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'Did Charlotte dine with you?'

'No, she would go home. I fancy she was wanted about

the mince-pies. For my part, Mr. Bingley, _I_ always keep

servants that can do their own work; _my_ daughters are

brought up differently. But everybody is to judge for them-

selves, and the Lucases are a very good sort of girls, I

assure you. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not

that _I_ think Charlotte so _very_ plain; but then she is our

particular friend.'

'She seems a very pleasant young woman,' said Bingley.

'Oh dear, yes; but you must own she is very plain. Lady

Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty.

I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane --

one does not often see anybody better looking. It is what

everybody says. I do not trust my own partiality. When

she was only fifteen there was a gentleman at my brother

Gardiner's in town so much in love with her, that my sister-~

in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came

away. But, however, he did not. Perhaps he thought her

too young. However, he wrote some verses on her, and very

pretty they were.'

'And so ended his affection,' said Elizabeth, impatiently.

'There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same

way. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry

in driving away love!'

'I have been used to consider poetry as the _food_ of love,'

said Darcy.

'Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything

nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight,

thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet

will starve it entirely away.'

Darcy only smiled; and the general pause which ensued

made Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing

herself again. She longed to speak, but could think of

nothing to say; and after a short silence Mrs. Bennet began

repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane,

with an apology for troubling him also with Lizzy. Mr.

Bingley was unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced his

younger sister to be civil also, and say what the occasion

required. She performed her part, indeed, without much

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