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observation would not have prevented her from trying to talk

to the latter, had they not been seated at an inconvenient

distance; but she was not sorry to be spared the necessity of

saying much: her own thoughts were employing her. She

expected every moment that some of the gentlemen would

enter the room: she wished, she feared, that the master of

the house might be amongst them; and whether she wished

or feared it most, she could scarcely determine. After sitting

in this manner a quarter of an hour, without hearing Miss

Bingley's voice, Elizabeth was aroused by receiving from her

a cold inquiry after the health of her family. She answered

with equal indifference and brevity, and the other said no

more.

The next variation which their visit afforded was produced

by the entrance of servants with cold meat, cake, and a

variety of all the finest fruits in season; but this did not

take place till after many a significant look and smile from

Mrs. Annesley to Miss Darcy had been given, to remind her

of her post. There was now employment for the whole

party; for though they could not all talk, they could all eat;

and the beautiful pyramids of grapes, nectarines, and peaches,

soon collected them round the table.

While thus engaged, Elizabeth had a fair opportunity of

deciding whether she most feared or wished for the appear-

ance of Mr. Darcy, by the feelings which prevailed on his

entering the room; and then, though but a moment before

she had believed her wishes to predominate, she began to

regret that he came.

He had been some time with Mr. Gardiner, who with two

or three other gentlemen from the house, was engaged by

the river, and had left him only on learning that the ladies

of the family intended a visit to Georgiana that morning.

No sooner did he appear, than Elizabeth wisely resolved to

be perfectly easy and unembarrassed; -- a resolution the more

necessary to be made, but perhaps not the more easily kept,

because she saw that the suspicions of the whole party were

awakened against them, and that there was scarcely an eye

which did not watch his behaviour when he first came into

the room. In no countenance was attentive curiosity so

strongly marked as in Miss Bingley's, in spite of the smiles

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