Assoonastheyweregone,Elizabethwalkedouttorecoverherspirits;orinotherwords,todwellwithoutinterruptiononthosesubjectsthatmustdeadenthemmore。Mr。Darcysbehaviourastonishedandvexedher。
“Why,ifhecameonlytobesilent,grave,andindifferent,”saidshe,“didhecomeatall?”
Shecouldsettleitinnowaythatgaveherpleasure。
“Hecouldbestillamiable,stillpleasing,tomyuncleandaunt,whenhewasintown;andwhynottome?Ifhefearsme,whycomehither?Ifhenolongercaresforme,whysilent?Teasing,teasing,man!Iwillthinknomoreabouthim。”
Herresolutionwasforashorttimeinvoluntarilykeptbytheapproachofhersister,whojoinedherwithacheerfullook,whichshowedherbettersatisfiedwiththeirvisitors,thanElizabeth。
“Now,”saidshe,“thatthisfirstmeetingisover,Ifeelperfectlyeasy。Iknowmyownstrength,andIshallneverbeembarrassedagainbyhiscoming。IamgladhedineshereonTuesday。Itwillthenbepubliclyseenthat,onbothsides,wemeetonlyascommonandindifferentacquaintance。”
“Yes,veryindifferentindeed,”saidElizabeth,laughingly。“Oh,Jane,takecare。”
“MydearLizzy,youcannotthinkmesoweak,astobeindangernow?”
“Ithinkyouareinverygreatdangerofmakinghimasmuchinlovewithyouasever。”
TheydidnotseethegentlemenagaintillTuesday;andMrs。Bennet,inthemeanwhile,wasgivingwaytoallthehappyschemes,whichthegoodhumourandcommonpolitenessofBingley,inhalfanhoursvisit,hadrevived。
OnTuesdaytherewasalargepartyassembledatLongbourn;andthetwowhoweremostanxiouslyexpected,tothecreditoftheirpunctualityassportsmen,wereinverygoodtime。Whentheyrepairedtothedining-room,ElizabetheagerlywatchedtoseewhetherBingleywouldtaketheplace,which,inalltheirformerparties,hadbelongedtohim,byhersister。Herprudentmother,occupiedbythesameideas,forboretoinvitehimtositbyherself。Onenteringtheroom,heseemedtohesitate;butJanehappenedtolookround,andhappenedtosmile:itwasdecided。Heplacedhimselfbyher。
Elizabeth,withatriumphantsensation,lookedtowardshisfriend。Heboreitwithnobleindifference,andshewouldhaveimaginedthatBingleyhadreceivedhissanctiontobehappy,hadshenotseenhiseyeslikewiseturnedtowardsMr。Darcy,withanexpressionofhalf-laughingalarm。
Hisbehaviourtohersisterwassuch,duringdinnertime,asshowedanadmirationofher,which,thoughmoreguardedthanformerly,persuadedElizabeth,thatifleftwhollytohimself,Janeshappiness,andhisown,wouldbespeedilysecured。Thoughshedarednotdependupontheconsequence,sheyetreceivedpleasurefromobservinghisbehaviour。Itgaveheralltheanimationthatherspiritscouldboast;forshewasinnocheerfulhumour。Mr。Darcywasalmostasfarfromherasthetablecoulddividethem。Hewasononesideofhermother。Sheknewhowlittlesuchasituationwouldgivepleasuretoeither,ormakeeitherappeartoadvantage。Shewasnotnearenoughtohearanyoftheirdiscourse,butshecouldseehowseldomtheyspoketoeachother,andhowformalandcoldwastheirmannerwhenevertheydid。Hermothersungraciousness,madethesenseofwhattheyowedhimmorepainfultoElizabethsmind;andshewould,attimes,havegivenanythingtobeprivilegedtotellhimthathiskindnesswasneitherunknownnorunfeltbythewholeofthefamily。
Shewasinhopesthattheeveningwouldaffordsomeopportunityofbringingthemtogether;thatthewholeofthevisitwouldnotpassawaywithoutenablingthemtoenterintosomethingmoreofconversationthanthemereceremonioussalutationattendinghisentrance。Anxiousanduneasy,theperiodwhichpassedinthedrawing-room,beforethegentlemencame,waswearisomeanddulltoadegreethatalmostmadeheruncivil。Shelookedforwardtotheirentranceasthepointonwhichallherchanceofpleasurefortheeveningmustdepend。
“Ifhedoesnotcometome,then,”saidshe,“Ishallgivehimupforever。”