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Jane looked at Elizabeth with surprise and concern. She

knew but little of their meeting in Derbyshire, and therefore

felt for the awkwardness which must attend her sister, in

seeing him almost for the first time after receiving his

explanatory letter. Both sisters were uncomfortable enough.

Each felt for the other, and of course for themselves; and

their mother talked on of her dislike of Mr. Darcy, and her

resolution to be civil to him only as Mr. Bingley's friend,

without being heard by either of them. But Elizabeth had

sources of uneasiness which could not be suspected by Jane,

to whom she had never yet had courage to show Mrs.

Gardiner's letter, or to relate her own change of sentiment

towards him.

To Jane he could be only a man whose proposals she

had refused, and whose merits she had undervalued;

but to her own more extensive information he was the

person to whom the whole family were indebted for the

first of benefits, and whom she regarded herself with an

interest, if not quite so tender, at least as reasonable and

just, as what Jane felt for Bingley. Her astonishment at

his coming -- at his coming to Netherfield, to Longbourn,

and voluntarily seeking her again, was almost equal to what

she had known on first witnessing his altered behaviour in

Derbyshire.

The colour which had been driven from her face returned

for half a minute with an additional glow, and a smile of

delight added lustre to her eyes, as she thought for that

space of time that his affection and wishes must still be

unshaken; but she would not be secure.

'Let me first see how he behaves,' said she; 'it will then

be early enough for expectation.'

She sat intently at work, striving to be composed, and

without daring to lift up her eyes, till anxious curiosity

carried them to the face of her sister as the servant was

approaching the door. Jane looked a little paler than usual,

but more sedate than Elizabeth had expected. On the

gentlemen's appearing, her colour increased; yet she received

them with tolerable ease, and with a propriety of behaviour

equally free from any symptom of resentment, or any unnec-

essary complaisance.

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