whentheyweregone,elizabeth,asifintendingtoexasperateherselfasmuchaspossibleagainstmr.darcy,choseforheremploymenttheexaminationofalltheletterswhichjanehadwrittentohersinceherbeinginkent.theycontainednoactualcomplaint,norwasthereanyrevivalofpastoccurrences,oranycommunicationofpresentsuffering.butinall,andinalmosteverylineofeach,therewasawantofthatcheerfulnesswhichhadbeenusedtocharacterizeherstyle,andwhich,proceedingfromtheserenityofamindateasewithitself,andkindlydisposedtowardseveryone,hadbeenscarcelyeverclouded.elizabethnoticedeverysentenceconveyingtheideaofuneasinesswithanattentionwhichithadhardlyreceivedonthefirstperusal.mr.darcy'sshamefulboastofwhatmiseryhehadbeenabletoinflictgaveherakeenersenseofhersister'ssufferings.itwassomeconsolationtothinkthathisvisittorosingswastoendonthedayafterthenext,andastillgreaterthatinlessthanafortnightsheshouldherselfbewithjaneagain,andenabledtocontributetotherecoveryofherspiritsbyallthataffectioncoulddo.

shecouldnotthinkofdarcy'sleavingkentwithoutrememberingthathiscousinwastogowithhim;butcolonelfitzwilliamhadmadeitclearthathehadnointentionsatall,andagreeableashewas,shedidnotmeantobeunhappyabouthim.

whilesettlingthispoint,shewassuddenlyrousedbythesoundofthedoorbell,andherspiritswerealittleflutteredbytheideaofitsbeingcolonelfitzwilliamhimself,whohadoncebeforecalledlateintheevening,andmightnowcometoenquireparticularlyafterher.butthisideawassoonbanished,andherspiritswereverydifferentlyaffected,when,toherutteramazement,shesawmr.darcywalkintotheroom.inanhurriedmannerheimmediatelybegananenquiryafterherhealth,imputinghisvisittoawishofhearingthatshewerebetter.sheansweredhimwithcoldcivility.hesatdownforafewmoments,andthengettingup,walkedabouttheroom.elizabethwassurprised,butsaidnotaword.afterasilenceofseveralminutes,hecametowardsherinanagitatedmanner,andthusbegan,"invainhaveistruggled.itwillnotdo.myfeelingswillnotberepressed.youmustallowmetotellyouhowardentlyiadmireandloveyou."

elizabeth'sastonishmentwasbeyondexpression.shestared,coloured,doubted,andwassilent.thisheconsideredsufficientencouragement,andtheavowalofallthathefeltandhadlongfeltforherimmediatelyfollowed.hespokewell,buttherewerefeelingsbesidesthoseofthehearttobedetailed,andhewasnotmoreeloquentonthesubjectoftendernessthanofpride.hissenseofherinferiority—ofitsbeingadegradation—ofthefamilyobstacleswhichjudgmenthadalwaysopposedtoinclination,weredweltonwithawarmthwhichseemedduetotheconsequencehewaswounding,butwasveryunlikelytorecommendhissuit.

inspiteofherdeeply-rooteddislike,shecouldnotbeinsensibletothecomplimentofsuchaman'saffection,andthoughherintentionsdidnotvaryforaninstant,shewasatfirstsorryforthepainhewastoreceive;till,rousedtoresentmentbyhissubsequentlanguage,shelostallcompassioninanger.shetried,however,tocomposeherselftoanswerhimwithpatience,whenheshouldhavedone.heconcludedwithrepresentingtoherthestrengthofthatattachmentwhich,inspiteofallhisendeavours,hehadfoundimpossibletoconquer;andwithexpressinghishopethatitwouldnowberewardedbyheracceptanceofhishand.ashesaidthis,shecouldeasilyseethathehadnodoubtofafavourableanswer.hespokeofapprehensionandanxiety,buthiscountenanceexpressedrealsecurity.suchacircumstancecouldonlyexasperatefarther,andwhenheceased,thecolourroseintohercheeks,andshesaid,"insuchcasesasthis,itis,ibelieve,theestablishedmodetoexpressasenseofobligationforthesentimentsavowed,howeverunequallytheymaybereturned.itisnaturalthatobligationshouldbefelt,andificouldfeelgratitude,iwouldnowthankyou.buticannotihaveneverdesiredyourgoodopinion,andyouhavecertainlybestoweditmostunwillingly.iamsorrytohaveoccasionedpaintoanyone.ithasbeenmostunconsciouslydone,however,andihopewillbeofshortduration.thefeelingswhich,youtellme,havelongpreventedtheacknowledgmentofyourregard,canhavelittledifficultyinovercomingitafterthisexplanation."

