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  • CHAPTER 12

  • In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote the next morning

  • to their mother, to beg that the carriage might be sent for them in the course of the

  • day.

  • But Mrs. Bennet, who had calculated on her daughters remaining at Netherfield till the

  • following Tuesday, which would exactly finish Jane's week, could not bring herself

  • to receive them with pleasure before.

  • Her answer, therefore, was not propitious, at least not to Elizabeth's wishes, for she

  • was impatient to get home.

  • Mrs. Bennet sent them word that they could not possibly have the carriage before

  • Tuesday; and in her postscript it was added, that if Mr. Bingley and his sister

  • pressed them to stay longer, she could spare them very well.

  • Against staying longer, however, Elizabeth was positively resolved--nor did she much

  • expect it would be asked; and fearful, on the contrary, as being considered as

  • intruding themselves needlessly long, she

  • urged Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley's carriage immediately, and at length it was settled

  • that their original design of leaving Netherfield that morning should be

  • mentioned, and the request made.

  • The communication excited many professions of concern; and enough was said of wishing

  • them to stay at least till the following day to work on Jane; and till the morrow

  • their going was deferred.

  • Miss Bingley was then sorry that she had proposed the delay, for her jealousy and

  • dislike of one sister much exceeded her affection for the other.

  • The master of the house heard with real sorrow that they were to go so soon, and

  • repeatedly tried to persuade Miss Bennet that it would not be safe for her--that she

  • was not enough recovered; but Jane was firm where she felt herself to be right.

  • To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence-- Elizabeth had been at Netherfield long

  • enough.

  • She attracted him more than he liked--and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more

  • teasing than usual to himself.

  • He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration should

  • now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his

  • felicity; sensible that if such an idea had

  • been suggested, his behaviour during the last day must have material weight in

  • confirming or crushing it.

  • Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of

  • Saturday, and though they were at one time left by themselves for half-an-hour, he

  • adhered most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at her.

  • On Sunday, after morning service, the separation, so agreeable to almost all,

  • took place.

  • Miss Bingley's civility to Elizabeth increased at last very rapidly, as well as

  • her affection for Jane; and when they parted, after assuring the latter of the

  • pleasure it would always give her to see

  • her either at Longbourn or Netherfield, and embracing her most tenderly, she even shook

  • hands with the former. Elizabeth took leave of the whole party in

  • the liveliest of spirits.

  • They were not welcomed home very cordially by their mother.

  • Mrs. Bennet wondered at their coming, and thought them very wrong to give so much

  • trouble, and was sure Jane would have caught cold again.

  • But their father, though very laconic in his expressions of pleasure, was really

  • glad to see them; he had felt their importance in the family circle.

  • The evening conversation, when they were all assembled, had lost much of its

  • animation, and almost all its sense by the absence of Jane and Elizabeth.

  • They found Mary, as usual, deep in the study of thorough-bass and human nature;

  • and had some extracts to admire, and some new observations of threadbare morality to

  • listen to.

  • Catherine and Lydia had information for them of a different sort.

  • Much had been done and much had been said in the regiment since the preceding

  • Wednesday; several of the officers had dined lately with their uncle, a private

  • had been flogged, and it had actually been

  • hinted that Colonel Forster was going to be married.

CHAPTER 12

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