{{prxprp232.jpg}} || 232 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

part of her family were connected with that corps. Not a syllable

had ever reached her of Miss Darcy's meditated elopement. To

no creature had it been revealed, where secrecy was possible,

except to Elizabeth; and from all Bingley's connexions her

brother was particularly anxious to conceal it, from that very

wish which Elizabeth had long ago attributed to him, of their

becoming hereafter her own. He had certainly formed such a

plan, and without meaning that it should affect his endeavour to

separate him from Miss Bennct, it is probable that it might add

something to his lively concern for the welfare of his friend.

Elizabeth's collected behaviour, however, soon quieted his

emotion; and as Miss Bingley, vexed and disappointed, dared not

approach nearer to Wickham, Georgiana also recovered in time,

though not enough to be able to speak any more. Her brother,

whose eye she feared to meet, scarcely recollected her interest in

the affair, and the very circumstance which had been designed to

turn his thoughts from Elizabeth, seemed to have fixed them on

her more, and more cheerfully.

Their visit did not continue long after the question and answer

above mentioned; and while Mr. Darcy was attending them to

their carriage, Miss Bingley was venting her feelings in criticisms

on Elizabeth's person, behaviour, and dress. But Georgiana

would not join her. Her brother's recommendation was enough

to ensure her favour: his judgment could not err, and he had

spoken in such terms of Elizabedi, as to leave Georgiana without

the power of finding her otherwise than lovely and amiable.

When Darcy returned to the saloon, Miss Bingley could not help

repeating to him some part of what she had been saying to his

sister.

'How very ill Eliza Bennet looks this morning, Mr. Darcy,'

she cried; 'I never in my life saw any one so much altered as she

is since the winter. She is grown so brown and coarse! Louisa

and I were agreeing that we should not have known her again.'

However little Mr. Darcy might have liked such an address,

he contented himself with coolly replying, that he perceived no

other alteration than her being rather tanned, -- no miraculous

consequence of travelling in the summer.

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