{{prxprp300.jpg}} || 300 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

to hear it from any one but myself. He is gone to my father

already. Oh! Lizzy, to know that what I have to relate will give

such pleasure to all my dear family! how shall I bear so much

happiness!'

She then hastened away to her mother, who had purposely

broken up the card^party, and was sitting upstairs with Kitty.

Elizabeth, who was left by herself, now smiled at the rapidity

and ease with which an affair was finally settled, that had given

them so many previous months of [suspense] and vexation.

'And this,' said she, 'is the end of all his friend's anxious

circumspection! of all his sister's falsehood and contrivance! the

happiest, wisest, and most reasonable end!'

In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley, whose conference

with her father had been short and to the purpose.

'Where is your sister?' said he hastily, as he opened the door.

'With my mother up stairs. She will be down in a moment,

I dare say.'

He then shut the door, and coming up to her, claimed the good

wishes and affection of a sister. Elizabeth honestly and heartily

expressed her delight in the prospect of their relationship. They

shook hands with great cordiality; and then, till her sister came

down, she had to listen to all he had to say of his own happiness,

and of Jane's perfections; and in spite of his being a lover, Elizabeth

really believed all his expectations of felicity to be rationally

founded, because they had for basis the excellent understanding,

and super^excellent disposition of Jane, and a general similarity

of feeling and taste between her and himself.

It was an evening of no common delight to them all; the

satisfaction of Miss Bennet's mind gave such a glow of sweet

animation to her face, as made her look handsomer than ever.

Kitty simpered and smiled, and hoped her turn was coming

soon. Mrs. Bennet could not give her consent, or speak her

approbation in terms warm enough to satisfy her feelings, though

she talked to Bingley of nothing else, for half an hour; and when

Mr. Bennet joined them at supper, his voice and manner plainly

shewed how really happy he was.

Not a word, however, passed his lips in allusion to it, till their

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