{{prxprp079.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 79 ||

go to town on business the day before, and was not yet returned;

adding, with a significant smile,

'I do not imagine his business would have called him away

just now, if he had not wished to avoid a certain gentleman here.'

This part of his intelligence, though unheard by Lydia, was

caught by Elizabeth, and as it assured her that Darcy was not

less answerable for Wickham's absence than if her first surmise

had been just, every feeling of displeasure against the former was

so sharpened by immediate disappointment, that she could hardly

reply with tolerable civility to the polite inquiries which he

directly afterwards approached to make. -- Attention, forbearance,

patience with Darcy, was injury to Wickham. She was resolved

against any sort of conversation with him, and turned away with

a degree of ill-humour which she could not wholly surmount even

in speaking to Mr. Eingley, whose blind partiality provoked her.

But Elizabeth was not formed for ill-humour; and though

every prospect of her own was destroyed for the evening, it could

not dwell long on her spirits; and having told all her griefs to

Charlotte Lucas, whom she had not seen for a week, she was

soon able to make a voluntary transition to the oddities of her

cousin, and to point him out to her particular notice. The two

first dances, however, brought a return of distress; they were

dances of mortification. Mr. Collins, awkward and solemn,

apologizing instead of attending, and often moving wrong without

being aware of it, gave her all the shame and misery which a

disagreeable partner for a couple of dances can give. The

moment of her release from him was ecstasy.

She danced next with an officer, and had the refreshment of

talking of Wickham, and of hearing that he was universally

liked. When those dances were over, she returned to Charlotte

Lucas, and was in conversation with her, when she found herself

suddenly addressed by Mr. Darcy, who took her so much by

surprize in his application for her hand, that, without knowing

what she did, she accepted him. He walked away again imme/

diately, and she was left to fret over her own want of presence

of mind: Charlotte tried to console her.

'I dare say you will find him very agreeable.'

 [[079]]