mydearlizzy,wherecanyouhavebeenwalkingto?"wasaquestionwhichelizabethreceivedfromjaneassoonassheenteredtheirroom,andfromalltheotherswhentheysatdowntotable.shehadonlytosayinreply,thattheyhadwanderedabout,tillshewasbeyondherownknowledge.shecolouredasshespoke;butneitherthat,noranythingelse,awakenedasuspicionofthetruth.

theeveningpassedquietly,unmarkedbyanythingextraordinary.theacknowledgedloverstalkedandlaughed,theunacknowledgedweresilent.darcywasnotofadispositioninwhichhappinessoverflowsinmirth;andelizabeth,agitatedandconfused,ratherknewthatshewashappythanfeltherselftobeso;for,besidestheimmediateembarrassment,therewereotherevilsbeforeher.sheanticipatedwhatwouldbefeltinthefamilywhenhersituationbecameknown;shewasawarethatnoonelikedhimbutjane;andevenfearedthatwiththeothersitwasadislikewhichnotallhisfortuneandconsequencemightdoaway.

atnightsheopenedherhearttojane.thoughsuspicionwasveryfarfrommissbennet'sgeneralhabits,shewasabsolutelyincreduloushere.

"youarejoking,lizzy.thiscannotbe!—engagedtomr.darcy!no,no,youshallnotdeceiveme.iknowittobeimpossible."

"thisisawretchedbeginningindeed!mysoledependencewasonyou;andiamsurenobodyelsewillbelieveme,ifyoudonot.yet,indeed,iaminearnest.ispeaknothingbutthetruth.hestilllovesme,andweareengaged."

janelookedatherdoubtingly."oh,lizzy!itcannotbe.iknowhowmuchyoudislikehim."

"youknownothingofthematter.thatisalltobeforgot.perhapsididnotalwayslovehimsowellasidonow.butinsuchcasesasthese,agoodmemoryisunpardonable.thisisthelasttimeishalleverrememberitmyself."

missbennetstilllookedallamazement.elizabethagain,andmoreseriouslyassuredherofitstruth.

"goodheaven!canitbereallyso!yetnowimustbelieveyou,"criedjane."mydear,dearlizzy,iwould—idocongratulateyou—butareyoucertain?forgivethequestion—areyouquitecertainthatyoucanbehappywithhim?"

"therecanbenodoubtofthat.itissettledbetweenusalready,thatwearetobethehappiestcoupleintheworld.butareyoupleased,jane?shallyouliketohavesuchabrother?"

"very,verymuch.nothingcouldgiveeitherbingleyormyselfmoredelight.butweconsideredit,wetalkedofitasimpossible.anddoyoureallylovehimquitewellenough?oh,lizzy!doanythingratherthanmarrywithoutaffection.areyouquitesurethatyoufeelwhatyououghttodo?"

"oh,yes!youwillonlythinkifeelmorethanioughttodo,whenitellyouall."

"whatdoyoumean?"

"why,imustconfessthatilovehimbetterthanidobingley.iamafraidyouwillbeangry."

"mydearestsister,nowbeserious.iwanttotalkveryseriously.letmeknoweverythingthatiamtoknow,withoutdelay.willyoutellmehowlongyouhavelovedhim?"

"ithasbeencomingonsogradually,thatihardlyknowwhenitbegan.butibelieveimustdateitfrommyfirstseeinghisbeautifulgroundsatpemberley."

anotherintreatythatshewouldbeserious,however,producedthedesiredeffect;andshesoonsatisfiedjanebyhersolemnassurancesofattachment.whenconvincedonthatarticle,missbennethadnothingfarthertowish.

"nowiamquitehappy,"saidshe,"foryouwillbeashappyasmyself.ialwayshadavalueforhim.wereitfornothingbuthisloveofyou,imustalwayshaveesteemedhim;butnow,asbingley'sfriendandyourhusband,therecanbeonlybingleyandyourselfmoredeartome.butlizzy,youhavebeenverysly,veryreservedwithme.howlittledidyoutellmeofwhatpassedatpemberleyandlambton!ioweallthatiknowofittoanother,nottoyou."

elizabethtoldherthemotivesofhersecrecy.shehadbeenunwillingtomentionbingley;andtheunsettledstateofherownfeelingshadmadeherequallyavoidthenameofhisfriend.butnowshewouldnolongerconcealfromherhisshareinlydia'smarriage.allwasacknowledged,andhalfthenightspentinconversation.

"goodgracious!"criedmrs.bennet,asshestoodatawindowthenextmorning,"ifthatdisagreeablemr.darcyisnotcominghereagainwithourdearbingley!whatcanhemeanbybeingsotiresomeastobealwayscominghere?ihadnonotionbuthewouldgoashooting,orsomethingorother,andnotdisturbuswithhiscompany.whatshallwedowithhim?lizzy,youmustwalkoutwithhimagain,thathemaynotbeinbingley'sway."

elizabethcouldhardlyhelplaughingatsoconvenientaproposal;yetwasreallyvexedthathermothershouldbealwaysgivinghimsuchanepithet.

assoonastheyentered,bingleylookedathersoexpressively,andshookhandswithsuchwarmth,asleftnodoubtofhisgoodinformation;andhesoonafterwardssaidaloud,"mrs.bennet,haveyounomorelaneshereaboutsinwhichlizzymayloseherwayagaintoday?"

"iadvisemr.darcy,andlizzy,andkitty,"saidmrs.bennet,"towalktooakhammountthismorning.itisanicelongwalk,andmr.darcyhasneverseentheview."

"itmaydoverywellfortheothers,"repliedmr.bingley;"butiamsureitwillbetoomuchforkitty.won'tit,kitty?"