onsaturdaymorningelizabethandmr.collinsmetforbreakfastafewminutesbeforetheothersappeared;andhetooktheopportunityofpayingthepartingcivilitieswhichhedeemedindispensablynecessary.

"iknownot,misselizabeth,"saidhe,"whethermrs.collinshasyetexpressedhersenseofyourkindnessincomingtous,butiamverycertainyouwillnotleavethehousewithoutreceivingherthanksforit.thefavourofyourcompanyhasbeenmuchfelt,iassureyou.weknowhowlittlethereistotemptanyonetoourhumbleabode.ourplainmannerofliving,oursmallrooms,andfewdomestics,andthelittleweseeoftheworld,mustmakehunsfordextremelydulltoayoungladylikeyourself;butihopeyouwillbelieveusgratefulforthecondescension,andthatwehavedoneeverythinginourpowertopreventyourspendingyourtimeunpleasantly."

elizabethwaseagerwithherthanksandassurancesofhappiness.shehadspentsixweekswithgreatenjoyment;andthepleasureofbeingwithcharlotte,andthekindattentionsshehadreceived,mustmakeherfeeltheobliged.mr.collinswasgratified;andwithamoresmilingsolemnityreplied,"itgivesmethegreatestpleasuretohearthatyouhavepassedyourtimenotdisagreeably.wehavecertainlydoneourbest;andmostfortunatelyhavingitinourpowertointroduceyoutoverysuperiorsociety,and,fromourconnectionwithrosings,thefrequentmeansofvaryingthehumblehomescene,ithinkwemayflatterourselvesthatyourhunsfordvisitcannothavebeenentirelyirksome.oursituationwithregardtoladycatherine'sfamilyisindeedthesortofextraordinaryadvantageandblessingwhichfewcanboast.youseeonwhatafootingweare.youseehowcontinuallyweareengagedthere.intruthimustacknowledgethat,withallthedisadvantagesofthishumbleparsonage,ishouldnotthinkanyoneabidinginitanobjectofcompassionwhiletheyaresharersofourintimacyatrosings."

wordswereinsufficientfortheelevationofhisfeelings;andhewasobligedtowalkabouttheroom,whileelizabethtriedtounitecivilityandtruthinafewshortsentences.

"youmay,infact,carryaveryfavourablereportofusintohertfordshire,mydearcousin.iflattermyself,atleast,thatyouwillbeabletodoso.ladycatherine'sgreatattentionstomrs.collinsyouhavebeenadailywitnessof;andaltogetheritrustitdoesnotappearthatyourfriendhasdrawnanunfortunate—;butonthispointitwillbeaswelltobesilent.onlyletmeassureyou,mydearmisselizabeth,thaticanfrommyheartmostcordiallywishyouequalfelicityinmarriage.mydearcharlotteandihavebutonemindandonewayofthinking.thereisineverythingamostremarkableresemblanceofcharacterandideasbetweenus.weseemtohavebeendesignedforeachother."

elizabethcouldsafelysaythatitwasagreathappinesswherethatwasthecase,andwithequalsinceritycouldaddthatshefirmlybelievedandrejoicedinhisdomesticcomforts.shewasnotsorry,however,tohavetherecitaloftheminterruptedbytheentranceoftheladyfromwhomtheysprung.poorcharlotte!—itwasmelancholytoleavehertosuchsociety!—butshehadchosenitwithhereyesopen;andthoughevidentlyregrettingthathervisitorsweretogo,shedidnotseemtoaskforcompassion.herhomeandherhousekeeping,herparishandherpoultry,andalltheirdependentconcerns,hadnotyetlosttheircharms.

atlengththechaisearrived,thetrunkswerefastenedon,theparcelsplacedwithin,anditwaspronouncedtobeready.afteranaffectionatepartingbetweenthefriends,elizabethwasattendedtothecarriagebymr.collins,andastheywalkeddownthegarden,hewascommissioningherwithhisbestrespectstoallherfamily,notforgettinghisthanksforthekindnesshehadreceivedatlongbourninthewinter,andhiscomplimentstomr.andmrs.gardiner,thoughunknown.hethenhandedherin,mariafollowed,andthedoorwasonthepointofbeingclosed,whenhesuddenlyremindedthem,withsomeconsternation,thattheyhadhithertoforgottentoleaveanymessagefortheladiesatrosings.

"but,"headded,"youwillofcoursewishtohaveyourhumblerespectsdeliveredtothem,withyourgratefulthanksfortheirkindnesstoyouwhileyouhavebeenhere."

elizabethmadenoobjection;—thedoorwasthenallowedtobeshut,andthecarriagedroveoff.

"goodgracious!"criedmaria,afterafewminutessilence,"itseemsbutadayortwosincewefirstcame!—andyethowmanythingshavehappened!"

"agreatmanyindeed,"saidhercompanionwithasigh.

"wehavedinedninetimesatrosings,besidesdrinkingteatheretwice!—howmuchishallhavetotell!"

elizabethprivatelyadded,"andhowmuchishallhavetoconceal."

theirjourneywasperformedwithoutmuchconversation,oranyalarm;andwithinfourhoursoftheirleavinghunsford,theyreachedmr.gardiner'shouse,wheretheyweretoremainafewdays.

janelookedwell,andelizabethhadlittleopportunityofstudyingherspirits,amidstthevariousengagementswhichthekindnessofheraunthadreservedforthem.butjanewastogohomewithher,andatlongbourntherewouldbeleisureenoughforobservation.

itwasnotwithoutaneffort,meanwhile,thatshecouldwaitevenforlongbourn,beforeshetoldhersisterofmr.darcy'sproposals.toknowthatshehadthepowerofrevealingwhatwouldsoexceedinglyastonishjane,andmust,atthesametime,sohighlygratifywhateverofherownvanityshehadnotyetbeenabletoreasonaway,wassuchatemptationtoopennessasnothingcouldhaveconqueredbutthestateofindecisioninwhichsheremainedastotheextentofwhatsheshouldcommunicate;andherfear,ifsheonceenteredonthesubject,ofbeinghurriedintorepeatingsomethingofbingleywhichmightonlygrievehersisterfarther.