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MISS Bingley's letter arrived, and put an end to doubt. The very first

sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London

for the winter, and concluded with her brother's regret at not having

had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before

he left the country.

Hope was over, entirely over; and when Jane could attend to the rest

of the letter, she found little, except the professed affection of the

writer, that could give her any comfort. Miss Darcy's praise occupied

the chief of it. Her many attractions were again dwelt on, and Caroline

boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy, and ventured to predict

the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former

letter. She wrote also with great pleasure of her brother's being an

inmate of Mr. Darcy's house, and mentioned with raptures some plans

of the latter with regard to new furniture. Elizabeth, to whom Jane

very soon communicated the chief of all this, heard it in silent indignation.

Her heart was divided between concern for her sister, and resentment

against all the others. To Caroline's assertion of her brother's being

partial to Miss Darcy she paid no credit. That he was really fond of

Jane, she doubted no more than she had ever done; and much as she had

always been disposed to like him, she could not think without anger,

hardly without contempt, on that easiness of temper, that want of proper

resolution which now made him the slave of his designing friends, and

led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations.

Had his own happiness, however, been the only sacrifice, he might have

been allowed to sport with it in what ever manner he thought best; but

her sister's was involved in it, as, she thought, he must be sensible

himself. It was a subject, in short, on which reflection would be long

indulged, and must be unavailing. She could think of nothing else, and

yet whether Bingley's regard had really died away, or were suppressed

by his friends' interference; whether he had been aware of Jane's attachment,

or whether it had escaped his observation; whichever were the case,

though her opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference,

her sister's situation remained the same, her peace equally wounded.

.

A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her feelings

to Elizabeth; but at last on Mrs. Bennet's leaving them together, after

a longer irritation than usual about Netherfield and its master, she

could not help saying, .

"Oh! that my dear mother had more command over herself; she can have

no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him.

But I will not repine. It cannot last long. He will be forgot, and we

shall all be as we were before." .

Elizabeth looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude, but said

nothing. .

"You doubt me," cried Jane, slightly colouring; "indeed you have

no reason. He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance,

but that is all. I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing

to reproach him with. Thank God! I have not that pain. A little time

therefore. -- I shall certainly try to get the better." .

With a stronger voice she soon added, "I have this comfort immediately,

that it has not been more than an error of fancy on my side, and that

it has done no harm to any one but myself." .

"My dear Jane!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "you are too good. Your sweetness

and disinterestedness are really angelic; I do not know what to say

to you. I feel as if I had never done you justice, or loved you as you

deserve." .

Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary merit, and threw

back the praise on her sister's warm affection. .

"Nay," said Elizabeth, "this is not fair. You wish to think all

the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of any body. I only

want to think you perfect, and you set yourself against it. Do not be

afraid of my running into any excess, of my encroaching on your privilege

of universal good will. You need not. There are few people whom I really

love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world,

the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief

of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence

that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense. I have

met with two instances lately; one I will not mention; the other is

Charlotte's marriage. It is unaccountable! in every view it is unaccountable!"

.

"My dear Lizzy, do not give way to such feelings as these. They will

ruin your happiness. You do not make allowance enough for difference

of situation and temper. Consider Mr. Collins's respectability, and

Charlotte's prudent, steady character. Remember that she is one of a

large family; that as to fortune, it is a most eligible match; and be

ready to believe, for every body's sake, that she may feel something

like regard and esteem for our cousin." .

"To oblige you, I would try to believe almost any thing, but no one

else could be benefited by such a belief as this; for were I persuaded

that Charlotte had any regard for him, I should only think worse of

her understanding, than I now do of her heart. My dear Jane, Mr. Collins

is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man; you know he is, as

well as I do; and you must feel, as well as I do, that the woman who

marries him, cannot have a proper way of thinking. You shall not defend

her, though it is Charlotte Lucas. You shall not, for the sake of one

individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity, nor endeavour

to persuade yourself or me that selfishness is prudence, and insensibility

of danger, security for happiness." .

