elizabethcouldnotrefuse,thoughsheforesawlittlepleasureinthevisit.

"myfatherandmariaaretocometomeinmarch,"addedcharlotte,"andihopeyouwillconsenttobeoftheparty.indeed,eliza,youwillbeaswelcometomeaseitherofthem."

theweddingtookplace;thebrideandbridegroomsetoffforkentfromthechurchdoor,andeverybodyhadasmuchtosayortohearonthesubjectasusual.elizabethsoonheardfromherfriend;andtheircorrespondencewasasregularandfrequentasithadeverbeen;thatitshouldbeequallyunreservedwasimpossible.elizabethcouldneveraddressherwithoutfeelingthatallthecomfortofintimacywasover,and,thoughdeterminednottoslackenasacorrespondent,itwasforthesakeofwhathadbeen,ratherthanwhatwas.charlotte'sfirstletterswerereceivedwithagooddealofeagerness;therecouldnotbutbecuriositytoknowhowshewouldspeakofhernewhome,howshewouldlikeladycatherine,andhowhappyshewoulddarepronounceherselftobe;though,whentheletterswereread,elizabethfeltthatcharlotteexpressedherselfoneverypointexactlyasshemighthaveforeseen.shewrotecheerfully,seemedsurroundedwithcomforts,andmentionednothingwhichshecouldnotpraise.thehouse,furniture,neighbourhood,androads,werealltohertaste,andladycatherine'sbehaviourwasmostfriendlyandobliging.itwasmr.collins'spictureofhunsfordandrosingsrationallysoftened;andelizabethperceivedthatshemustwaitforherownvisitthere,toknowtherest.

janehadalreadywrittenafewlinestohersistertoannouncetheirsafearrivalinlondon;andwhenshewroteagain,elizabethhopeditwouldbeinherpowertosaysomethingofthebingleys.

herimpatienceforthissecondletterwasaswellrewardedasimpatiencegenerallyis.janehadbeenaweekintown,withouteitherseeingorhearingfromcaroline.sheaccountedforit,however,bysupposingthatherlastlettertoherfriendfromlongbournhadbysomeaccidentbeenlost.

"myaunt,"shecontinued,"isgoingtomorrowintothatpartofthetown,andishalltaketheopportunityofcallingingrosvenor-street."

shewroteagainwhenthevisitwaspaid,andshehadseenmissbingley."ididnotthinkcarolineinspirits,"wereherwords,"butshewasverygladtoseeme,andreproachedmeforgivinghernonoticeofmycomingtolondon.iwasright,therefore;mylastletterhadneverreachedher.ienquiredaftertheirbrother,ofcourse.hewaswell,butsomuchengagedwithmr.darcy,thattheyscarcelyeversawhim.ifoundthatmissdarcywasexpectedtodinner.iwishicouldseeher.myvisitwasnotlong,ascarolineandmrs.hurstweregoingout.idaresayishallsoonseethemhere."

elizabethshookherheadoverthisletter.itconvincedherthataccidentonlycoulddiscovertomr.bingleyhersister'sbeingintown.

fourweekspassedaway,andjanesawnothingofhim.sheendeavouredtopersuadeherselfthatshedidnotregretit;butshecouldnolongerbeblindtomissbingley'sinattention.afterwaitingathomeeverymorningforafortnight,andinventingeveryeveningafreshexcuseforher,thevisitordidatlastappear;buttheshortnessofherstay,andyetmore,thealterationofhermanner,wouldallowjanetodeceiveherselfnolonger.theletterwhichshewroteonthisoccasiontohersister,willprovewhatshefelt.

