{{prxprp204.jpg}} || 204 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

he deigned to add aught of civility to his ordinary style? -- for I

dare not hope,' he continued in a lower and more serious tone,

'that he is improved in essentials.'

'Oh, no!' said Elizabeth. 'In essentials, I believe, he is very

much what he ever was.'

While she spoke, Wickham looked as if scarcely knowing

whether to rejoice over her words, or to distrust their meaning.

There was a something in her countenance which made him listen

with an apprehensive and anxious attention, while she added,

'When I said that he improved on acquaintance, I did not

mean that either his mind or manners were in a state of improve^

ment, but that from knowing him better, his disposition was

better understood.'

Wickham's alarm now appeared in a heightened complexion

and agitated look; for a few minutes he was silent; till, shaking

off his embarrassment, he turned to her again, and said in the

gentlest of accents,

'You, who so well know my feelings towards Mr. Darcy, will

readily comprehend how sincerely I must rejoice that he is wise

enough to assume even the appearance of what is right. His

pride, in that direction, may be of service, if not to himself, to

many others, for it must deter him from such foul misconduct

as I have suffered by. I only fear that the sort of cautiousness, to

which you, I imagine, have been alluding, is merely adopted on

his visits to his aunt, of whose good opinion and judgment he

stands much in awe. His fear of her has always operated, I

know, when they were together; and a good deal is to be imputed

to his wish of forwarding the match with Miss de Bourgh, which

I am certain he has very much at heart.'

Elizabeth could not repress a smile at this, but she answered

only by a slight inclination of the head. She saw that he wanted

to engage her on the old subject of his grievances, and she was

in no humour to indulge him. The rest of the evening passed

with the appearance, on his side, of usual cheerfulness, but with

no further attempt to distinguish Elizabeth; and they parted at

last with mutual civility, and possibly a mutual desire of never

meeting again.

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