“No, indeed, I felt nothing but surprise.”
“Your surprise could not be greater than _mine_ in being noticed by you.My conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary politeness,and I confess that I did not expect to receive _more_ than my due. ”
“My object _then_,” replied Darcy, “was to show you,by every civility in my power,that I was not so mean as to resent the past;and I hoped to obtain your forgiveness,to lessen your ill opinion,by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended to.How soon any other wishes introduced themselves,I can hardly tell, but I believe in about half an hour after I had seen you. ”
He then told her of Georgiana’s delight in her acquaintance,and of her disappointment at its sudden interruption;which naturally leading to the cause of that interruption,she soon learnt that his resolution of following her from Derbyshire in quest of her sister had been formed before he quitted the inn, and that his gravity and thoughtfulness there had arisen from no other struggles than what such a purpose must comprehend.
She expressed her gratitude again,but it was too painful a subject to each to be dwelt on farther.
After walking several miles in a leisurely manner,and too busy to know anything about it,they found at last, on examining their watches,that it was time to be at home.
“What could have become of Mr. Bingley and Jane?” was a wonder which introduced the discussion of _their_ affairs.Darcy was delighted with their engagement;his friend had given him the earliest information of it.
“I must ask whether you were surprised?” said Elizabeth.
“Not at all. When I went away,I felt that it would soon happen.”
“That is to say, you had given your permission.I guessed as much.” And though he exclaimed at the term,she found that it had been pretty much the case.
“On the evening before my going to London,” said he,“I made a confession to him,which I believe I ought to have made long ago.I told him of all that had occurred to make my former interference in his affairs absurd and impertinent. His surprise was great. He had never had the slightest suspicion. I told him, moreover, that I believed myself mistaken in supposing, as I had done, that your sister was indifferent to him; and as I could easily perceive that his attachment to her was unabated, I felt no doubt of their happiness together.”
Elizabeth could not help smiling at his easy manner of directing his friend.
“Did you speak from your own observation,” said she,“when you told him that my sister loved him,or merely from my information last spring?”
“From the former. I had narrowly observed her,during the two visits which I had lately made her here;and I was convinced of her affection.”
“And your assurance of it, I suppose,carried immediate conviction to him.”
“It did. Bingley is most unaffectedly modest.His diffidence had prevented his depending on his own judgment in so anxious a case, but his reliance on mine made everything easy. I was obliged to confess one thing, which for a time, and not unjustly, offended him. I could not allow myself to conceal that your sister had been in town three months last winter, that I had known it, and purposely kept it from him. He was angry. But his anger, I am persuaded, lasted no longer than he remained in any doubt of your sister’s sentiments. He has heartily forgiven me now.”
Elizabeth longed to observe that Mr.Bingley had been a most delightful friend;so easily guided that his worth was invaluable;but she checked herself.She remembered that he had yet to learn to be laughed at,and it was rather too early to begin.In anticipating the happiness of Bingley,which of course was to be inferior only to his own,he continued the conversation till they reached the house.In the hall they parted.
[Illustration:
“Unable to utter a syllable”
[_Copyright 1894 by George Allen._]]
CHAPTER LIX.
[Illustration]
“My dear Lizzy, where can you have been walking to?” was a question which Elizabeth received from Jane as soon as she entered the room, and from all the others when they sat down to table. She had only to say in reply, that they had wandered about till she was beyond her own knowledge. She coloured as she spoke; but neither that, nor anything else, awakened a suspicion of the truth.
The evening passed quietly,unmarked by anything extraordinary.The acknowledged lovers talked and laughed;the unacknowledged were silent.Darcy was not of a disposition in which happiness overflows in mirth;and Elizabeth, agitated and confused,rather _knew_ that she was happy than _felt_ herself to be so;for, besides the immediate embarrassment,there were other evils before her.She anticipated what would be felt in the family when her situation became known: she was aware that no one liked him but Jane; and even feared that with the others it was a _dislike_ which not all his fortune and consequence might do away.
At night she opened her heart to Jane.Though suspicion was very far from Miss Bennet’s general habits,she was absolutely incredulous here.
“You are joking, Lizzy. This cannot be!Engaged to Mr. Darcy!No, no, you shall not deceive me:I know it to be impossible.”
“This is a wretched beginning, indeed!My sole dependence was on you;and I am sure nobody else will believe me,if you do not. Yet, indeed, I am in earnest.I speak nothing but the truth. He still loves me,and we are engaged.”
Jane looked at her doubtingly. “Oh, Lizzy!it cannot be. I know how much you dislike him.”
“You know nothing of the matter._That_ is all to be forgot.Perhaps I did not always love him so well as I do now;but in such cases as these a good memory is unpardonable.This is the last time I shall ever remember it myself.”
Miss Bennet still looked all amazement. Elizabeth again,and more seriously, assured her of its truth.
“Good heaven!can it be really so?Yet now I must believe you,” cried Jane. “My dear,dear Lizzy, I would, I do congratulate you;but are you certain--forgive the question--are you quite certain that you can be happy with him?”
“There can be no doubt of that.It is settled between us already that we are to be the happiest couple in the world. But are you pleased, Jane?Shall you like to have such a brother?”
“Very, very much. Nothing could give either Bingley or myself more delight.But we considered it, we talked of it as impossible.And do you really love him quite well enough?Oh, Lizzy!do anything rather than marry without affection.Are you quite sure that you feel what you ought to do?”
“Oh, yes!You will only think I feel _more_ than I ought to do when I tell you all. ”
“What do you mean?”
“Why, I must confess that I love him better than I do Bingley.I am afraid you will be angry.”
“My dearest sister, now be, _be_ serious.I want to talk very seriously.Let me know everything that I am to know without delay.Will you tell me how long you have loved him?”
“It has been coming on so gradually,that I hardly know when it began;but I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley.”
Another entreaty that she would be serious, however,produced the desired effect;and she soon satisfied Jane by her solemn assurances of attachment.When convinced on that article,Miss Bennet had nothing further to wish.
“Now I am quite happy,” said she,“for you will be as happy as myself.I always had a value for him.Were it for nothing but his love of you,I must always have esteemed him; but now,as Bingley’s friend and your husband,there can be only Bingley and yourself more dear to me.But, Lizzy, you have been very sly,very reserved with me.How little did you tell me of what passed at Pemberley and Lambton!I owe all that I know of it to another, not to you.”