“For the liveliness of your mind,I did.”
“And if I had not a letter to write myself,I might sit by you and admire the evenness of your writing,as another young lady once did.But I have an aunt,too,who must not be longer neglected.”
“Shall you ever have courage to announce to Lady Catherine what is to befall her?”
“I cannot fix on the hour,or the spot,or the look,or the words, which laid the foundation.It is too long ago.I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”
“Lady Catherine has been of infinite use,which ought to make her happy, for she loves to be of use.But tell me,what did you come down to Netherfield for?Was it merely to ride to Longbourn and be embarrassed? or had you intended any more serious consequence?”
“I would have thanked you before,my dear aunt,as I ought to have done,for your long,kind,satisfactory,detail of particulars;but to say the truth,I was too cross to write.You supposed more than really existed. But now suppose as much as you choose;give a loose rein to your fancy,indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford,and unless you believe me actually married,you cannot greatly err.You must write again very soon,and praise him a great deal more than you did in your last. I thank you, again and again, for not going to the Lakes. How could I be so silly as to wish it!Your idea of the ponies is delightful.We will go round the Park every day.I am the happiest creature in the world.Perhaps other people have said so before, but no one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles,I laugh.Mr.Darcy sends you all the love in the world that he can spare from me.You are all to come to Pemberley at Christmas.Yours,etc.”