{{prxprp239.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 239 ||

Lydia -- the humiliation, the misery she was bringing on them

all, soon swallowed up every private care; and covering her face

with her handkerchief, Elizabeth was soon lost to everything else;

and, after a pause of several minutes, was only recalled to a sense

of her situation by the voice of her companion, who, in a manner

which, though it spoke compassion, spoke likewise restraint,

said, 'I am afraid you have been long desiring my absence, nor

have I any thing to plead in excuse of my stay, but real, though

unavailing concern. Would to Heaven that anything could be

either said or done on my part, that might offer consolation to such

distress. But I will not torment you with vain wishes, which

may seem purposely to ask for your thanks. This unfortunate

affair will, I fear, prevent my sister's having the pleasure of seeing

you at Pemberley to-day.'

'Oh, yes. Be so kind as to apologize for us to Miss Darcy.

Say that urgent business calls us home immediately. Conceal

the unhappy truth as long as it is possible. -- I know it cannot

be long.'

He readily assured her of his secrecy -- again expressed his

sorrow for her distress, wished it a happier conclusion than there

was at present reason to hope, and leaving his compliments for

her relations, with only one serious, parting look, went away.

As he quitted the room, Elizabeth felt how improbable it was

that they should ever see each other again on such terms of cor-

diality as had marked their several meetings in Derbyshire; and

as she threw a retrospective glance over the whole of their acquaint-

ance, so full of contradictions and varieties, sighed at the per-

verseness of those feelings which would now have promoted its

continuance and would formerly have rejoiced in its termination.

If gratitude and esteem are good foundations of affection,

Elizabeth's change of sentiment will be neither improbable nor

faulty. But if otherwise, -- if the regard springing from such

sources is unreasonable or unnatural, in comparison of what is

so often described as arising on a first interview with its object,

and even before two words have been exchanged -- nothing can

be said in her defence, except that she had given somewhat of

a trial to the latter method, in her partiality for Wickham, and that

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