"I must think your language too strong in speaking of both," replied

Jane, "and I hope you will be convinced of it, by seeing them happy

together. But enough of this. You alluded to something else. You mentioned

two instances. I cannot misunderstand you, but I intreat you, dear Lizzy,

not to pain me by thinking that person to blame, and saying your opinion

of him is sunk. We must not be so ready to fancy ourselves intentionally

injured. We must not expect a lively young man to be always so guarded

and circumspect. It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives

us. Women fancy admiration means more than it does." .

"And men take care that they should." .

"If it is designedly done, they cannot be justified; but I have no

idea of there being so much design in the world as some persons imagine."

.

"I am far from attributing any part of Mr. Bingley's conduct to design,"

said Elizabeth; "but without scheming to do wrong, or to make others

unhappy, there may be error, and there may be misery. Thoughtlessness,

want of attention to other people's feelings, and want of resolution,

will do the business," .

"And do you impute it to either of those?" .

"Yes; to the last. But if I go on, I shall displease you by saying

what I think of persons you esteem. Stop me whilst you can." .

"You persist, then, in supposing his sisters influence him." .

"Yes, in conjunction with his friend." .

"I cannot believe it. Why should they try to influence him? They

can only wish his happiness, and if he is attached to me, no other woman

can secure it." .

"Your first position is false. They may wish many things besides

his happiness; they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence;

they may wish him to marry a girl who has all the importance of money,

great connections, and pride." .

"Beyond a doubt, they do wish him to chuse Miss Darcy," replied

Jane; "but this may be from better feelings than you are supposing.

They have known her much longer than they have known me; no wonder if

they love her better. But, whatever may be their own wishes, it is very

unlikely they should have opposed their brother's. What sister would

think herself at liberty to do it, unless there were something very

objectionable? If they believed him attached to me, they would not try

to part us; if he were so, they could not succeed. By supposing such

an affection, you make every body acting unnaturally and wrong, and

me most unhappy. Do not distress me by the idea. I am not ashamed of

having been mistaken -- or, at least, it is slight, it is nothing in

comparison of what I should feel in thinking ill of him or his sisters.

Let me take it in the best light, in the light in which it may be understood."

.

Elizabeth could not oppose such a wish; and from this time Mr. Bingley's

name was scarcely ever mentioned between them. .

Mrs. Bennet still continued to wonder and repine at his returning

no more, and though a day seldom passed in which Elizabeth did not account

for it clearly, there seemed little chance of her ever considering it

with less perplexity. Her daughter endeavoured to convince her of what

she did not believe herself, that his attentions to Jane had been merely

the effect of a common and transient liking, which ceased when he saw

her no more; but though the probability of the statement was admitted

at the time, she had the same story to repeat every day. Mrs. Bennet's

best comfort was that Mr. Bingley must be down again in the summer.

.

Mr. Bennet treated the matter differently. "So, Lizzy," said he

one day, "your sister is crossed in love I find. I congratulate her.

Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now

and then. It is something to think of, and gives her a sort of distinction

among her companions. When is your turn to come? You will hardly bear

to be long outdone by Jane. Now is your time. Here are officers enough

at Meryton to disappoint all the young ladies in the country. Let Wickham

be your man. He is a pleasant fellow, and would jilt you creditably."

.

"Thank you, Sir, but a less agreeable man would satisfy me. We must

not all expect Jane's good fortune." .

"True," said Mr. Bennet, "but it is a comfort to think that, whatever

of that kind may befall you, you have an affectionate mother who will

always make the most of it." .

Mr. Wickham's society was of material service in dispelling the gloom,

which the late perverse occurrences had thrown on many of the Longbourn

family. They saw him often, and to his other recommendations was now

added that of general unreserve. The whole of what Elizabeth had already

heard, his claims on Mr. Darcy, and all that he had suffered from him,

was now openly acknowledged and publicly canvassed; and every body was

pleased to think how much they had always disliked Mr. Darcy before

they had known any thing of the matter. .

Miss Bennet was the only creature who could suppose there might be

any extenuating circumstances in the case, unknown to the society of

Hertfordshire; her mild and steady candour always pleaded for allowances,

and urged the possibility of mistakes -- but by everybody else Mr. Darcy

was condemned as the worst of men. .

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