elizabethhonouredhimforsuchfeelings,andthoughthimhandsomerthaneverasheexpressedthem.

"butwhat,"saidsheafterapause,"canhavebeenhismotive?—whatcanhaveinducedhimtobehavesocruelly?"

"athorough,determineddislikeofme—adislikewhichicannotbutattributeinsomemeasuretojealousy.hadthelatemr.darcylikedmeless,hissonmighthavebornewithmebetter;buthisfather'suncommonattachmenttome,irritatedhimibelieveveryearlyinlife.hehadnotatempertobearthesortofcompetitioninwhichwestood—thesortofpreferencewhichwasoftengivenme."

"ihadnotthoughtmr.darcysobadasthis—thoughihaveneverlikedhim,ihadnotthoughtsoveryillofhim—ihadsupposedhimtobedespisinghisfellowcreaturesingeneral,butdidnotsuspecthimofdescendingtosuchmaliciousrevenge,suchinjustice,suchinhumanityasthis!"

afterafewminutesreflection,however,shecontinued,"idorememberhisboastingoneday,atnetherfield,oftheimplacabilityofhisresentments,ofhishavinganunforgivingtemper.hisdispositionmustbedreadful."

"iwillnottrustmyselfonthesubject,"repliedwickham,"icanhardlybejusttohim."

elizabethwasagaindeepinthought,andafteratimeexclaimed,"totreatinsuchamanner,thegodson,thefriend,thefavouriteofhisfather!"—shecouldhaveadded,"ayoungmantoo,likeyou,whoseverycountenancemayvouchforyourbeingamiable"—butshecontentedherselfwith"andone,too,whohadprobablybeenhisowncompanionfromchildhood,connectedtogether,asithinkyousaid,intheclosestmanner!"

"wewereborninthesameparish,withinthesamepark,thegreatestpartofouryouthwaspassedtogether;inmatesofthesamehouse,sharingthesameamusements,objectsofthesameparentalcare.myfatherbeganlifeintheprofessionwhichyouruncle,mr.philips,appearstodosomuchcreditto—buthegaveupeverythingtobeofusetothelatemr.darcy,anddevotedallhistimetothecareofthepemberleyproperty.hewasmosthighlyesteemedbymr.darcy,amostintimate,confidentialfriend.mr.darcyoftenacknowledged.himselftobeunderthegreatestobligationstomyfather'sactivesuperintendance,andwhenimmediatelybeforemyfather'sdeath,mr.darcygavehimavoluntarypromiseofprovidingforme,iamconvincedthathefeltittobeasmuchadebtofgratitudetohim,asofaffectiontomyself."

"howstrange!"criedelizabeth."howabominable!—iwonderthattheveryprideofthismr.darcyhasnotmadehimjusttoyou!—iffromnobettermotive,thatheshouldnothavebeentooproudtobedishonest,—fordishonestyimustcallit."

"itiswonderful,"—repliedwickham,—"foralmostallhisactionsmaybetracedtopride;—andpridehasoftenbeenhisbestfriend.ithasconnectedhimnearerwithvirtuethananyotherfeeling.butwearenoneofusconsistent;andinhisbehaviourtome,therewerestrongerimpulseseventhanpride."

"cansuchabominableprideashis,haveeverdonehimgood?"

"yes.ithasoftenledhimtobeliberalandgenerous,—togivehismoneyfreely,todisplayhospitality,toassisthistenants,andrelievethepoor.familypride,andfilialpride,forheisveryproudofwhathisfatherwas,havedonethis.nottoappeartodisgracehisfamily,todegeneratefromthepopularqualities,orlosetheinfluenceofthepemberleyhouse,isapowerfulmotive.hehasalsobrotherlypride,whichwithsomebrotherlyaffection,makeshimaverykindandcarefulguardianofhissister;andyouwillhearhimgenerallycriedupasthemostattentiveandbestofbrothers."

"whatsortofagirlismissdarcy?"

heshookhishead.—"iwishicouldcallheramiable.itgivesmepaintospeakillofadarcy.butsheistoomuchlikeherbrother,—very,veryproud.—asachild,shewasaffectionateandpleasing,andextremelyfondofme;andihavedevotedhoursandhourstoheramusement.butsheisnothingtomenow.sheisahandsomegirl,aboutfifteenorsixteen,and,iunderstand,highlyaccomplished.sinceherfather'sdeath,herhomehasbeenlondon,wherealadyliveswithher,andsuperintendshereducation."

aftermanypausesandmanytrialsofothersubjects,elizabethcouldnothelprevertingoncemoretothefirst,andsaying,"iamastonishedathisintimacywithmr.bingley!howcanmr.bingley,whoseemsgoodhumouritself,andis,ireallybelieve,trulyamiable,beinfriendshipwithsuchaman?howcantheysuiteachother?—doyouknowmr.bingley?"

