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creasing wonder, perceived an envelope containing two sheets

of letter paper, written quite through, in a very close hand.

The envelope itself was likewise full. Pursuing her way

along the lane, she then began it. It was dated from Rosings,

at eight o'clock in the morning, and was as follows:--

> 'Be not alarmed, madam, on receiving this letter, by the appre-

> hension of its containing any repetition of those sentiments, or re-

> newal of those offers, which were last night so disgusting to you.

> I write without any intention of paining you, or humbling myself,

> by dwelling on wishes, which, for the happiness of both, cannot be

> too soon forgotten; and the effort which the formation and the

> perusal of this letter must occasion should have been spared, had

> not my character required it to be written and read. You must,

> therefore, pardon the freedom with which I demand your attention;

> your feelings, I know, will bestow it unwillingly, but I demand it

> of your justice.'

>

> 'Two offences of a very different nature, and by no means of equal

> magnitude, you last night laid to my charge. The first mentioned

> was, that, regardless of the sentiments of either, I had detached

> Mr. Bingley from your sister, -- and the other, that I had, in defiance

> of various claims, in defiance of honour and humanity, ruined the

> immediate prosperity and blasted the prospects of Mr. Wickham.

> Wilfully and wantonly to have thrown off the companion of my

> youth, the acknowledged favourite of my father, a young man who had

> scarcely any other dependence than on our patronage, and who had

> been brought up to expect its exertion, would be a depravity, to

> which the separation of two young persons whose affection could

> be the growth of only a few weeks could bear no comparison. But

> from the severity of that blame which was last night so liberally

> bestowed, respecting each circumstance, I shall hope to be in future

> secured, when the following account of my actions and their motives

> has been read. If, in the explanation of them which is due to myself,

> I am under the necessity of relating feelings which may be offensive

> to yours, I can only say that I am sorry. The necessity must be

> obeyed, and further apology would be absurd. I had not been long

> in Hertfordshire before I saw, in common with others, that Bingley

> preferred your elder sister to any other young woman in the country.

> But it was not till the evening of the dance at Netherfield that I

> had any apprehension of his feeling a serious attachment. I had

> often seen him in love before. At that ball, while I had the honour

> of dancing with you, I was first made acquainted, by Sir William

> Lucas's accidental information, that Bingley's attentions to your

> sister had given rise to a general expectation of their marriage. He

> spoke of it as a certain event, of which the time alone could be

> undecided. From that moment I observed my friend's behaviour

> attentively; and I could then perceive that his partiality for Miss

> Bennet was beyond what I had ever witnessed in him. Your sister

> I also watched. Her look and manners were open, cheerful, and

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