ItwasnotoftenthatshecouldturnhereyesonMr。Darcyhimself;but,whenevershedidcatchaglimpse,shesawanexpressionofgeneralcomplaisance,andinallthathesaidsheheardanaccentsofarremovedfromhauteurordisdainofhiscompanions,asconvincedherthattheimprovementofmannerswhichshehadyesterdaywitnessedhowevertemporaryitsexistencemightprove,hadatleastoutlivedoneday。Whenshesawhimthusseekingtheacquaintanceandcourtingthegoodopinionofpeoplewithwhomanyintercourseafewmonthsagowouldhavebeenadisgrace—whenshesawhimthuscivil,notonlytoherself,buttotheveryrelationswhomhehadopenlydisdained,andrecollectedtheirlastlivelysceneinHunsfordParsonage—thedifference,thechangewassogreat,andstrucksoforciblyonhermind,thatshecouldhardlyrestrainherastonishmentfrombeingvisible。Never,eveninthecompanyofhisdearfriendsatNetherfield,orhisdignifiedrelationsatRosings,hadsheseenhimsodesiroustoplease,sofreefromself-consequenceorunbendingreserve,asnow,whennoimportancecouldresultfromthesuccessofhisendeavours,andwheneventheacquaintanceofthosetowhomhisattentionswereaddressedwoulddrawdowntheridiculeandcensureoftheladiesbothofNetherfieldandRosings。
Theirvisitorsstayedwiththemabovehalf-an-hour;andwhentheyarosetodepart,Mr。DarcycalledonhissistertojoinhiminexpressingtheirwishofseeingMr。andMrs。Gardiner,andMissBennet,todinneratPemberley,beforetheyleftthecountry。MissDarcy,thoughwithadiffidencewhichmarkedherlittleinthehabitofgivinginvitations,readilyobeyed。Mrs。Gardinerlookedatherniece,desirousofknowinghowshe,whomtheinvitationmostconcerned,feltdisposedastoitsacceptance,butElizabethhadturnedawayherhead。Presuminghowever,thatthisstudiedavoidancespokeratheramomentaryembarrassmentthananydislikeoftheproposal,andseeinginherhusband,whowasfondofsociety,aperfectwillingnesstoacceptit,sheventuredtoengageforherattendance,andthedayafterthenextwasfixedon。
BingleyexpressedgreatpleasureinthecertaintyofseeingElizabethagain,havingstillagreatdealtosaytoher,andmanyinquiriestomakeafteralltheirHertfordshirefriends。Elizabeth,construingallthisintoawishofhearingherspeakofhersister,waspleased,andonthisaccount,aswellassomeothers,foundherself,whentheirvisitorsleftthem,capableofconsideringthelasthalf-hourwithsomesatisfaction,thoughwhileitwaspassing,theenjoymentofithadbeenlittle。Eagertobealone,andfearfulofinquiriesorhintsfromheruncleandaunt,shestayedwiththemonlylongenoughtoheartheirfavourableopinionofBingley,andthenhurriedawaytodress。
ButshehadnoreasontofearMr。andMrs。Gardinerscuriosity;itwasnottheirwishtoforcehercommunication。ItwasevidentthatshewasmuchbetteracquaintedwithMr。Darcythantheyhadbeforeanyideaof;itwasevidentthathewasverymuchinlovewithher。Theysawmuchtointerest,butnothingtojustifyinquiry。