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without receiving an answer. Could there be finer symptoms?

Is not general incivility the very essence of love?'

'Oh yes! of that kind of love which I suppose him to have

felt. Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her dis-

position, she may not get over it immediately. It had better

have happened to _you,_ Lizzy; you would have laughed your

self out of it sooner. But do you think she would be pre-

vailed on to go back with us? Change of scene might be of

service -- and perhaps a little relief from home may be as

useful as anything.'

Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal, and

felt persuaded of her sister's ready acquiescence.

'I hope,' added Mrs. Gardiner, 'that no consideration with re-

gard to this young man will influence her. We live in so dif-

ferent a part of town, all our connections are so different, and,

as you well know, we go out so little, that it is very improb-

able they should meet at all, unless he really comes to see her.'

'And _that_ is quite impossible; for he is now in the custody

of his friend, and Mr. Darcy would no more suffer him to call

on Jane in such a part of London! My dear aunt, how could

you think of it? Mr. Darcy may, perhaps, have _heard_ of

such a place as Gracechurch Street, but he would hardly think

a month's ablution enough to cleanse him from its impurities,

were he once to enter it, and depend upon it, Mr. Bingley

never stirs without him.'

'So much the better. I hope they will not meet at all. But

does not Jane correspond with his sister? _She_ will not be

able to help calling.'

'She will drop the acquaintance entirely.'

But, in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected

to place this point, as well as the still more interesting one

of Bingley's being withheld from seeing Jane, she felt a

solicitude on the subject which convinced her, on examina-

tion, that she did not consider it entirely hopeless. It was

possible, and sometimes she thought it probable, that his af-

fection might be reanimated, and the influence of his friends

successfully combated by the more natural influence of

Jane's attractions.

Miss Bennet accepted her aunt's invitation with pleasure;

and the Bingleys were no otherwise in her thoughts at the

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