotherightcause,andnottoanydisrespectforher."

elizabethfeltherselfcompletelytakenin.shehadfullyproposedbeingengagedbywickhamforthoseverydances:—andtohavemr.collinsinstead!herlivelinesshadbeenneverworsetimed.therewasnohelpforithowever.mr.wickham'shappinessandherownwasperforcedelayedalittlelonger,andmr.collins'sproposalacceptedwithasgoodagraceasshecould.shewasnotthebetterpleasedwithhisgallantryfromtheideaitsuggestedofsomethingmore.—itnowfirststruckherthatshewasselectedfromamonghersistersasworthyofbeingthemistressofhunsfordparsonage,andofassistingtoformaquadrilletableatrosings,intheabsenceofmoreeligiblevisitors.theideasoonreachedtoconviction,assheobservedhisincreasingcivilitiestowardherself,andheardhisfrequentattemptatacomplimentonherwitandvivacity;andthoughmoreastonishedthangratifiedherselfbythiseffectofhercharms,itwasnotlongbeforehermothergavehertounderstandthattheprobabilityoftheirmarriagewasexceedinglyagreeabletoher.elizabeth,however,didnotchusetotakethehint,beingwellawarethataseriousdisputemustbetheconsequenceofanyreply.mr.collinsmightnevermaketheoffer,andtillhedid,itwasuselesstoquarrelabouthim.

iftherehadnotbeenanetherfieldballtoprepareforandtalkof,theyoungermissbennetswouldhavebeeninapitiablestateatthistime,forfromthedayoftheinvitationtothedayoftheball,therewassuchasuccessionofrainaspreventedtheirwalkingtomerytononce.noaunt,noofficers,nonewscouldbesoughtafter;—theveryshoerosesfornetherfieldweregotbyproxy.evenelizabethmighthavefoundsometrialofherpatienceinweatherwhichtotallysuspendedtheimprovementofheracquaintancewithmr.wickham;andnothinglessthanadanceontuesday,couldhavemadesuchafriday,saturday,sunday,andmondayendurabletokittyandlydia.