thetwogentlemenleftrosingsthenextmorning;andmr.collinshavingbeeninwaitingnearthelodges,tomakethemhispartingobeisance,wasabletobringhomethepleasingintelligenceoftheirappearinginverygoodhealth,andinastolerablespiritsascouldbeexpected,afterthemelancholyscenesolatelygonethroughatrosings.torosingshethenhastenedtoconsoleladycatherineandherdaughter;andonhisreturnbroughtback,withgreatsatisfaction,amessagefromherladyship,importingthatshefeltherselfsodullastomakeherverydesirousofhavingthemalltodinewithher.

elizabethcouldnotseeladycatherinewithoutrecollectingthat,hadshechosenit,shemightbythistimehavebeenpresentedtoherasherfutureniece;norcouldshethink,withoutasmile,ofwhatherladyship'sindignationwouldhavebeen."whatwouldshehavesaid?—howwouldshehavebehaved?"werequestionswithwhichsheamusedherself.

theirfirstsubjectwasthediminutionoftherosingsparty.—"iassureyou,ifeelitexceedingly,"saidladycatherine;"ibelievenobodyfeelsthelossoffriendssomuchasido.butiamparticularlyattachedtotheseyoungmen;andknowthemtobesomuchattachedtome!—theywereexcessivelysorrytogo!butsotheyalwaysare.thedearcolonelralliedhisspiritstolerablytilljustatlast;butdarcyseemedtofeelitmostacutely,moreithinkthanlastyear.hisattachmenttorosings,certainlyincreases."

mr.collinshadacompliment,andanallusiontothrowinhere,whichwerekindlysmiledonbythemotheranddaughter.

ladycatherineobserved,afterdinner,thatmissbennetseemedoutofspirits;andimmediatelyaccountingforitherself,bysupposingthatshedidnotliketogohomeagainsosoon,sheadded,"butifthatisthecase,youmustwritetoyourmothertobegthatyoumaystayalittlelonger.mrs.collinswillbeverygladofyourcompany,iamsure."

"iammuchobligedtoyourladyshipforyourkindinvitation,"repliedelizabeth,"butitisnotinmypowertoacceptit.—imustbeintownnextsaturday."

"why,atthatrate,youwillhavebeenhereonlysixweeks.iexpectedyoutostaytwomonths.itoldmrs.collinssobeforeyoucame.therecanbenooccasionforyourgoingsosoon.mrs.bennetcouldcertainlyspareyouforanotherfortnight."

"butmyfathercannot.—hewrotelastweektohurrymyreturn."

"oh!yourfatherofcoursemayspareyou,ifyourmothercan.—daughtersareneverofsomuchconsequencetoafather.andifyouwillstayanothermonthcomplete,itwillbeinmypowertotakeoneofyouasfaraslondon,foriamgoingthereearlyinjune,foraweek;andasdawsondoesnotobjecttothebarouchebox,therewillbeverygoodroomforoneofyou—andindeed,iftheweathershouldhappentobecool,ishouldnotobjecttotakingyouboth,asyouareneitherofyoularge."

"youareallkindness,madam;butibelievewemustabidebyouroriginalplan."

ladycatherineseemedresigned.

"mrs.collins,youmustsendaservantwiththem.youknowialwaysspeakmymind,andicannotbeartheideaoftwoyoungwomentravellingpostbythemselves.itishighlyimproper.youmustcontrivetosendsomebody.ihavethegreatestdislikeintheworldtothatsortofthing.—youngwomenshouldalwaysbeproperlyguardedandattended,accordingtotheirsituationinlife.whenmyniecegeorgianawenttoramsgatelastsummer,imadeapointofherhavingtwomenservantsgowithher.—missdarcy,thedaughterofmr.darcyofpemberley,andladyanne,couldnothaveappearedwithproprietyinadifferentmanner.—iamexcessivelyattentivetoallthosethings.youmustsendjohnwiththeyoungladies,mrs.collins.iamgladitoccurredtometomentionit;foritwouldreallybediscreditabletoyoutoletthemgoalone."

