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quiring. His countenance, voice, and manner, had established

him at once in the possession of every virtue. She tried to

recollect some instance of goodness, some distinguished trait

of integrity or benevolence, that might rescue him from the

attacks of Mr. Darcy; or at least, by the predominance of

virtue, atone for those casual errors, under which she would

endeavour to class what Mr. Darcy had described as the idle-

ness and vice of many years' continuance. But no such rec-

ollection befriended her. She could see him instantly be-

fore her, in every charm of air and address, but she could

remember no more substantial good than the general appro-

bation of the neighbourhood, and the regard which his social

powers had gained him in the mess. After pausing on this

point a considerable while, she once more continued to read.

But, alas! the story which followed, of his designs on Miss

Darcy, received some confirmation from what had passed

between Colonel Fitzwilliam and herself only the morning

before; and at last she was referred for the truth of every

particular to Colonel Fitzwilliam himself -- from whom she

had previously received the information of his near concern

in all his cousin's affairs, and whose character she had no

reason to question. At one time she had almost resolved on

applying to him, but the idea was checked by the awkward-

ness of the application, and at length wholly banished by the

conviction that Mr. Darcy would never have hazarded such

a proposal, if he had not been well assured of his cousin's

corroboration.

She perfectly remembered everything that had passed in

conversation between Wickham and herself in their first

evening at Mr. Philips's. Many of his expressions were still

fresh in her memory. She was _now_ struck with the impro-

priety of such communications to a stranger, and wondered

it had escaped her before. She saw the indelicacy of put-

ting himself forward as he had done, and the inconsistency

of his professions with his conduct. She remembered that

he had boasted of having no fear of seeing Mr. Darcy --

that Mr. Darcy might leave _the_ country, but that he should

stand his ground; yet he had avoided the Netherfield ball the

very next week. She remembered, also, that till the Nether-

field family had quitted the country, he had told his story to no

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