“You are joking,Lizzy.This cannot be!―engaged to Mr.Darcy! No,no,you shall not deceive me.I know it to be impossible.”
Jane looked at her doubtingly.“Oh,Lizzy!it cannot be.I know how much you dislike him.”
“My dearest sister,now be serious.I want to talk very seriously. Let me know every thing that I am to know,without delay.Will you tell me how long you have loved him?”
“Good gracious!”cried Mrs.Bennet,as she stood at a window the next morning,“if that disagreeable Mr.Darcy is not coming here again with our dear Bingley!What can he mean by being so tiresome as to be always coming here?I had no notion but he would go a-shooting, or something or other, and not disturb us with his company.What shall we do with him? Lizzy, you must walk out with him again,that he may not be in Bingley's way.”
“It may do very well for the others,”replied Mr.Bingley;“but I am sure it will be too much for Kitty.Won't it,Kitty?”
“Very,very much.Nothing could give either Bingley or myself more delight.But we considered it,we talked of it as impossible. And do you really love him quite well enough? Oh, Lizzy! do anything rather than marry without affection.Are you quite sure that you feel what you ought to do?”
As soon as they entered,Bingley looked at her so expressively, and shook hands with such warmth,as left no doubt of his good information; and he soon afterwards said aloud,“Mrs. Bennet, have you no more lanes hereabouts in which Lizzy may lose her way again to-day?”