PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 44

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ELIZABETH had settled
it that Mr. Darcy would bring his sister to visit her the very day after
her reaching Pemberley; and was consequently resolved not to be out of
sight of the inn the whole of that morning. But her conclusion was false;
for on the very morning after their own arrival at Lambton, these visitors
came. They had been walking about the place with some of their new friends,
and were just returned to the inn to dress themselves for dining with
the same family, when the sound of a carriage drew them to a window, and
they saw a gentleman and lady in a curricle, driving up the street. Elizabeth,
immediately recognising the livery, guessed what it meant, and imparted
no small degree of surprise to her relations by acquainting them with
the honour which she expected. Her uncle and aunt were all amazement;
and the embarrassment of her manner as she spoke, joined to the circumstance
itself, and many of the circumstances of the preceding day, opened to
them a new idea on the business. Nothing had ever suggested it before,
but they now felt that there was no other way of accounting for such attentions
from such a quarter than by supposing a partiality for their niece. While
these newly-born notions were passing in their heads, the perturbation
of Elizabeth's feelings was every moment increasing. She was quite amazed
at her own discomposure; but amongst other causes of disquiet, she dreaded
lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in her favour;
and more than commonly anxious to please, she naturally suspected that
every power of pleasing would fail her.

She retreated from the window, fearful of being seen; and as she walked
up and down the room, endeavouring to compose herself, saw such looks
of enquiring surprise in her uncle and aunt as made every thing worse.

Miss Darcy and her brother appeared, and this formidable introduction
  took place. With astonishment did Elizabeth see that her new acquaintance
  was at least as much embarrassed as herself. Since her being at Lambton,
  she had heard that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud; but the observation
  of a very few minutes convinced her that she was only exceedingly shy.
  She found it difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable.

Miss Darcy was tall, and on a larger scale than Elizabeth; and, though
  little more than sixteen, her figure was formed, and her appearance
  womanly and graceful. She was less handsome than her brother, but there
  was sense and good humour in her face, and her manners were perfectly
  unassuming and gentle. Elizabeth, who had expected to find in her as
  acute and unembarrassed an observer as ever Mr. Darcy had been, was
  much relieved by discerning such different feelings.

They had not been long together before Darcy told her that Bingley
  was also coming to wait on her; and she had barely time to express her
  satisfaction, and prepare for such a visitor, when Bingley's quick step
  was heard on the stairs, and in a moment he entered the room. All Elizabeth's
  anger against him had been long done away; but, had she still felt any,
  it could hardly have stood its ground against the unaffected cordiality
  with which he expressed himself on seeing her again. He enquired in
  a friendly, though general way, after her family, and looked and spoke
  with the same good-humoured ease that he had ever done.

To Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner he was scarcely a less interesting personage
  than to herself. They had long wished to see him. The whole party before
  them, indeed, excited a lively attention. The suspicions which had just
  arisen, of Mr. Darcy and their niece, directed their observation towards
  each with an earnest, though guarded, enquiry; and they soon drew from
  those enquiries the full conviction that one of them at least knew what
  it was to love. Of the lady's sensations they remained a little in doubt;
  but that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration was evident enough.

Elizabeth, on her side, had much to do. She wanted to ascertain the
  feelings of each of her visitors, she wanted to compose her own, and
  to make herself agreeable to all; and in the latter object, where she
  feared most to fail, she was most sure of success, for those to whom
  she endeavoured to give pleasure were prepossessed in her favour. Bingley
  was ready, Georgiana was eager, and Darcy determined to be pleased.

In seeing Bingley, her thoughts naturally flew to her sister; and
  oh! how ardently did she long to know whether any of his were directed
  in a like manner. Sometimes she could fancy that he talked less than
  on former occasions, and once or twice pleased herself with the notion
  that as he looked at her, he was trying to trace a resemblance. But
  though this might be imaginary, she could not be deceived as to his
  behaviour to Miss Darcy, who had been set up as a rival of Jane. No
  look appeared on either side that spoke particular regard. Nothing occurred
  between them that could justify the hopes of his sister. On this point
  she was soon satisfied; and two or three little circumstances occurred
  ere they parted which, in her anxious interpretation, denoted a recollection
  of Jane not untinctured by tenderness, and a wish of saying more that
  might lead to the mention of her, had he dared. He observed to her,
  at a moment when the others were talking together, and in a tone which
  had something of real regret, that it "was a very long time since he
  had had the pleasure of seeing her --" and, before she could reply,
  he added, "It is above eight months. We have not met since the 26th
  of November, when we were all dancing together at Netherfield."

Elizabeth was pleased to find his memory so exact; and he afterwards
  took occasion to ask her, when unattended to by any of the rest, whether
  all her sisters were at Longbourn. There was not much in the question,
  nor in the preceding remark, but there was a look and manner which gave
  them meaning.

It was not often that she could turn her eyes on Mr. Darcy himself;
  but, whenever she did catch a glimpse, she saw an expression of general
  complaisance, and in all that he said she heard an accent so far removed
  from hauteur or disdain of his companions, as convinced her that the
  improvement of manners which she had yesterday witnessed, however temporary
  its existence might prove, had at least outlived one day. When she saw
  him thus seeking the acquaintance and courting the good opinion of people,
  with whom any intercourse a few months ago would have been a disgrace;
  when she saw him thus civil, not only to herself, but to the very relations
  whom he had openly disdained, and recollected their last lively scene
  in Hunsford Parsonage, the difference, the change was so great, and
  struck so forcibly on her mind, that she could hardly restrain her astonishment
  from being visible. Never, even in the company of his dear friends at
  Netherfield, or his dignified relations at Rosings, had she seen him
  so desirous to please, so free from self-consequence or unbending reserve,
  as now, when no importance could result from the success of his endeavours,
  and when even the acquaintance of those to whom his attentions were
  addressed would draw down the ridicule and censure of the ladies both
  of Netherfield and Rosings.

