{{prxprp293.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 293 ||

and the two, who were most anxiously expected, to the credit cf

their punctuality as sportsmen, were in very good time. When

they repaired to the dining-room, Elizabeth eagerly watched to

see whether Bingley would take the place which, in all their

former parties, had belonged to him, by her sister. Her prudent

mother, occupied by the same ideas, forbore to invite him to sit

by herself. On entering the room, he seemed to hesitate; but

Jane happened to look round, and happened to smile: it was

decided. He placed himself by her.

Elizabeth, with a triumphant sensation, looked towards his

friend. He bore it with noble indifference, and she would have

imagined that Bingley had received his sanction to be happy, had

she not seen his eyes likewise turned towards Mr. Darcy, with an

expression of half'laughing alarm.

His behaviour to her sister was such during dinner time, as

shewed an admiration of her, which, though more guarded than

formerly, persuaded Elizabeth, that if left wholly to himself,

Jane's happiness, and his own, would be speedily secured.

Though she dared not depend upon the consequence, she yet

received pleasure from observing his behaviour. It gave her all

the animation that her spirits could boast; for she was in no

cheerful humour. Mr. Darcy was almost as far from her as the

table could divide them. He was on one side of her mother.

She knew how little such a situation would give pleasure to either,

or make either appear to advantage. She was not near enough to

hear any of their discourse; but she could see how seldom they

spoke to each other, and how formal and cold was their manner,

whenever they did. Her mother's ungraciousness made the sense

of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth's mind; and

she would, at times, have given anything to be privileged to tell

him, that his kindness was neither unknown nor unfelt by the

whole of the family.

She was in hopes that the evening would afford some oppor^

tunity of bringing them together; that the whole of the visit would

not pass away without enabling them to enter into something

more of conversation, than the mere ceremonious salutation

attending his entrance. Anxious and uneasy, the period which

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