mr.darcy,whowasleaningagainstthemantle—piecewithhiseyesfixedonherface,seemedtocatchherwordswithnolessresentmentthansurprise.hiscomplexionbecamepalewithanger,andthedisturbanceofhismindwasvisibleineveryfeature.hewasstrugglingfortheappearanceofcomposure,andwouldnotopenhislips,tillhebelievedhimselftohaveattainedit.thepausewastoelizabeth'sfeelingsdreadful.atlength,inavoiceofforcedcalmness,hesaid,"andthisisallthereplywhichiamtohavethehonourofexpecting!imight,perhaps,wishtobeinformedwhy,withsolittleendeavouratcivility,iamthusrejected.butitisofsmallimportance."

"imightaswellenquire,"repliedshe,"why,withsoevidentadesignofoffendingandinsultingme,youchosetotellmethatyoulikedmeagainstyourwill,againstyourreason,andevenagainstyourcharacter?wasnotthissomeexcuseforincivility,ifiwasuncivil?butihaveotherprovocations.youknowihave.hadnotmyownfeelingsdecidedagainstyou,hadtheybeenindifferent,orhadtheyevenbeenfavourable,doyouthinkthatanyconsiderationwouldtemptmetoaccepttheman,whohasbeenthemeansofruining,perhapsforever,thehappinessofamostbelovedsister?"

asshepronouncedthesewords,mr.darcychangedcolour;buttheemotionwasshort,andhelistenedwithoutattemptingtointerruptherwhileshecontinued.

"ihaveeveryreasonintheworldtothinkillofyou.nomotivecanexcusetheunjustandungenerouspartyouactedthere.youdarenot,youcannotdenythatyouhavebeentheprincipal,ifnottheonlymeansofpidingthemfromeachother,ofexposingonetothecensureoftheworldforcapriceandinstability,theothertoitsderisionfordisappointedhopes,andinvolvingthembothinmiseryoftheacutestkind."

shepaused,andsawwithnoslightindignationthathewaslisteningwithanairwhichprovedhimwhollyunmovedbyanyfeelingofremorse.heevenlookedatherwithasmileofaffectedincredulity.

"canyoudenythatyouhavedoneit?"sherepeated.

withassumedtranquillityhethenreplied,"ihavenowishofdenyingthatidideverythinginmypowertoseparatemyfriendfromyoursister,orthatirejoiceinmysuccess.towardshimihavebeenkinderthantowardsmyself."

elizabethdisdainedtheappearanceofnoticingthiscivilreflection,butitsmeaningdidnotescape,norwasitlikelytoconciliate,her.

"butitisnotmerelythisaffair,"shecontinued,"onwhichmydislikeisfounded.longbeforeithadtakenplace,myopinionofyouwasdecided.yourcharacterwasunfoldedintherecitalwhichireceivedmanymonthsagofrommr.wickham.onthissubject,whatcanyouhavetosay?inwhatimaginaryactoffriendshipcanyouheredefendyourself?orunderwhatmisrepresentation,canyouhereimposeuponothers?"

"youtakeaneagerinterestinthatgentleman'sconcerns,"saiddarcyinalesstranquiltone,andwithaheightenedcolour.

"whothatknowswhathismisfortuneshavebeen,canhelpfeelinganinterestinhim?"

"hismisfortunes!"repeateddarcycontemptuously;"yes,hismisfortuneshavebeengreatindeed."