"myuncleistosendaservantforus."

"oh!—youruncle!—hekeepsaman-servant,doeshe?—iamverygladyouhavesomebodywhothinksofthosethings.whereshallyouchangehorses?—oh!bromley,ofcourse.—ifyoumentionmynameatthebell,youwillbeattendedto."

ladycatherinehadmanyotherquestionstoaskrespectingtheirjourney,andasshedidnotanswerthemallherself,attentionwasnecessary,whichelizabethbelievedtobeluckyforher,or,withamindsooccupied,shemighthaveforgottenwhereshewas.reflectionmustbereservedforsolitaryhours;whenevershewasalone,shegavewaytoitasthegreatestrelief;andnotadaywentbywithoutasolitarywalk,inwhichshemightindulgeinallthedelightofunpleasantrecollections.

mr.darcy'sletter,shewasinafairwayofsoonknowingbyheart.shestudiedeverysentence:andherfeelingstowardsitswriterwereattimeswidelydifferent.whensherememberedthestyleofhisaddress,shewasstillfullofindignation;butwhensheconsideredhowunjustlyshehadcondemnedandupbraidedhim,herangerwasturnedagainstherself;andhisdisappointedfeelingsbecametheobjectofcompassion.hisattachmentexcitedgratitude,hisgeneralcharacterrespect;butshecouldnotapprovehim;norcouldsheforamomentrepentherrefusal,orfeeltheslightestinclinationevertoseehimagain.inherownpastbehaviour,therewasaconstantsourceofvexationandregret;andintheunhappydefectsofherfamilyasubjectofyetheavierchagrin.theywerehopelessofremedy.herfather,contentedwithlaughingatthem,wouldneverexerthimselftorestrainthewildgiddinessofhisyoungestdaughters;andhermother,withmannerssofarfromrightherself,wasentirelyinsensibleoftheevil.elizabethhadfrequentlyunitedwithjaneinanendeavourtochecktheimprudenceofcatherineandlydia;butwhiletheyweresupportedbytheirmother'sindulgence,whatchancecouldtherebeofimprovement?catherine,weak-spirited,irritable,andcompletelyunderlydia'sguidance,hadbeenalwaysaffrontedbytheiradvice;andlydia,self-willedandcareless,wouldscarcelygivethemahearing.theywereignorant,idle,andvain.whiletherewasanofficerinmeryton,theywouldflirtwithhim;andwhilemerytonwaswithinawalkoflongbourn,theywouldbegoingthereforever.

anxietyonjane'sbehalfwasanotherprevailingconcern,andmr.darcy'sexplanation,byrestoringbingleytoallherformergoodopinion,heightenedthesenseofwhatjanehadlost.hisaffectionwasprovedtohavebeensincere,andhisconductclearedofallblame,unlessanycouldattachtotheimplicitnessofhisconfidenceinhisfriend.howgrievousthenwasthethoughtthat,ofasituationsodesirableineveryrespect,sorepletewithadvantage,sopromisingforhappiness,janehadbeendeprived,bythefollyandindecorumofherownfamily!

whentotheserecollectionswasaddedthedevelopementofwickham'scharacter,itmaybeeasilybelievedthatthehappyspiritswhichhadseldombeendepressedbefore,werenowsomuchaffectedastomakeitalmostimpossibleforhertoappeartolerablycheerful.

theirengagementsatrosingswereasfrequentduringthelastweekofherstayastheyhadbeenatfirst.theverylasteveningwasspentthere;andherladyshipagainenquiredminutelyintotheparticularsoftheirjourney,gavethemdirectionsastothebestmethodofpacking,andwassourgentonthenecessityofplacinggownsintheonlyrightway,thatmariathoughtherselfobliged,onherreturn,toundoalltheworkofthemorning,andpackhertrunkafresh.

whentheyparted,ladycatherine,withgreatcondescension,wishedthemagoodjourney,andinvitedthemtocometohunsfordagainnextyear;andmissdebourghexertedherselfsofarastocurtseyandholdoutherhandtoboth.