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Bingley was punctual to his appointment; and he and Mr.

Bennet spent the morning together, as had been agreed on.

The latter was much more agreeable than his companion

expected. There was nothing of presumption or folly in

Bingley that could provoke his ridicule, or disgust him into

silence; and he was more communicative, and less eccentric,

than the other had ever seen him. Bingley of course re-

turned with him to dinner; and in the evening Mrs. Bennet's

invention was again at work to get everybody away from

him and her daughter. Elizabeth, who had a letter to write,

went into the breakfast-room for that purpose soon after

tea; for as the others were all going to sit down to cards,

she could not be wanted to counteract her mother's schemes.

But on her returning to the drawing-room, when her letter

was finished, she saw, to her infinite surprise, there was rea-

son to fear that her mother had been too ingenious for her.

On opening the door, she perceived her sister and Bingley

standing together over the hearth, as if engaged in earnest

conversation; and had this led to no suspicion, the faces of

both, as they hastily turned round and moved away from each

other, would have told it all. _Their_ situation was awkward

enough; but _hers_ she thought was still worse. Not a syllable

was uttered by either; and Elizabeth was on the point of go-

ing away again, when Bingley, who as well as the other had

sat down, suddenly rose, and, whispering a few words to her

sister, ran out of the room.

Jane could have no reserves from Elizabeth, where confi-

dence would give pleasure; and instantly embracing her

acknowledged, with the liveliest emotion, that she was the

happiest creature in the world.

'Tis too much!' she added, 'by far too much. I do not

deserve it. Oh, why is not everybody as happy?'

Elizabeth's congratulations were given with a sincerity, a

warmth, a delight, which words could but poorly express.

Every sentence of kindness was a fresh source of happiness

to Jane. But she would not allow herself to stay with her

sister, or say half that remained to be said, for the present.

'I must go instantly to my mother,' she cried. 'I would

not on any account trifle with her affectionate solicitude, or

allow her to hear it from any one but myself. He is gone to

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