"andofyourinfliction,"criedelizabethwithenergy."youhavereducedhimtohispresentstateofpoverty,comparativepoverty.youhavewithheldtheadvantages,whichyoumustknowtohavebeendesignedforhim.youhavedeprivedthebestyearsofhislife,ofthatindependencewhichwasnolesshisduethanhisdesert.youhavedoneallthis!andyetyoucantreatthementionofhismisfortuneswithcontemptandridicule."

"andthis,"crieddarcy,ashewalkedwithquickstepsacrosstheroom,"isyouropinionofme!thisistheestimationinwhichyouholdme!ithankyouforexplainingitsofully.myfaults,accordingtothiscalculation,areheavyindeed!butperhaps,"addedhe,stoppinginhiswalk,andturningtowardsher,"theseoffencesmighthavebeenoverlooked,hadnotyourpridebeenhurtbymyhonestconfessionofthescruplesthathadlongpreventedmyforminganyseriousdesign.thesebitteraccusationsmighthavebeensuppressed,hadiwithgreaterpolicyconcealedmystruggles,andflatteredyouintothebeliefofmybeingimpelledbyunqualified,unalloyedinclinationbyreason,byreflection,byeverything.butdisguiseofeverysortismyabhorrence.noramiashamedofthefeelingsirelated.theywerenaturalandjust.couldyouexpectmetorejoiceintheinferiorityofyourconnections?tocongratulatemyselfonthehopeofrelations,whoseconditioninlifeissodecidedlybeneathmyown?"

elizabethfeltherselfgrowingmoreangryeverymoment;yetshetriedtotheutmosttospeakwithcomposurewhenshesaid,"youaremistaken,mr.darcy,ifyousupposethatthemodeofyourdeclarationaffectedmeinanyotherway,thanasitsparedmetheconcernwhichimighthavefeltinrefusingyou,hadyoubehavedinamoregentleman-likemanner."

shesawhimstartatthis,buthesaidnothing,andshecontinued,"youcouldnothavemademetheofferofyourhandinanypossiblewaythatwouldhavetemptedmetoacceptit."

againhisastonishmentwasobvious;andhelookedatherwithanexpressionofmingledincredulityandmortification.shewenton.

"fromtheverybeginning,fromthefirstmomentimayalmostsay,ofmyacquaintancewithyou,yourmanners,impressingmewiththefullestbeliefofyourarrogance,yourconceit,andyourselfishdisdainofthefeelingsofothers,weresuchastoformthatgroundworkofdisapprobation,onwhichsucceedingeventshavebuiltsoimmoveableadislike;andihadnotknownyouamonthbeforeifeltthatyouwerethelastmanintheworldwhomicouldeverbeprevailedontomarry."

"youhavesaidquiteenough,madam.iperfectlycomprehendyourfeelings,andhavenowonlytobeashamedofwhatmyownhavebeen.forgivemeforhavingtakenupsomuchofyourtime,andacceptmybestwishesforyourhealthandhappiness."

andwiththesewordshehastilylefttheroom,andelizabethheardhimthenextmomentopenthefrontdoorandquitthehouse.

thetumultofhermindwasnowpainfullygreat.sheknewnothowtosupportherself,andfromactualweaknesssatdownandcriedforhalfanhour.herastonishment,asshereflectedonwhathadpassed,wasincreasedbyeveryreviewofit.thatsheshouldreceiveanofferofmarriagefrommr.darcy!thatheshouldhavebeeninlovewithherforsomanymonths!somuchinloveastowishtomarryherinspiteofalltheobjectionswhichhadmadehimpreventhisfriend'smarryinghersister,andwhichmustappearatleastwithequalforceinhisowncase,wasalmostincredible!itwasgratifyingtohaveinspiredunconsciouslysostronganaffection.buthispride,hisabominablepride,hisshamelessavowalofwhathehaddonewithrespecttojane,hisunpardonableassuranceinacknowledging,thoughhecouldnotjustifyit,andtheunfeelingmannerinwhichhehadmentionedmr.wickham,hiscrueltytowardswhomhehadnotattemptedtodeny,soonovercamethepitywhichtheconsiderationofhisattachmenthadforamomentexcited.

shecontinuedinveryagitatingreflectionstillthesoundofladycatherine'scarriagemadeherfeelhowunequalshewastoencountercharlotte'sobservation,andhurriedherawaytoherroom.