"mydearestlizzywill,iamsure,beincapableoftriumphinginherbetterjudgment,atmyexpence,wheniconfessmyselftohavebeenentirelydeceivedinmissbingley'sregardforme.but,mydearsister,thoughtheeventhasprovedyouright,donotthinkmeobstinateifistillassertthat,consideringwhatherbehaviourwas,myconfidencewasasnaturalasyoursuspicion.idonotatallcomprehendherreasonforwishingtobeintimatewithme,butifthesamecircumstancesweretohappenagain,iamsureishouldbedeceivedagain.carolinedidnotreturnmyvisittillyesterday;andnotanote,notaline,didireceiveinthemeantime.whenshedidcome,itwasveryevidentthatshehadnopleasureinit;shemadeaslight,formal,apologyfornotcallingbefore,saidnotawordofwishingtoseemeagain,andwasineveryrespectsoalteredacreature,thatwhenshewentawayiwasperfectlyresolvedtocontinuetheacquaintancenolonger.ipity,thoughicannothelpblamingher.shewasverywronginsinglingmeoutasshedid;icansafelysay,thateveryadvancetointimacybeganonherside.butipityher,becauseshemustfeelthatshehasbeenactingwrong,andbecauseiamverysurethatanxietyforherbrotheristhecauseofit,ineednotexplainmyselffarther;andthoughweknowthisanxietytobequiteneedless,yetifshefeelsit,itwilleasilyaccountforherbehaviourtome;andsodeservedlydearasheistohissister,whateveranxietyshemayfeelonhisbehalfisnaturalandamiable.icannotbutwonder,however,atherhavinganysuchfearsnow,because,ifhehadatallcaredaboutme,wemusthavemetlong,longago.heknowsofmybeingintown,iamcertain,fromsomethingshesaidherself;andyetitshouldseembyhermanneroftalking,asifshewantedtopersuadeherselfthatheisreallypartialtomissdarcy.icannotunderstandit.

ifiwerenotafraidofjudgingharshly,ishouldbealmosttemptedtosaythatthereisastrongappearanceofduplicityinallthis.butiwillendeavourtobanisheverypainfulthought,andthinkonlyofwhatwillmakemehappy:youraffection,andtheinvariablekindnessofmydearuncleandaunt.letmehearfromyouverysoon.missbingleysaidsomethingofhisneverreturningtonetherfieldagain,ofgivingupthehouse,butnotwithanycertainty.wehadbetternotmentionit.iamextremelygladthatyouhavesuchpleasantaccountsfromourfriendsathunsford.praygotoseethem,withsirwilliamandmaria.iamsureyouwillbeverycomfortablethere.

your's,&c."

thislettergaveelizabethsomepain;butherspiritsreturnedassheconsideredthatjanewouldnolongerbeduped,bythesisteratleast.allexpectationfromthebrotherwasnowabsolutelyover.shewouldnotevenwishforanyrenewalofhisattentions.hischaractersunkoneveryreviewofit;andasapunishmentforhim,aswellasapossibleadvantagetojane,sheseriouslyhopedhemightreallysoonmarrymr.darcy'ssister,as,bywickham'saccount,shewouldmakehimabundantlyregretwhathehadthrownaway.

mrs.gardineraboutthistimeremindedelizabethofherpromiseconcerningthatgentleman,andrequiredinformation;andelizabethhadsuchtosendasmightrathergivecontentmenttoherauntthantoherself.hisapparentpartialityhadsubsided,hisattentionswereover,hewastheadmirerofsomeoneelse.elizabethwaswatchfulenoughtoseeitall,butshecouldseeitandwriteofitwithoutmaterialpain.herhearthadbeenbutslightlytouched,andhervanitywassatisfiedwithbelievingthatshewouldhavebeenhisonlychoice,hadfortunepermittedit.thesuddenacquisitionoftenthousandpoundswasthemostremarkablecharmoftheyoungladytowhomhewasnowrenderinghimselfagreeable;butelizabeth,lessclearsightedperhapsinhiscasethanincharlotte's,didnotquarrelwithhimforhiswishofindependence.nothing,onthecontrary,couldbemorenatural;andwhileabletosupposethatitcosthimafewstrugglestorelinquishher,shewasreadytoallowitawiseanddesirablemeasureforboth,andcouldverysincerelywishhimhappy.

allthiswasacknowledgedtomrs.gardiner;andafterrelatingthecircumstances,shethuswenton:—"iamnowconvinced,mydearaunt,thatihaveneverbeenmuchinlove;forhadireallyexperiencedthatpureandelevatingpassion,ishouldatpresentdetesthisveryname,andwishhimallmannerofevil.butmyfeelingsarenotonlycordialtowardshim;theyareevenimpartialtowardsmissking.icannotfindoutthatihateheratall,orthatiamintheleastunwillingtothinkheraverygoodsortofgirl.therecanbenoloveinallthis.mywatchfulnesshasbeeneffectual;andthoughishouldcertainlybeamoreinterestingobjecttoallmyacquaintance,wereidistractedlyinlovewithhim,icannotsaythatiregretmycomparativeinsignificance.importancemaysometimesbepurchasedtoodearly.kittyandlydiatakehisdefectionmuchmoretoheartthanido.theyareyounginthewaysoftheworld,andnotyetopentothemortifyingconvictionthathandsomeyoungmenmusthavesomethingtoliveon,aswellastheplain."