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than when he took leave of you on Tuesday; or that it

will be in her power to persuade him that, instead of

being in love with you, he is very much in love with her

friend.'

'If we thought alike of Miss Bingley,' replied Jane, 'your

representation of all this might make me quite easy. But

I know the foundation is unjust. Caroline is incapable of

wilfully deceiving any one; and all that I can hope in this

case is, that she is deceived herself.'

'That is right. You could not have started a more happy

idea, since you will not take comfort in mine: believe her to

be deceived, by all means. You have now done your duty by

her, and must fret no longer.'

'But, my dear sister, can I be happy, even supposing the

best, in accepting a man whose sisters and friends are all

wishing him to marry elsewhere?'

'You must decide for yourself,' said Elizabeth; 'and if,

upon mature deliberation, you find that the misery of dis-

obliging his two sisters is more than equivalent to the hap-

piness of being his wife, I advise you, by all means, to

refuse him.'

'How can you talk so?' said Jane, faintly smiling; 'you

must know that, though I should be exceedingly grieved at

their disapprobation, I could not hesitate.'

'I do not think you would; and that being the case, I can-

not consider your situation with much compassion.'

'But if he returns no more this winter, my choice will never

be required. A thousand things may arise in six months.'

The idea of his returning no more Elizabeth treated with

the utmost contempt. It appeared to her merely the sug-

gestion of Caroline's interested wishes; and she could not for

a moment suppose that those wishes, however openly or art-

fully spoken, could influence a young man so totally inde-

pendent of every one.

She represented to her sister, as forcibly as possible, what

she felt on the subject, and had soon the pleasure of seeing

its happy effect. Jane's temper was not desponding; and

she was gradually led to hope, though the diffidence of affec-

tion sometimes overcame the hope, that Bingley would return

to Netherfield, and answer every wish of her heart.

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