Their visitors staid with them above half an hour, and when they arose
  to depart, Mr. Darcy called on his sister to join him in expressing
  their wish of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner and Miss Bennet to dinner
  at Pemberley before they left the country. Miss Darcy, though with a
  diffidence which marked her little in the habit of giving invitations,
  readily obeyed. Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece, desirous of knowing
  how she, whom the invitation most concerned, felt disposed as to its
  acceptance, but Elizabeth had turned away her head. Presuming, however,
  that this studied avoidance spoke rather a momentary embarrassment,
  than any dislike of the proposal, and seeing in her husband, who was
  fond of society, a perfect willingness to accept it, she ventured to
  engage for her attendance, and the day after the next was fixed on.

Bingley expressed great pleasure in the certainty of seeing Elizabeth
  again, having still a great deal to say to her, and many enquiries to
  make after all their Hertfordshire friends. Elizabeth, construing all
  this into a wish of hearing her speak of her sister, was pleased; and
  on this account, as well as some others, found herself, when their visitors
  left them, capable of considering the last half hour with some satisfaction,
  though while it was passing the enjoyment of it had been little. Eager
  to be alone, and fearful of enquiries or hints from her uncle and aunt,
  she staid with them only long enough to hear their favourable opinion
  of Bingley, and then hurried away to dress.

But she had no reason to fear Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner's curiosity; it
  was not their wish to force her communication. It was evident that she
  was much better acquainted with Mr. Darcy than they had before any idea
  of; it was evident that he was very much in love with her. They saw
  much to interest, but nothing to justify enquiry.

Of Mr. Darcy it was now a matter of anxiety to think well; and, as
  far as their acquaintance reached, there was no fault to find. They
  could not be untouched by his politeness, and, had they drawn his character
  from their own feelings and his servant's report, without any reference
  to any other account, the circle in Hertfordshire to which he was known
  would not have recognised it for Mr. Darcy. There was now an interest,
  however, in believing the housekeeper; and they soon became sensible
  that the authority of a servant who had known him since he was four
  years old, and whose own manners indicated respectability, was not to
  be hastily rejected. Neither had any thing occurred in the intelligence
  of their Lambton friends that could materially lessen its weight. They
  had nothing to accuse him of but pride; pride he probably had, and if
  not, it would certainly be imputed by the inhabitants of a small market-town
  where the family did not visit. It was acknowledged, however, that he
  was a liberal man, and did much good among the poor.

With respect to Wickham, the travellers soon found that he was not
  held there in much estimation; for though the chief of his concerns
  with the son of his patron were imperfectly understood, it was yet a
  well known fact that on his quitting Derbyshire he had left many debts
  behind him, which Mr. Darcy afterwards discharged.

As for Elizabeth, her thoughts were at Pemberley this evening more
  than the last; and the evening, though as it passed it seemed long,
  was not long enough to determine her feelings towards one in that mansion;
  and she lay awake two whole hours endeavouring to make them out. She
  certainly did not hate him. No; hatred had vanished long ago, and she
  had almost as long been ashamed of ever feeling a dislike against him
  that could be so called. The respect created by the conviction of his
  valuable qualities, though at first unwillingly admitted, had for some
  time ceased to be repugnant to her feelings; and it was now heightened
  into somewhat of a friendlier nature by the testimony so highly in his
  favour, and bringing forward his disposition in so amiable a light,
  which yesterday had produced. But above all, above respect and esteem,
  there was a motive within her of good will which could not be overlooked.
  It was gratitude. -- Gratitude, not merely for having once loved her,
  but for loving her still well enough to forgive all the petulance and
  acrimony of her manner in rejecting him, and all the unjust accusations
  accompanying her rejection. He who, she had been persuaded, would avoid
  her as his greatest enemy, seemed, on this accidental meeting, most
  eager to preserve the acquaintance, and without any indelicate display
  of regard, or any peculiarity of manner, where their two selves only
  were concerned, was soliciting the good opinion of her friends, and
  bent on making her known to his sister. Such a change in a man of so
  much pride excited not only astonishment but gratitude -- for to love,
  ardent love, it must be attributed; and as such, its impression on her
  was of a sort to be encouraged, as by no means unpleasing, though it
  could not be exactly defined. She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful
  to him; she felt a real interest in his welfare; and she only wanted
  to know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself, and
  how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should employ
  the power, which her fancy told her she still possessed, of bringing
  on the renewal of his addresses.

It had been settled in the evening, between the aunt and niece, that
  such a striking civility as Miss Darcy's, in coming to them on the very
  day of her arrival at Pemberley -- for she had reached it only to a
  late breakfast -- ought to be imitated, though it could not be equalled,
  by some exertion of politeness on their side; and, consequently, that
  it would be highly expedient to wait on her at Pemberley the following
  morning. They were, therefore, to go. -- Elizabeth was pleased, though,
  when she asked herself the reason, she had very little to say in reply.

Mr. Gardiner left them soon after breakfast. The fishing scheme had
  been renewed the day before, and a positive engagement made of his meeting
  some of the gentlemen at Pemberley by noon.

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1. Ebooks list page : 81
2. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 58
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 42
4. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 41
5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 39
7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 38
8. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 11
9. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 12
10. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 45
11. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 46
12. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 49
13. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 57
14. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 56
15. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 55
16. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 54