"notatall."

"heisasweettempered,amiable,charmingman.hecannotknowwhatmr.darcyis."

"probablynot;—butmr.darcycanpleasewherehechuses.hedoesnotwantabilities.hecanbeaconversiblecompanionifhethinksitworthhiswhile.amongthosewhoareatallhisequalsinconsequence,heisaverydifferentmanfromwhatheistothelessprosperous.hisprideneverdesertshim;butwiththerich,heisliberalminded,just,sincere,rational,honourable,andperhapsagreeable,-allowingsomethingforfortuneandfigure."

thewhistpartysoonafterwardsbreakingup,theplayersgatheredroundtheothertable,andmr.collinstookhisstationbetweenhiscousinelizabethandmrs.philips.—theusualinquiriesastohissuccessweremadebythelatter.ithadnotbeenverygreat;hehadlosteverypoint;butwhenmrs.philipsbegantoexpressherconcernthereupon,heassuredherwithmuchearnestgravitythatitwasnotoftheleastimportance,thatheconsideredthemoneyasameretrifle,andbeggedshewouldnotmakeherselfuneasy.

"iknowverywell,madam,"saidhe,"thatwhenpersonssitdowntoacardtable,theymusttaketheirchanceofthesethings,—andhappilyiamnotinsuchcircumstancesastomakefiveshillingsanyobject.thereareundoubtedlymanywhocouldnotsaythesame,butthankstoladycatherinedebourgh,iamremovedfarbeyondthenecessityofregardinglittlematters."

mr.wickham'sattentionwascaught;andafterobservingmr.collinsforafewmoments,heaskedelizabethinalowvoicewhetherherrelationwereveryintimatelyacquaintedwiththefamilyofdebourgh.

"ladycatherinedebourgh,"shereplied,"hasverylatelygivenhimaliving.ihardlyknowhowmr.collinswasfirstintroducedtohernotice,buthecertainlyhasnotknownherlong."

"youknowofcoursethatladycatherinedebourghandladyannedarcyweresisters;consequentlythatsheisaunttothepresentmr.darcy."

"no,indeed,ididnot.—iknewnothingatallofladycatherine'sconnections.ineverheardofherexistencetillthedaybeforeyesterday."

"herdaughter,missdebourgh,willhaveaverylargefortune,anditisbelievedthatsheandhercousinwillunitethetwoestates."

thisinformationmadeelizabethsmile,asshethoughtofpoormissbingley.vainindeedmustbeallherattentions,vainanduselessheraffectionforhissisterandherpraiseofhimself,ifhewerealreadyself-destinedtoanother.

"mr.collins,"saidshe,"speakshighlybothofladycatherineandherdaughter;butfromsomeparticularsthathehasrelatedofherladyship,isuspecthisgratitudemisleadshim,andthatinspiteofherbeinghispatroness,sheisanarrogant,conceitedwoman."

"ibelievehertobebothinagreatdegree,"repliedwickham;"ihavenotseenherformanyyears,butiverywellrememberthatineverlikedher,andthathermannersweredictatorialandinsolent.shehasthereputationofbeingremarkablysensibleandclever;butiratherbelieveshederivespartofherabilitiesfromherrankandfortune,partfromherauthoritativemanner,andtherestfromtheprideofhernephew,whochusesthateveryoneconnectedwithhimshouldhaveanunderstandingofthefirstclass."

elizabethallowedthathehadgivenaveryrationalaccountofit,andtheycontinuedtalkingtogetherwithmutualsatisfactiontillsupperputanendtocards;andgavetherestoftheladiestheirshareofmr.wickham'sattentions.therecouldbenoconversationinthenoiseofmrs.philips'ssupperparty,buthismannersrecommendedhimtoeverybody.whateverhesaid,wassaidwell;andwhateverhedid,donegracefully.elizabethwentawaywithherheadfullofhim.shecouldthinkofnothingbutofmr.wickham,andofwhathehadtoldher,allthewayhome;buttherewasnottimeforhereventomentionhisnameastheywent,forneitherlydianormr.collinswereoncesilent.lydiatalkedincessantlyoflotterytickets,ofthefishshehadlostandthefishshehadwon,andmr.collins,indescribingthecivilityofmr.andmrs.philips,protestingthathedidnotintheleastregardhislossesatwhist,enumeratingallthedishesatsupper,andrepeatedlyfearingthathecrowdedhiscousins,hadmoretosaythanhecouldwellmanagebeforethecarriagestoppedatlongbournhouse.