Chapter 44

Elizabeth had settled it that Mr. Darcy would bring his sister to visit

her the very day after her reaching Pemberley; and was consequently

resolved not to be out of sight of the inn the whole of that morning.

But her conclusion was false; for on the very morning after their

arrival at Lambton, these visitors came. They had been walking about the

place with some of their new friends, and were just returning to the inn

to dress themselves for dining with the same family, when the sound of a

carriage drew them to a window, and they saw a gentleman and a lady in

a curricle driving up the street. Elizabeth immediately recognizing

the livery, guessed what it meant, and imparted no small degree of her

surprise to her relations by acquainting them with the honour which she

expected. Her uncle and aunt were all amazement; and the embarrassment

of her manner as she spoke, joined to the circumstance itself, and many

of the circumstances of the preceding day, opened to them a new idea on

the business. Nothing had ever suggested it before, but they felt that

there was no other way of accounting for such attentions from such a

quarter than by supposing a partiality for their niece. While these

newly-born notions were passing in their heads, the perturbation of

Elizabeth's feelings was at every moment increasing. She was quite

amazed at her own discomposure; but amongst other causes of disquiet,

she dreaded lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much

in her favour; and, more than commonly anxious to please, she naturally

suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her.

She retreated from the window, fearful of being seen; and as she walked

up and down the room, endeavouring to compose herself, saw such looks of

inquiring surprise in her uncle and aunt as made everything worse.

Miss Darcy and her brother appeared, and this formidable introduction

took place. With astonishment did Elizabeth see that her new

acquaintance was at least as much embarrassed as herself. Since her

being at Lambton, she had heard that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud;

but the observation of a very few minutes convinced her that she was

only exceedingly shy. She found it difficult to obtain even a word from

her beyond a monosyllable.

Miss Darcy was tall, and on a larger scale than Elizabeth; and, though

little more than sixteen, her figure was formed, and her appearance

womanly and graceful. She was less handsome than her brother; but there

was sense and good humour in her face, and her manners were perfectly

unassuming and gentle. Elizabeth, who had expected to find in her as

acute and unembarrassed an observer as ever Mr. Darcy had been, was much

relieved by discerning such different feelings.

They had not long been together before Mr. Darcy told her that Bingley

was also coming to wait on her; and she had barely time to express her

satisfaction, and prepare for such a visitor, when Bingley's quick

step was heard on the stairs, and in a moment he entered the room. All

Elizabeth's anger against him had been long done away; but had she still

felt any, it could hardly have stood its ground against the unaffected

cordiality with which he expressed himself on seeing her again. He

inquired in a friendly, though general way, after her family, and looked

and spoke with the same good-humoured ease that he had ever done.

To Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner he was scarcely a less interesting personage

than to herself. They had long wished to see him. The whole party before

them, indeed, excited a lively attention. The suspicions which had just

arisen of Mr. Darcy and their niece directed their observation towards

each with an earnest though guarded inquiry; and they soon drew from

those inquiries the full conviction that one of them at least knew

what it was to love. Of the lady's sensations they remained a little

in doubt; but that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration was

evident enough.

Elizabeth, on her side, had much to do. She wanted to ascertain the

feelings of each of her visitors; she wanted to compose her own, and

to make herself agreeable to all; and in the latter object, where she

feared most to fail, she was most sure of success, for those to whom she

endeavoured to give pleasure were prepossessed in her favour. Bingley

was ready, Georgiana was eager, and Darcy determined, to be pleased.

In seeing Bingley, her thoughts naturally flew to her sister; and, oh!

how ardently did she long to know whether any of his were directed in

a like manner. Sometimes she could fancy that he talked less than on

former occasions, and once or twice pleased herself with the notion

that, as he looked at her, he was trying to trace a resemblance. But,

though this might be imaginary, she could not be deceived as to his

behaviour to Miss Darcy, who had been set up as a rival to Jane. No look

appeared on either side that spoke particular regard. Nothing occurred

between them that could justify the hopes of his sister. On this point

she was soon satisfied; and two or three little circumstances occurred

ere they parted, which, in her anxious interpretation, denoted a

recollection of Jane not untinctured by tenderness, and a wish of saying

more that might lead to the mention of her, had he dared. He observed

to her, at a moment when the others were talking together, and in a tone

which had something of real regret, that it "was a very long time since

he had had the pleasure of seeing her;" and, before she could reply,

he added, "It is above eight months. We have not met since the 26th of

November, when we were all dancing together at Netherfield."

Elizabeth was pleased to find his memory so exact; and he afterwards

took occasion to ask her, when unattended to by any of the rest, whether

_all_ her sisters were at Longbourn. There was not much in the question,

nor in the preceding remark; but there was a look and a manner which

gave them meaning.

It was not often that she could turn her eyes on Mr. Darcy himself;

but, whenever she did catch a glimpse, she saw an expression of general

complaisance, and in all that he said she heard an accent so removed

from _hauteur_ or disdain of his companions, as convinced her that

the improvement of manners which she had yesterday witnessed however

temporary its existence might prove, had at least outlived one day. When

she saw him thus seeking the acquaintance and courting the good opinion

of people with whom any intercourse a few months ago would have been a

disgrace--when she saw him thus civil, not only to herself, but to the

very relations whom he had openly disdained, and recollected their last

lively scene in Hunsford Parsonage--the difference, the change was

so great, and struck so forcibly on her mind, that she could hardly

restrain her astonishment from being visible. Never, even in the company

of his dear friends at Netherfield, or his dignified relations

at Rosings, had she seen him so desirous to please, so free from

self-consequence or unbending reserve, as now, when no importance

could result from the success of his endeavours, and when even the

acquaintance of those to whom his attentions were addressed would draw

down the ridicule and censure of the ladies both of Netherfield and

Rosings.

