“I suspected as much,”replied Elizabeth.“But how did he account for it?”
Elizabeth had now but little time for conversation with her sister;for while he was present,Jane had no attention to bestow on anyone else;but she found herself considerably useful to both of them in those hours of separation that must sometimes occur. In the absence of Jane,he always attached himself to Elizabeth, for the pleasure of talking of her; and when Bingley was gone, Jane constantly sought the same means of relief.
Bingley,from this time,was of course a daily visitor at Longbourn;coming frequently before breakfast,and always remaining till after supper;unless when some barbarous neighbour,who could not be enough detested,had given him an invitation to dinner which he thought himself obliged to accept.
This naturally introduced a panegyric from Jane on his diffidence, and the little value he put on his own good qualities.Elizabeth was pleased to find that he had not betrayed the interference of his friend;for,though Jane had the most generous and forgiving heart in the world,she knew it was a circumstance which mu