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to Elizabeth had appeared weak and ridiculous, contained

much good sense and solid reasoning.

If he had been wavering before as to what he should do,

which had often seemed likely, the advice and entreaty of

so near a relation might settle every doubt, and determine

him at once to be as happy as dignity unblemished could

make him. In that case he would return no more. Lady

Catherine might see him in her way through town; and his

engagement to Bingley of coming again to Netherfield must

give way.

'If, therefore an excuse for not keeping his promise should

come to his friend within a few days,' she added, 'I shall

know how to understand it. I shall then give over every

expectation, every wish, of his constancy. If he is satis-

fied with only regretting me, when he might have obtained

my affections and hand, I shall soon cease to regret him

at all.'

The surprise of the rest of the family, on hearing who their

visitor had been, was very great: but they obligingly satisfied

it with the same kind of supposition which had appeased

Mrs. Bennet's curiosity; and Elizabeth was spared from much

teasing on the subject.

The next morning, as she was going downstairs, she was

met by her father, who came out of his library with a letter

in his hand.

'Lizzy,' said he, 'I was going to look for you: come into

my room.'

She followed him thither; and her curiosity to know what

he had to tell her was heightened by the supposition of its

being in some manner connected with the letter he held. It

suddenly struck her that it might be from Lady Catherine,

and she anticipated with dismay all the consequent explana-

tions.

She followed her father to the fireplace, and they both sat

down. He then said,--

'I have received a letter this morning that has astonished

me exceedingly. As it principally concerns yourself, you

ought to know its contents. I did not know before that I

had _two_ daughters on the brink of matrimony. Let me

congratulate you on a very important conquest.'

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