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my father already. Oh, Lizzy, to know that what I have to

relate will give such pleasure to all my dear family; how

shall I bear so much happiness?'

She then hastened away to her mother, who had purposely

broken up the card party, and was sitting upstairs with Kitty.

Elizabeth, who was left by herself, now smiled at the rapid-

ity and ease with which an affair was finally settled, that had

given them so many previous months of surprise and vexa-

tion.

'And this,' said she, 'is the end of all his friend's anxious

circumspection! of all his sister's falsehood and contrivance!

the happiest, wisest, and most reasonable end!'

In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley, whose con-

ference with her father had been short and to the purpose.

'Where is your sister?' said he hastily, as he opened the

door.

'With my mother upstairs. She will be down in a moment,

I daresay.'

He then shut the door, and, coming up to her, claimed the

good wishes and affection of a sister. Elizabeth honestly and

heartily expressed her delight in the prospect of their rela-

tionship. They shook hands with great cordiality; and then,

till her sister came down, she had to listen to all he had to

say of his own happiness, and of Jane's perfections; and in

spite of his being a lover, Elizabeth really believed all his

expectations of felicity to be rationally founded, because

they had for basis the excellent understanding and super-~

excellent disposition of Jane, and a general similarity of feel-

ing and taste between her and himself.

It was an evening of no common delight to them all; the

satisfaction of Miss Bennet's mind gave such a glow of sweet

animation to her face, as made her look handsomer than

ever. Kitty simpered and smiled, and hoped her turn was

coming soon. Mrs. Bennet could not give her consent, or

speak her approbation, in terms warm enough to satisfy her

feelings, though she talked to Bingley of nothing else for half

an hour; and when Mr. Bennet joined them at supper, his

voice and manner plainly showed how really happy he was.

Not a word, however, passed his lips in allusion to it, till

their visitor took his leave for the night, but as soon as he

was gone, he turned to his daughter and said,--

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