assoonastheyweregone,elizabethwalkedouttorecoverherspirits;orinotherwords,todwellwithoutinterruptiononthosesubjectsthatmustdeadenthemmore.mr.darcy'sbehaviourastonishedandvexedher.

"why,ifhecameonlytobesilent,grave,andindifferent,"saidshe,"didhecomeatall?"

shecouldsettleitinnowaythatgaveherpleasure.

"hecouldbestillamiable,stillpleasing,tomyuncleandaunt,whenhewasintown;andwhynottome?ifhefearsme,whycomehither?ifhenolongercaresforme,whysilent?teazing,teazing,man!iwillthinknomoreabouthim."

herresolutionwasforashorttimeinvoluntarilykeptbytheapproachofhersister,whojoinedherwithacheerfullook,whichshewedherbettersatisfiedwiththeirvisitors,thanelizabeth.

"now,"saidshe,"thatthisfirstmeetingisover,ifeelperfectlyeasy.iknowmyownstrength,andishallneverbeembarrassedagainbyhiscoming.iamgladhedineshereontuesday.itwillthenbepubliclyseenthat,onbothsides,wemeetonlyascommonandindifferentacquaintance."

"yes,veryindifferentindeed,"saidelizabeth,laughingly."oh,jane,takecare."

"mydearlizzy,youcannotthinkmesoweak,astobeindangernow?"

"ithinkyouareinverygreatdangerofmakinghimasmuchinlovewithyouasever."

theydidnotseethegentlemenagaintilltuesday;andmrs.bennet,inthemeanwhile,wasgivingwaytoallthehappyschemes,whichthegoodhumourandcommonpolitenessofbingley,inhalfanhour'svisit,hadrevived.

ontuesdaytherewasalargepartyassembledatlongbourn;andthetwowhoweremostanxiouslyexpected,tothecreditoftheirpunctualityassportsmen,wereinverygoodtime.whentheyrepairedtothedining-room,elizabetheagerlywatchedtoseewhetherbingleywouldtaketheplace,which,inalltheirformerparties,hadbelongedtohim,byhersister.herprudentmother,occupiedbythesameideas,forboretoinvitehimtositbyherself.onenteringtheroom,heseemedtohesitate;butjanehappenedtolookround,andhappenedtosmile:itwasdecided.heplacedhimselfbyher.

elizabeth,withatriumphantsensation,lookedtowardshisfriend.heboreitwithnobleindifference,andshewouldhaveimaginedthatbingleyhadreceivedhissanctiontobehappy,hadshenotseenhiseyeslikewiseturnedtowardsmr.darcy,withanexpressionofhalf-laughingalarm.

hisbehaviourtohersisterwassuch,duringdinnertime,asshewedanadmirationofher,which,thoughmoreguardedthanformerly,persuadedelizabeth,thatifleftwhollytohimself,jane'shappiness,andhisown,wouldbespeedilysecured.thoughshedarednotdependupontheconsequence,sheyetreceivedpleasurefromobservinghisbehaviour.itgaveheralltheanimationthatherspiritscouldboast;forshewasinnocheerfulhumour.mr.darcywasalmostasfarfromherasthetablecouldpidethem.hewasononesideofhermother.sheknewhowlittlesuchasituationwouldgivepleasuretoeither,ormakeeitherappeartoadvantage.shewasnotnearenoughtohearanyoftheirdiscourse,butshecouldseehowseldomtheyspoketoeachother,andhowformalandcoldwastheirmannerwhenevertheydid.hermother'sungraciousness,madethesenseofwhattheyowedhimmorepainfultoelizabeth'smind;andshewould,attimes,havegivenanythingtobeprivilegedtotellhimthathiskindnesswasneitherunknownnorunfeltbythewholeofthefamily.

shewasinhopesthattheeveningwouldaffordsomeopportunityofbringingthemtogether;thatthewholeofthevisitwouldnotpassawaywithoutenablingthemtoenterintosomethingmoreofconversationthanthemereceremonioussalutationattendinghisentrance.anxiousanduneasy,theperiodwhichpassedinthedrawing-room,beforethegentlemencame,waswearisomeanddulltoadegreethatalmostmadeheruncivil.shelookedforwardtotheirentranceasthepointonwhichallherchanceofpleasurefortheeveningmustdepend.

"ifhedoesnotcometome,then,"saidshe,"ishallgivehimupforever."

thegentlemencame;andshethoughthelookedasifhewouldhaveansweredherhopes;but,alas!theladieshadcrowdedroundthetable,wheremissbennetwasmakingtea,andelizabethpouringoutthecoffee,insocloseaconfederacythattherewasnotasinglevacancynearherwhichwouldadmitofachair.andonthegentlemen'sapproaching,oneofthegirlsmovedclosertoherthanever,andsaid,inawhisper,

"themenshan'tcomeandpartus,iamdetermined.wewantnoneofthem;dowe?"

darcyhadwalkedawaytoanotherpartoftheroom.shefollowedhimwithhereyes,enviedeveryonetowhomhespoke,hadscarcelypatienceenoughtohelpanybodytocoffee;andthenwasenragedagainstherselfforbeingsosilly!

"amanwhohasoncebeenrefused!howcouldieverbefoolishenoughtoexpectarenewalofhislove?isthereoneamongthesex,whowouldnotprotestagainstsuchaweaknessasasecondproposaltothesamewoman?thereisnoindignitysoabhorrenttotheirfeelings!"