SheperfectlyrememberedeverythingthathadpassedinconversationbetweenWickhamandherself,intheirfirsteveningatMr。Phillipss。Manyofhisexpressionswerestillfreshinhermemory。Shewasnowstruckwiththeimproprietyofsuchcommunicationstoastranger,andwonderedithadescapedherbefore。Shesawtheindelicacyofputtinghimselfforwardashehaddone,andtheinconsistencyofhisprofessionswithhisconduct。SherememberedthathehadboastedofhavingnofearofseeingMr。Darcy—thatMr。Darcymightleavethecountry,butthatheshouldstandhisground;yethehadavoidedtheNetherfieldballtheverynextweek。Sherememberedalsothat,tilltheNetherfieldfamilyhadquittedthecountry,hehadtoldhisstorytonoonebutherself;butthataftertheirremovalithadbeeneverywherediscussed;thathehadthennoreserves,noscruplesinsinkingMr。Darcyscharacter,thoughhehadassuredherthatrespectforthefatherwouldalwayspreventhisexposingtheson。
Howdifferentlydideverythingnowappearinwhichhewasconcerned!HisattentionstoMissKingwerenowtheconsequenceofviewssolelyandhatefullymercenary;andthemediocrityofherfortuneprovednolongerthemoderationofhiswishes,buthiseagernesstograspatanything。Hisbehaviourtoherselfcouldnowhavehadnotolerablemotive;hehadeitherbeendeceivedwithregardtoherfortune,orhadbeengratifyinghisvanitybyencouragingthepreferencewhichshebelievedshehadmostincautiouslyshown。Everylingeringstruggleinhisfavourgrewfainterandfainter;andinfartherjustificationofMr。Darcy,shecouldnotbutallowthatMr。Bingley,whenquestionedbyJane,hadlongagoassertedhisblamelessnessintheaffair;thatproudandrepulsiveaswerehismanners,shehadnever,inthewholecourseoftheiracquaintance—anacquaintancewhichhadlatterlybroughtthemmuchtogether,andgivenherasortofintimacywithhisways—seenanythingthatbetrayedhimtobeunprincipledorunjust—anythingthatspokehimofirreligiousorimmoralhabits;thatamonghisownconnectionshewasesteemedandvalued—thatevenWickhamhadallowedhimmeritasabrother,andthatshehadoftenheardhimspeaksoaffectionatelyofhissisterastoprovehimcapableofsomeamiablefeeling;thathadhisactionsbeenwhatMr。Wickhamrepresentedthem,sogrossaviolationofeverythingrightcouldhardlyhavebeenconcealedfromtheworld;andthatfriendshipbetweenapersoncapableofit,andsuchanamiablemanasMr。Bingley,wasincomprehensible。
Shegrewabsolutelyashamedofherself。OfneitherDarcynorWickhamcouldshethinkwithoutfeelingshehadbeenblind,partial,prejudiced,absurd。
“HowdespicablyIhaveacted!”shecried;“I,whohavepridedmyselfonmydiscernment!I,whohavevaluedmyselfonmyabilities!whohaveoftendisdainedthegenerouscandourofmysister,andgratifiedmyvanityinuselessorblameablemistrust!Howhumiliatingisthisdiscovery!Yet,howjustahumiliation!HadIbeeninlove,Icouldnothavebeenmorewretchedlyblind!Butvanity,notlove,hasbeenmyfolly。Pleasedwiththepreferenceofone,andoffendedbytheneglectoftheother,ontheverybeginningofouracquaintance,Ihavecourtedprepossessionandignorance,anddrivenreasonaway,whereeitherwereconcerned。TillthismomentIneverknewmyself。”
FromherselftoJane—fromJanetoBingley,herthoughtswereinalinewhichsoonbroughttoherrecollectionthatMr。Darcysexplanationtherehadappearedveryinsufficient,andshereaditagain。Widelydifferentwastheeffectofasecondperusal。Howcouldshedenythatcredittohisassertionsinoneinstance,whichshehadbeenobligedtogiveintheother?Hedeclaredhimselftobetotallyunsuspiciousofhersistersattachment;andshecouldnothelprememberingwhatCharlottesopinionhadalwaysbeen。NeithercouldshedenythejusticeofhisdeionofJane。ShefeltthatJanesfeelings,thoughfervent,werelittledisplayed,andthattherewasaconstantcomplacencyinherairandmannernotoftenunitedwithgreatsensibility。
Whenshecametothatpartoftheletterinwhichherfamilywerementionedintermsofsuchmortifying,yetmeritedreproach,hersenseofshamewassevere。Thejusticeofthechargestruckhertooforciblyfordenial,andthecircumstancestowhichheparticularlyalludedashavingpassedattheNetherfieldball,andasconfirmingallhisfirstdisapprobation,couldnothavemadeastrongerimpressiononhismindthanonhers。
Thecomplimenttoherselfandhersisterwasnotunfelt。Itsoothed,butitcouldnotconsoleherforthecontemptwhichhadthusbeenself-attractedbytherestofherfamily;andassheconsideredthatJanesdisappointmenthadinfactbeentheworkofhernearestrelations,andreflectedhowmateriallythecreditofbothmustbehurtbysuchimproprietyofconduct,shefeltdepressedbeyondanythingshehadeverknownbefore。
Afterwanderingalongthelanefortwohours,givingwaytoeveryvarietyofthought—re-consideringevents,determiningprobabilities,andreconcilingherself,aswellasshecould,toachangesosuddenandsoimportant,fatigue,andarecollectionofherlongabsence,madeheratlengthreturnhome;andsheenteredthehousewiththewishofappearingcheerfulasusual,andtheresolutionofrepressingsuchreflectionsasmustmakeherunfitforconversation。
ShewasimmediatelytoldthatthetwogentlemenfromRosingshadeachcalledduringherabsence;Mr。Darcy,onlyforafewminutes,totakeleave—butthatColonelFitzwilliamhadbeensittingwiththematleastanhour,hopingforherreturn,andalmostresolvingtowalkafterhertillshecouldbefound。Elizabethcouldbutjustaffectconcerninmissinghim;shereallyrejoicedatit。ColonelFitzwilliamwasnolongeranobject;shecouldthinkonlyofherletter。