Pride and Prejudice

chapter 12

In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth

wrote the next morning to their mother, to beg that the carriage might

be sent for them in the course of the day. But Mrs. Bennet, who had

calculated on her daughters remaining at Netherfield till the following

Tuesday, which would exactly finish Jane's week, could not bring herself

to receive them with pleasure before. Her answer, therefore, was

not propitious, at least not to Elizabeth's wishes, for she was impatient

to get home. Mrs. Bennet sent them word that they could not possibly

have the carriage before Tuesday; and in her postscript it was added,

that if Mr. Bingley and his sister pressed them to stay longer, she could

spare them very well. Against staying longer, however, Elizabeth was

positively resolved-nor did she much expect it would be asked; and

fearful, on the contrary, as being considered as intruding themselves

needlessly long, she urged Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley's carriage immediately,

and at length it was settled that their original design of leaving

Netherfield that morning should be mentioned, and the request made.

The communication excited many professions of concern; and

enough was said of wishing them to stay at least till the following

day to work on Jane; and till the morrow their going was deferred.

Miss Bingley was then sorry that she had proposed the delay, for her

jealousy and dislike of one sister much exceeded her affection for the

other.

The master of the house heard with real sorrow that they were to

go so soon, and repeatedly tried to persuade Miss Bennet that it would

not be safe for her-that she was not enough recovered; but Jane was

firm where she felt herself to be right.

To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence-Elizabeth had been at

Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he liked-and

Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teasing than usual to himself.

He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration

should now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope

of influencing his felicity; sensible that if such an idea had been suggested,

his behaviour during the last day must have material weight in

confirming or crushing it. Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke ten

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words to her through the whole of Saturday, and though they were at

one time left by themselves for half-an-hour, he adhered most conscientiously

to his book, and would not even look at her.

On Sunday, after morning service, the separation, so agreeable to

almost all, took place. Miss Bingley's civility to Elizabeth increased

at last very rapidly, as well as her affection for Jane; and when they

parted, after assuring the latter of the pleasure it would always give

her to see her either at Longbourn or Netherfield, and embracing her

most tenderly, she even shook hands with the former. Elizabeth took

leave of the whole party in the liveliest of spirits.

They were not welcomed home very cordially by their mother. Mrs.

Bennet wondered at their coming, and thought them very wrong to

give so much trouble, and was sure Jane would have caught cold again.

But their father, though very laconic in his expressions of pleasure, was

really glad to see them; he had felt their importance in the family circle.

The evening conversation, when they were all assembled, had lost

much of its animation, and almost all its sense by the absence of Jane

and Elizabeth.

They found Mary, as usual, deep in the study of thorough-bass and

human nature; and had some extracts to admire, and some new observations

of threadbare morality to listen to. Catherine and Lydia had information

for them of a different sort. Much had been done and much

had been said in the regiment since the preceding Wednesday; several

of the officers had dined lately with their uncle, a private had been

flogged, and it had actually been hinted that Colonel Forster was going

to be married.