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 arrival at
Lambton, these visitors came. They had been walking about the place with
some of their new friends, and were just returning 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 a lady in a curricle
driving up the street. Elizabeth immediately recognizing the livery,
guessed what it meant, and imparted no small degree of her 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 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 at 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 everything 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 long been together before Mr. 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 to 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 a 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 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 stayed 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
stayed 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
recognized 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 anything 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 feeling; 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 goodwill 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 exciting 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 her the renewal of his
addresses.🔗
It had been settled in the evening between the aunt and the niece, that
such a striking civility as Miss Darcy’s in coming to see 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 before noon.🔗