hadlydiaandhermotherknownthesubstanceofherconferencewithherfather,theirindignationwouldhardlyhavefoundexpressionintheirunitedvolubility.inlydia'simagination,avisittobrightoncomprisedeverypossibilityofearthlyhappiness.shesaw,withthecreativeeyeoffancy,thestreetsofthatgaybathingplacecoveredwithofficers.shesawherselftheobjectofattentiontotensandtoscoresofthematpresentunknown.shesawallthegloriesofthecamp;itstentsstretchedforthinbeauteousuniformityoflines,crowdedwiththeyoungandthegay,anddazzlingwithscarlet;andtocompletetheview,shesawherselfseatedbeneathatent,tenderlyflirtingwithatleastsixofficersatonce.

hadsheknownthathersistersoughttotearherfromsuchprospectsandsuchrealitiesasthese,whatwouldhavebeenhersensations?theycouldhavebeenunderstoodonlybyhermother,whomighthavefeltnearlythesame.lydia'sgoingtobrightonwasallthatconsoledherforthemelancholyconvictionofherhusband'sneverintendingtogotherehimself.

buttheywereentirelyignorantofwhathadpassed;andtheirrapturescontinued,withlittleintermission,totheverydayoflydia'sleavinghome.

elizabethwasnowtoseemr.wickhamforthelasttime.havingbeenfrequentlyincompanywithhimsinceherreturn,agitationwasprettywellover;theagitationsofformerpartialityentirelyso.shehadevenlearnttodetect,intheverygentlenesswhichhadfirstdelightedher,anaffectationandasamenesstodisgustandweary.inhispresentbehaviourtoherself,moreover,shehadafreshsourceofdispleasure,fortheinclinationhesoontestifiedofrenewingthoseattentionswhichhadmarkedtheearlypartoftheiracquaintancecouldonlyserve,afterwhathadsincepassed,toprovokeher.shelostallconcernforhiminfindingherselfthusselectedastheobjectofsuchidleandfrivolousgallantry;andwhileshesteadilyrepressedit,couldnotbutfeelthereproofcontainedinhisbelievingthat,howeverlong,andforwhatevercause,hisattentionshadbeenwithdrawn,hervanitywouldbegratifiedandherpreferencesecuredatanytimebytheirrenewal.

ontheverylastdayoftheregiment'sremaininginmeryton,hedinedwithothersoftheofficersatlongbourn;andsolittlewaselizabethdisposedtopartfromhimingoodhumour,thatonhismakingsomeenquiryastothemannerinwhichhertimehadpassedathunsford,shementionedcolonelfitzwilliam'sandmr.darcy'shavingbothspentthreeweeksatrosings,andaskedhimifhewereacquaintedwiththeformer.

helookedsurprised,displeased,alarmed;butwithamoment'srecollectionandareturningsmile,repliedthathehadformerlyseenhimoften;andafterobservingthathewasaverygentlemanlikeman,askedherhowshehadlikedhim.heranswerwaswarmlyinhisfavour.withanairofindifferencehesoonafterwardsadded,"howlongdidyousaythathewasatrosings?"

"nearlythreeweeks."

"andyousawhimfrequently?"

"yes,almosteveryday."

"hismannersareverydifferentfromhiscousin's."

"yes,verydifferent.butithinkmr.darcyimprovesonacquaintance."

"indeed!"criedwickhamwithalookwhichdidnotescapeher."andpraymayiask—?"butcheckinghimself,headdedinagayertone,"isitinaddressthatheimproves?hashedeignedtoaddoughtofcivilitytohisordinarystyle?foridarenothope,"hecontinuedinalowerandmoreserioustone,"thatheisimprovedinessentials."

"oh,no!"saidelizabeth."inessentials,ibelieve,heisverymuchwhatheeverwas."

whileshespoke,wickhamlookedasifscarcelyknowingwhethertorejoiceoverherwords,ortodistrusttheirmeaning.therewasasomethinginhercountenancewhichmadehimlistenwithanapprehensiveandanxiousattention,whilesheadded,"whenisaidthatheimprovedonacquaintance,ididnotmeanthateitherhismindormannerswereinastateofimprovement,butthatfromknowinghimbetter,hisdispositionwasbetterunderstood."

wickham'salarmnowappearedinaheightenedcomplexionandagitatedlook;forafewminuteshewassilent;till,shakingoffhisembarrassment,heturnedtoheragain,andsaidinthegentlestofaccents,

"you,whosowellknowmyfeelingstowardsmr.darcy,willreadilycomprehendhowsincerelyimustrejoicethatheiswiseenoughtoassumeeventheappearanceofwhatisright.hispride,inthatdirection,maybeofservice,ifnottohimself,tomanyothers,foritmustdeterhimfromsuchfoulmisconductasihavesufferedby.ionlyfearthatthesortofcautiousness,towhichyou,iimagine,havebeenalluding,ismerelyadoptedonhisvisitstohisaunt,ofwhosegoodopinionandjudgmenthestandsmuchinawe.hisfearofherhasalwaysoperated,iknow,whentheyweretogether;andagooddealistobeimputedtohiswishofforwardingthematchwithmissdebourgh,whichiamcertainhehasverymuchatheart."

elizabethcouldnotrepressasmileatthis,butsheansweredonlybyaslightinclinationofthehead.shesawthathewantedtoengageherontheoldsubjectofhisgrievances,andshewasinnohumourtoindulgehim.therestoftheeveningpassedwiththeappearance,onhisside,ofusualcheerfulness,butwithnofartherattempttodistinguishelizabeth;andtheypartedatlastwithmutualcivility,andpossiblyamutualdesireofnevermeetingagain.

whenthepartybrokeup,lydiareturnedwithmrs.forstertomeryton,fromwhencetheyweretosetoutearlythenextmorning.theseparationbetweenherandherfamilywasrathernoisythanpathetic.kittywastheonlyonewhoshedtears;butshedidweepfromvexationandenvy.mrs.bennetwasdiffuseinhergoodwishesforthefelicityofherdaughter,andimpressiveinherinjunctionsthatshewouldnotmisstheopportunityofenjoyingherselfasmuchaspossible;advice,whichtherewaseveryreasontobelievewouldbeattendedto;andintheclamoroushappinessoflydiaherselfinbiddingfarewell,themoregentleadieusofhersisterswereutteredwithoutbeingheard.