"indeedicouldnot.iwasuncomfortableenough.iwasveryuncomfortable,imaysayunhappy.andwithnoonetospeaktoofwhatifelt,nojanetocomfortmeandsaythatihadnotbeensoveryweakandvainandnonsensicalasiknewihad!oh!howiwantedyou!"

"howunfortunatethatyoushouldhaveusedsuchverystrongexpressionsinspeakingofwickhamtomr.darcy,fornowtheydoappearwhollyundeserved."

"certainly.butthemisfortuneofspeakingwithbitternessisamostnaturalconsequenceoftheprejudicesihadbeenencouraging.thereisonepointonwhichiwantyouradvice.iwanttobetoldwhetheriought,oroughtnot,tomakeouracquaintanceingeneralunderstandwickham'scharacter."

missbennetpausedalittleandthenreplied,"surelytherecanbenooccasionforexposinghimsodreadfully.whatisyourownopinion?"

"thatitoughtnottobeattempted.mr.darcyhasnotauthorisedmetomakehiscommunicationpublic.onthecontrary,everyparticularrelativetohissisterwasmeanttobekeptasmuchaspossibletomyself;andifiendeavourtoundeceivepeopleastotherestofhisconduct,whowillbelieveme?thegeneralprejudiceagainstmr.darcyissoviolent,thatitwouldbethedeathofhalfthegoodpeopleinmerytontoattempttoplacehiminanamiablelight.iamnotequaltoit.wickhamwillsoonbegone;andthereforeitwillnotsignifytoanybodyhere,whathereallyis.sometimehenceitwillbeallfoundout,andthenwemaylaughattheirstupidityinnotknowingitbefore.atpresentiwillsaynothingaboutit."

"youarequiteright.tohavehiserrorsmadepublicmightruinhimforever.heisnowperhapssorryforwhathehasdone,andanxioustore—establishacharacter.wemustnotmakehimdesperate."

thetumultofelizabeth'smindwasallayedbythisconversation.shehadgotridoftwoofthesecretswhichhadweighedonherforafortnight,andwascertainofawillinglistenerinjane,whenevershemightwishtotalkagainofeither.buttherewasstillsomethinglurkingbehind,ofwhichprudenceforbadthedisclosure.shedarednotrelatetheotherhalfofmr.darcy'sletter,norexplaintohersisterhowsincerelyshehadbeenvaluedbyhisfriend.herewasknowledgeinwhichnoonecouldpartake;andshewassensiblethatnothinglessthanaperfectunderstandingbetweenthepartiescouldjustifyherinthrowingoffthislastincumbranceofmystery."andthen,"saidshe,"ifthatveryimprobableeventshouldevertakeplace,ishallmerelybeabletotellwhatbingleymaytellinamuchmoreagreeablemannerhimself.thelibertyofcommunicationcannotbeminetillithaslostallitsvalue!"

shewasnow,onbeingsettledathome,atleisuretoobservetherealstateofhersister'sspirits.janewasnothappy.shestillcherishedaverytenderaffectionforbingley.havingneverevenfanciedherselfinlovebefore,herregardhadallthewarmthoffirstattachment,and,fromherageanddisposition,greatersteadinessthanfirstattachmentsoftenboast;andsoferventlydidshevaluehisremembrance,andpreferhimtoeveryotherman,thatallhergoodsense,andallherattentiontothefeelingsofherfriends,wererequisitetochecktheindulgenceofthoseregretswhichmusthavebeeninjurioustoherownhealthandtheirtranquillity.

"well,lizzy,"saidmrs.bennetoneday,"whatisyouropinionnowofthissadbusinessofjane's?formypart,iamdeterminednevertospeakofitagaintoanybody.itoldmysisterphilipssotheotherday.buticannotfindoutthatjanesawanythingofhiminlondon.well,heisaveryundeservingyoungman—andidonotsupposethereistheleastchanceintheworldofherevergettinghimnow.thereisnotalkofhiscomingtonetherfieldagaininthesummer;andihaveenquiredofeverybody,too,whoislikelytoknow."

"idonotbelievethathewilleverliveatnetherfieldanymore."

"oh,well!itisjustashechooses.nobodywantshimtocome.thoughishallalwayssaythatheusedmydaughterextremelyill;andifiwasher,iwouldnothaveputupwithit.well,mycomfortis,iamsurejanewilldieofabrokenheart,andthenhewillbesorryforwhathehasdone."

butaselizabethcouldnotreceivecomfortfromanysuchexpectation,shemadenoanswer.

"well,lizzy,"continuedhermothersoonafterwards,"andsothecollinsesliveverycomfortable,dothey?well,well,ionlyhopeitwilllast.andwhatsortoftabledotheykeep?charlotteisanexcellentmanager,idaresay.ifsheishalfassharpashermother,sheissavingenough.thereisnothingextravagantintheirhousekeeping,idaresay."

"no,nothingatall."

"agreatdealofgoodmanagement,dependuponit.yes,yes.theywilltakecarenottooutruntheirincome.theywillneverbedistressedformoney.well,muchgoodmayitdothem!andso,isuppose,theyoftentalkofhavinglongbournwhenyourfatherisdead.theylookuponitquiteastheirown,idaresay,wheneverthathappens."

"itwasasubjectwhichtheycouldnotmentionbeforeme."

"no.itwouldhavebeenstrangeiftheyhad.butimakenodoubt,theyoftentalkofitbetweenthemselves.well,iftheycanbeeasywithanestatethatisnotlawfullytheirown,somuchthebetter.ishouldbeashamedofhavingonethatwasonlyentailedonme."