"hadyouthenpersuadedyourselfthatishould?"

"indeedihad.whatwillyouthinkofmyvanity?ibelievedyoutobewishing,expectingmyaddresses."

"mymannersmusthavebeeninfault,butnotintentionally,iassureyou.inevermeanttodeceiveyou,butmyspiritsmightoftenleadmewrong.howyoumusthavehatedmeafterthatevening?"

"hateyou!iwasangryperhapsatfirst,butmyangersoonbegantotakeaproperdirection."

"iamalmostafraidofaskingwhatyouthoughtofme,whenwemetatpemberley.youblamedmeforcoming?"

"noindeed;ifeltnothingbutsurprise."

"yoursurprisecouldnotbegreaterthanmineinbeingnoticedbyyou.myconsciencetoldmethatideservednoextraordinarypoliteness,andiconfessthatididnotexpecttoreceivemorethanmydue."

"myobjectthen,"replieddarcy,"wastoshewyou,byeverycivilityinmypower,thatiwasnotsomeanastoresentthepast;andihopedtoobtainyourforgiveness,tolessenyourillopinion,bylettingyouseethatyourreproofshadbeenattendedto.howsoonanyotherwishesintroducedthemselvesicanhardlytell,butibelieveinabouthalfanhourafterihadseenyou."

hethentoldherofgeorgiana'sdelightinheracquaintance,andofherdisappointmentatitssuddeninterruption;whichnaturallyleadingtothecauseofthatinterruption,shesoonlearntthathisresolutionoffollowingherfromderbyshireinquestofhersisterhadbeenformedbeforehequittedtheinn,andthathisgravityandthoughtfulnesstherehadarisenfromnootherstrugglesthanwhatsuchapurposemustcomprehend.

sheexpressedhergratitudeagain,butitwastoopainfulasubjecttoeach,tobedweltonfarther.

afterwalkingseveralmilesinaleisurelymanner,andtoobusytoknowanythingaboutit,theyfoundatlast,onexaminingtheirwatches,thatitwastimetobeathome.

"whatcouldbecomeofmr.bingleyandjane!"wasawonderwhichintroducedthediscussionoftheiraffairs.darcywasdelightedwiththeirengagement;hisfriendhadgivenhimtheearliestinformationofit.

"imustaskwhetheryouweresurprised?"saidelizabeth.

"notatall.wheniwentaway,ifeltthatitwouldsoonhappen."

"thatistosay,youhadgivenyourpermission.iguessedasmuch."andthoughheexclaimedattheterm,shefoundthatithadbeenprettymuchthecase.

"ontheeveningbeforemygoingtolondon,"saidhe,"imadeaconfessiontohim,whichibelieveioughttohavemadelongago.itoldhimofallthathadoccurredtomakemyformerinterferenceinhisaffairsabsurdandimpertinent.hissurprisewasgreat.hehadneverhadtheslightestsuspicion.itoldhim,moreover,thatibelievedmyselfmistakeninsupposing,asihaddone,thatyoursisterwasindifferenttohim;andasicouldeasilyperceivethathisattachmenttoherwasunabated,ifeltnodoubtoftheirhappinesstogether."

elizabethcouldnothelpsmilingathiseasymannerofdirectinghisfriend.

"didyouspeakfromyourownobservation,"saidshe,"whenyoutoldhimthatmysisterlovedhim,ormerelyfrommyinformationlastspring?"

"fromtheformer.ihadnarrowlyobservedherduringthetwovisitswhichihadlatelymadehere;andiwasconvincedofheraffection."

"andyourassuranceofit,isuppose,carriedimmediateconvictiontohim."

"itdid.bingleyismostunaffectedlymodest.hisdiffidencehadpreventedhisdependingonhisownjudgmentinsoanxiousacase,buthisrelianceonminemadeeverythingeasy.iwasobligedtoconfessonething,whichforatime,andnotunjustly,offendedhim.icouldnotallowmyselftoconcealthatyoursisterhadbeenintownthreemonthslastwinter,thatihadknownit,andpurposelykeptitfromhim.hewasangry.buthisanger,iampersuaded,lastednolongerthanheremainedinanydoubtofyoursister'ssentiments.hehasheartilyforgivenmenow."

elizabethlongedtoobservethatmr.bingleyhadbeenamostdelightfulfriend;soeasilyguidedthathisworthwasinvaluable;butshecheckedherself.sherememberedthathehadyettolearntobelaughedat,anditwasrathertooearlytobegin.inanticipatingthehappinessofbingley,whichofcoursewastobeinferioronlytohisown,hecontinuedtheconversationtilltheyreachedthehouse.inthehalltheyparted.