{{prxprp084.jpg}} || 84 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

'His guilt and his descent appear by your account to be the

same,' said Elizabeth angrily; Tor I have heard you accuse him

of nothing worse than of being the son of Mr. Darcy's steward,

and of that, I can assure you, he informed me himself'

4 I beg your pardon,' replied Miss Bingley, turning away with

a sneer. 'Excuse my interference. It was kindly meant.'

'Insolent girl!' said Elizabeth to herself. -- 'You are much

mistaken if you expect to influence me by such a paltry attack as

this. I see nothing in it but your own wilful ignorance and the

malice of Mr. Darcy.' She then sought her eldest sister, who had

undertaken to make inquiries on the same subject of Bingley.

Jane met her with a smile of such sweet complacency, a glow of

such happy expression, as sufficiently marked how well she was

satisfied with the occurrences of the evening. -- Elizabeth instantly

read her feelings, and at that moment solicitude for Wickham,

resentment against his enemies, and everything else gave way

before the hope of Jane's being in the fairest way for happiness.

'I want to know,' said she, with a countenance no less smiling

than her sister's, 'what you have learnt about Mr. Wickham. But

perhaps you have been too pleasantly engaged to think of any

third person; in which case you may be sure of my pardon.'

'No,' replied Jane, ' I have not forgotten him; -- but I have

nothing satisfactory to tell you. Mr. Bingley does not know the

whole of his history, and is quite ignorant of the circumstances

which have principally offended Mr. Darcy; but he will vouch

for the good conduct, the probity, and honour of his friend, and

is perfectly convinced that Mr. Wickham has deserved much less

attention from Mr. Darcy than he has received; and I am sorry

to say that by his account as well as his sister's, Mr. Wickham is

by no means a respectable young man. I am afraid he has

been very imprudent, and has deserved to lose Mr. Darcy's

regard.'

'Mr. Bingley does not know Mr. Wickham himself;'

'No; he never saw him till the other morning at Meryton.'

'This account then is what he has received from Mr. Darcy.

I am perfectly satisfied. But what does he say of the living;'

'He does not exactly recollect the circumstances, though he has

 [[084]]