Their visitors stayed with them above half-an-hour; and when they arose

to depart, Mr. Darcy called on his sister to join him in expressing

their wish of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, and Miss Bennet, to dinner

at Pemberley, before they left the country. Miss Darcy, though with a

diffidence which marked her little in the habit of giving invitations,

readily obeyed. Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece, desirous of knowing

how _she_, whom the invitation most concerned, felt disposed as to its

acceptance, but Elizabeth had turned away her head. Presuming however,

that this studied avoidance spoke rather a momentary embarrassment than

any dislike of the proposal, and seeing in her husband, who was fond of

society, a perfect willingness to accept it, she ventured to engage for

her attendance, and the day after the next was fixed on.

Bingley expressed great pleasure in the certainty of seeing Elizabeth

again, having still a great deal to say to her, and many inquiries to

make after all their Hertfordshire friends. Elizabeth, construing all

this into a wish of hearing her speak of her sister, was pleased, and on

this account, as well as some others, found herself, when their

visitors left them, capable of considering the last half-hour with some

satisfaction, though while it was passing, the enjoyment of it had been

little. Eager to be alone, and fearful of inquiries or hints from her

uncle and aunt, she stayed with them only long enough to hear their

favourable opinion of Bingley, and then hurried away to dress.

But she had no reason to fear Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner's curiosity; it was

not their wish to force her communication. It was evident that she was

much better acquainted with Mr. Darcy than they had before any idea of;

it was evident that he was very much in love with her. They saw much to

interest, but nothing to justify inquiry.

Of Mr. Darcy it was now a matter of anxiety to think well; and, as far

as their acquaintance reached, there was no fault to find. They could

not be untouched by his politeness; and had they drawn his character

from their own feelings and his servant's report, without any reference

to any other account, the circle in Hertfordshire to which he was known

would not have recognized it for Mr. Darcy. There was now an interest,

however, in believing the housekeeper; and they soon became sensible

that the authority of a servant who had known him since he was four

years old, and whose own manners indicated respectability, was not to be

hastily rejected. Neither had anything occurred in the intelligence of

their Lambton friends that could materially lessen its weight. They had

nothing to accuse him of but pride; pride he probably had, and if not,

it would certainly be imputed by the inhabitants of a small market-town

where the family did not visit. It was acknowledged, however, that he

was a liberal man, and did much good among the poor.

With respect to Wickham, the travellers soon found that he was not held

there in much estimation; for though the chief of his concerns with the

son of his patron were imperfectly understood, it was yet a well-known

fact that, on his quitting Derbyshire, he had left many debts behind

him, which Mr. Darcy afterwards discharged.

As for Elizabeth, her thoughts were at Pemberley this evening more than

the last; and the evening, though as it passed it seemed long, was not

long enough to determine her feelings towards _one_ in that mansion;

and she lay awake two whole hours endeavouring to make them out. She

certainly did not hate him. No; hatred had vanished long ago, and she

had almost as long been ashamed of ever feeling a dislike against him,

that could be so called. The respect created by the conviction of his

valuable qualities, though at first unwillingly admitted, had for some

time ceased to be repugnant to her feeling; and it was now heightened

into somewhat of a friendlier nature, by the testimony so highly in

his favour, and bringing forward his disposition in so amiable a light,

which yesterday had produced. But above all, above respect and esteem,

there was a motive within her of goodwill which could not be overlooked.

It was gratitude; gratitude, not merely for having once loved her,

but for loving her still well enough to forgive all the petulance and

acrimony of her manner in rejecting him, and all the unjust accusations

accompanying her rejection. He who, she had been persuaded, would avoid

her as his greatest enemy, seemed, on this accidental meeting, most

eager to preserve the acquaintance, and without any indelicate display

of regard, or any peculiarity of manner, where their two selves only

were concerned, was soliciting the good opinion of her friends, and bent

on making her known to his sister. Such a change in a man of so much

pride exciting not only astonishment but gratitude--for to love, ardent

love, it must be attributed; and as such its impression on her was of a

sort to be encouraged, as by no means unpleasing, though it could not be

exactly defined. She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him,

she felt a real interest in his welfare; and she only wanted to know how

far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself, and how far it would

be for the happiness of both that she should employ the power, which her

fancy told her she still possessed, of bringing on her the renewal of

his addresses.

It had been settled in the evening between the aunt and the niece, that

such a striking civility as Miss Darcy's in coming to see them on the

very day of her arrival at Pemberley, for she had reached it only to a

late breakfast, ought to be imitated, though it could not be equalled,

by some exertion of politeness on their side; and, consequently, that

it would be highly expedient to wait on her at Pemberley the following

morning. They were, therefore, to go. Elizabeth was pleased; though when

she asked herself the reason, she had very little to say in reply.

Mr. Gardiner left them soon after breakfast. The fishing scheme had been

renewed the day before, and a positive engagement made of his meeting

some of the gentlemen at Pemberley before noon.