afewdaysafterthisvisit,mr.bingleycalledagain,andalone.hisfriendhadlefthimthatmorningforlondon,butwastoreturnhomeintendaystime.hesatwiththemaboveanhour,andwasinremarkablygoodspirits.mrs.bennetinvitedhimtodinewiththem;but,withmanyexpressionsofconcern,heconfessedhimselfengagedelsewhere.

"nexttimeyoucall,"saidshe,"ihopeweshallbemorelucky."

heshouldbeparticularlyhappyatanytime,&c.&c.;andifshewouldgivehimleave,wouldtakeanearlyopportunityofwaitingonthem.

"canyoucometomorrow?"

yes,hehadnoengagementatallfortomorrow;andherinvitationwasacceptedwithalacrity.

hecame,andinsuchverygoodtimethattheladieswerenoneofthemdressed.inranmrs.bennettoherdaughter'sroom,inherdressinggown,andwithherhairhalffinished,cryingout,"mydearjane,makehasteandhurrydown.heiscome—mr.bingleyiscome.—heis,indeed.makehaste,makehaste.here,sarah,cometomissbennetthismoment,andhelpheronwithhergown.nevermindmisslizzy'shair."

"wewillbedownassoonaswecan,"saidjane;"butidaresaykittyisforwarderthaneitherofus,forshewentupstairshalfanhourago."

"oh!hangkitty!whathasshetodowithit?comebequick,bequick!whereisyoursash,mydear?"

butwhenhermotherwasgone,janewouldnotbeprevailedontogodownwithoutoneofhersisters.

thesameanxietytogetthembythemselveswasvisibleagainintheevening.aftertea,mr.bennetretiredtothelibrary,aswashiscustom,andmarywentupstairstoherinstrument.twoobstaclesofthefivebeingthusremoved,mrs.bennetsatlookingandwinkingatelizabethandcatherineforaconsiderabletime,withoutmakinganyimpressiononthem.elizabethwouldnotobserveher;andwhenatlastkittydid,sheveryinnocentlysaid,"whatisthemattermamma?whatdoyoukeepwinkingatmefor?whatamitodo?"

"nothingchild,nothing.ididnotwinkatyou."shethensatstillfiveminuteslonger;butunabletowastesuchapreciousoccasion,shesuddenlygotup,andsayingtokitty,"comehere,mylove,iwanttospeaktoyou,"tookheroutoftheroom.janeinstantlygavealookatelizabethwhichspokeherdistressatsuchpremeditation,andherintreatythatshewouldnotgiveintoit.inafewminutes,mrs.bennethalf-openedthedoorandcalledout,

"lizzy,mydear,iwanttospeakwithyou."

elizabethwasforcedtogo.

"wemayaswellleavethembythemselvesyouknow;"saidhermother,assoonasshewasinthehall."kittyandiaregoingupstairstositinmydressingroom."

elizabethmadenoattempttoreasonwithhermother,butremainedquietlyinthehall,tillsheandkittywereoutofsight,thenreturnedintothedrawingroom.

mrs.bennet'sschemesforthisdaywereineffectual.bingleywaseverythingthatwascharming,excepttheprofessedloverofherdaughter.hiseaseandcheerfulnessrenderedhimamostagreeableadditiontotheireveningparty;andheborewiththeill-judgedofficiousnessofthemother,andheardallhersillyremarkswithaforbearanceandcommandofcountenanceparticularlygratefultothedaughter.

hescarcelyneededaninvitationtostaysupper;andbeforehewentaway,anengagementwasformed,chieflythroughhisownandmrs.bennet'smeans,forhiscomingnextmorningtoshootwithherhusband.

afterthisday,janesaidnomoreofherindifference.notawordpassedbetweenthesistersconcerningbingley;butelizabethwenttobedinthehappybeliefthatallmustspeedilybeconcluded,unlessmr.darcyreturnedwithinthestatedtime.seriously,however,shefelttolerablypersuadedthatallthismusthavetakenplacewiththatgentleman'sconcurrence.

bingleywaspunctualtohisappointment;andheandmr.bennetspentthemorningtogether,ashadbeenagreedon.thelatterwasmuchmoreagreeablethanhiscompanionexpected.therewasnothingofpresumptionorfollyinbingleythatcouldprovokehisridicule,ordisgusthimintosilence;andhewasmorecommunicative,andlesseccentric,thantheotherhadeverseenhim.bingleyofcoursereturnedwithhimtodinner;andintheeveningmrs.bennet'sinventionwasagainatworktogeteverybodyawayfromhimandherdaughter.elizabeth,whohadalettertowrite,wentintothebreakfastroomforthatpurposesoonaftertea;forastheotherswereallgoingtositdowntocards,shecouldnotbewantedtocounteracthermother'sschemes.

butonreturningtothedrawingroom,whenherletterwasfinished,shesaw,toherinfinitesurprise,therewasreasontofearthathermotherhadbeentooingeniousforher.onopeningthedoor,sheperceivedhersisterandbingleystandingtogetheroverthehearth,asifengagedinearnestconversation;andhadthisledtonosuspicion,thefacesofboth,astheyhastilyturnedroundandmovedawayfromeachother,wouldhavetolditall.theirsituationwasawkwardenough;buther'sshethoughtwasstillworse.notasyllablewasutteredbyeither;andelizabethwasonthepointofgoingawayagain,whenbingley,whoaswellastheotherhadsatdown,suddenlyrose,andwhisperingafewwordstohersister,ranoutoftheroom.

janecouldhavenoreservesfromelizabeth,whereconfidencewouldgivepleasure;andinstantlyembracingher,acknowledged,withtheliveliestemotion,thatshewasthehappiestcreatureintheworld.

"'tistoomuch!"sheadded,"byfartoomuch.idonotdeserveit.oh!whyisnoteverybodyashappy?"

elizabeth'scongratulationsweregivenwithasincerity,awarmth,adelight,whichwordscouldbutpoorlyexpress.everysentenceofkindnesswasafreshsourceofhappinesstojane.butshewouldnotallowherselftostaywithhersister,orsayhalfthatremainedtobesaidforthepresent.

"imustgoinstantlytomymother;"shecried."iwouldnotonanyaccounttriflewithheraffectionatesolicitude;orallowhertohearitfromanyonebutmyself.heisgonetomyfatheralready.oh!lizzy,toknowthatwhatihavetorelatewillgivesuchpleasuretoallmydearfamily!howshallibearsomuchhappiness!"

shethenhastenedawaytohermother,whohadpurposelybrokenupthecardparty,andwassittingupstairswithkitty.

elizabeth,whowasleftbyherself,nowsmiledattherapidityandeasewithwhichanaffairwasfinallysettled,thathadgiventhemsomanypreviousmonthsofsuspenseandvexation.

"andthis,"saidshe,"istheendofallhisfriend'sanxiouscircumspection!ofallhissister'sfalsehoodandcontrivance!thehappiest,wisest,mostreasonableend!"