Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 64 (2)
Jane now looked at Elizabeth with wonder and concern.She did not know the circumstances of their meeting in Derbyshire, and thought it was the first time her sister had seen him since she received his explaining letter, and she could not help worrying about the embarrassment her sister would encounter.All in all, the sisters were miserable enough.Each had thought of the other, and of themselves, of course; and it was entirely because he was a friend of Mr. Bingley's that they resolved to treat him politely, though of course she said this in private, and would not let the two of them hear.Elizabeth, and secrets of which Jane knew nothing, disturbed her. She had never had the courage to show Jane Mrs. Gardiner's letter, nor had she confided to Jane the change in her feelings for Mr. Darcy.In Jane's view, Mr. Darcy was just a man she had rejected, and his merits had been underestimated by her; but to Elizabeth, who knew more about the situation, he was the great benefactor of their family. I also deeply admire him. If this affection is not as warm as Jiying's, at least it is as reasonable as Jiying's.The fact that he would come to Nesseld, to Longbourne to see her, was almost as astonishing as she had been at first seeing his improvement in manners in Derbyshire. .

When she thought that after such a long time, his feelings and intentions for her were still the same, her face that had become pale just now shone again, and the smile that burst into her eyes also injected a kind of pleasant light into her eyes .But she was still a little worried.

"Let me see how he behaves," she said, "and then it's not too late to hope."

She sat there concentrating on her work, trying to calm herself down, not even daring to lift her eyelids. It was only when the servant came to the door that she dropped her eyes on the door out of worry and curiosity. sister's face.Jane looked a little paler than usual, but her composure exceeded Elizabeth's expectations.She blushed when the two distinguished guests entered; but her manner of receiving them was natural and courteous, without showing any malice or unnecessary attention.

Elizabeth said nothing more than a few courteous remarks, and then sat down to do her work again.Her concentration was rare in her usual life.She looked up at Darcy only once, and saw him in his usual seriousness; perhaps more so, she thought, than when he had seen him in Hertfordshire before, and when she had seen him at Pemberley.However, this may be due to his being in her mother's presence, which made him less casual than when he was with his aunt and aunt.The conjecture pained her, but it was not impossible.

She also glanced at Mr. Bingley, and saw at once that he was both pleased and a little embarrassed.Mrs. Bennet treated him politely and thoughtfully, but her two elder daughters were very sorry by the comparison with her friend who was cold and indifferent.

For Elizabeth, who knew the inside story, and felt that the preservation of her mother's precious daughter's honor was entirely dependent on Mr. Darcy, this mother's importance to others caused her to feel extremely sad and painful.

When Darcy asked her about the Gardiners, she answered in a flustered manner, after which Darcy said nothing more.He did not sit beside her; perhaps that was the reason for his silence; but it was not so in Derbyshire.Minutes passed without hearing a sound from him; sometimes, she could not help raising her eyes curiously into his face, and often saw him either looking at Jane or at herself, or at nothing. Look just staring at the ground.Compared with the last time they met, Darcy's mind was obviously aggravated, and he was not as eager to win people's favor as before.She was disappointed, but angry with herself for being so.

"Isn't that what I expected?" she thought, "but why does he come again?"

She was in no mood now to talk to anyone but Mr. Darcy himself; and hardly had enough courage to talk to him about her.

After she asked about his sister's recent situation, she couldn't find anything to say.

"Mr. Bingley, you have been away for quite some time now," said Mrs. Bennet.

Mr. Bingley hastily assented.

"I was worried at first that you'd never come back. People say you're planning to sell the house as soon as Michaelmas is over; but I hope that's just a rumour. Since you've gone, there's been a lot going on in the neighborhood. Many things. Miss Lucas married off. One of my own daughters married. I think you know; you must have seen it in the papers. I know it's in the Times and the Express. It's all published; but not very well written. It just says: 'Mr. George Wickham and Miss Lydia Bennet are recently married, and don't say a word about her father, or where she lives. It was drafted by my brother Gardiner and I wonder how he could do it so badly. Did you see it?"

Bingley replied that he had, and congratulated her.Elizabeth didn't even dare to lift her eyelids.She therefore had no idea what Mr. Darcy's expression was.

"I dare say it is a very pleasant thing to have a daughter happily married off," continued her mother; "but, Mr. Bingley, it pains me to have her so far away from me. They The two went to Newcastle, a place abut the north, and it seemed they were bound to stay there, I don't know how long. Wickham's troops were stationed there; I think you heard he left the militia and went into News from the regular army. Thank God! Thankfully he has some helpful friends, though his character ought to have more."

Elizabeth knew that her mother was addressing Mr. Darcy, and she was so overwhelmed with embarrassment that she could scarcely sit still.But this remark, more than anything else, compelled her to speak; and she asked Bingley how long he intended to stay in the country this time."It could be a few weeks," he said.

"Mr. Bingley, when you have hunted all your birds," said her mother, "I entreat you to come to Mr. Bennet's estate, where you may hunt as much as you like. I trust my The husband will be more than willing to let you come, and will leave the best partridges for you to hunt."

How ashamed Elizabeth was for this excessive flattery of her mother!She felt that even if there were good things like a year ago (referring to Jane and Bingley's friendship-translator's note) now in sight, they would be lost again in a blink of an eye.At that moment she felt that neither Jane nor her own years of happiness could make up for these few minutes of agony and embarrassment.

"My first wish," she said to herself, "is never to see them both again. How can the joy of being with them be worth the humiliation I am now suffering! Let me never see them again." Any one of them!"

The pain, however, which many years of happiness could not compensate for, was soon greatly relieved, for Elizabeth's sight of her sister's beauty revived the passion of her former lover.Bingley had scarcely spoken to her when he first came in; but every subsequent minute brought his more and more attention to her.He found her as pretty as last year; as sweet, as innocent, though not as talkative.Jane only hoped that people would not see any difference in her, and really thought she talked a lot.But she was so preoccupied that she didn't even notice her own silence sometimes.

When the guests rose to go, Mrs. Bennet did not forget her long-planned invitation to dine with the two distinguished guests at Longbourn a few days later.

"You still owe us a visit, Mr. Bingley," she added, "because you promised us, before you came to town last winter, to dine with my family as soon as you got back here." Light meal. You see, I haven't forgotten; to be honest, I was very disappointed that you didn't come back for your appointment last time."

Hearing this, Bingley couldn't help but look ashamed, and said sorry that business was delayed last time.After speaking, they left.

Mrs. Bennet would have liked to have them stay for dinner that day; but she just thought that although the food in her house was good, how could it be justified to invite a person with an income of ten thousand pounds a year without adding two main courses? What's more, she still has ardent expectations for him to marry her daughter.

(End of this chapter)