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第98章（第1页）

OfMr.Darcyitwasnowamatterofanxietytothinkwell;and，asfarastheiracquaintancereached，therewasnofaulttofind.Theycouldnotbeuntouchedbyhispoliteness;andhadtheydrawnhischaracterfromtheirownfeelingsandhisservantsreport，withoutanyreferencetoanyotheraccount，thecircleinHertfordshiretowhichhewasknownwouldnothaverecognizeditforMr.Darcy.Therewasnowaninterest，however，inbelievingthehousekeeper;andtheysoonbecamesensiblethattheauthorityofaservantwhohadknownhimsincehewasfouryearsold，andwhoseownmannersindicatedrespectability，wasnottobehastilyrejected.NeitherhadanythingoccurredintheintelligenceoftheirLambtonfriendsthatcouldmateriallylessenitsweight.Theyhadnothingtoaccusehimofbutpride;prideheprobablyhad，andifnot，itwouldcertainlybeimputedbytheinhabitantsofasmallmarket-townwherethefamilydidnotvisit.Itwasacknowledged，however，thathewasaliberalman，anddidmuchgoodamongthepoor.

WithrespecttoWickham，thetravellerssoonfoundthathewasnotheldthereinmuchestimation;forthoughthechiefofhisconcernswiththesonofhispatronwereimperfectlyunderstood，itwasyetawell-knownfactthat，onhisquittingDerbyshire，hehadleftmanydebtsbehindhim，whichMr.Darcyafterwardsdischarged.

AsforElizabeth，herthoughtswereatPemberleythiseveningmorethanthelast;andtheevening，thoughasitpasseditseemedlong，wasnotlongenoughtodetermineherfeelingstowardsoneinthatmansion;andshelayawaketwowholehoursendeavouringtomakethemout.ShecertainlydidnothatehiNo;hatredhadvanishedlongago，andshehadalmostaslongbeenashamedofeverfeelingadislikeagainsthim，thatcouldbesocalled.Therespectcreatedbytheconvictionofhisvaluablequalities，thoughatfirstunwillinglyadmitted，hadforsometimeceasedtoberepugnanttoherfeeling;anditwasnowheightenedintosomewhatofafriendliernature，bythetestimonysohighlyinhisfavour，andbringingforwardhisdispositioninsoamiablealight，whichyesterdayhadproduced.Butaboveall，aboverespectandesteem，therewasamotivewithinherofgoodwillwhichcouldnotbeoverlooked.Itwasgratitude;gratitude，notmerelyforhavingoncelovedher，butforlovingherstillwellenoughtoforgiveallthepetulanceandacrimonyofhermannerinrejectinghim，andalltheunjustaccusationsaccompanyingherrejection.Hewho，shehadbeenpersuaded，wouldavoidherashisgreatestenemy，seemed，onthisaccidentalmeeting，mosteagertopreservetheacquaintance，andwithoutanyindelicatedisplayofregard，oranypeculiarityofmanner，wheretheirtwoselvesonlywereconcerned，wassolicitingthegoodopinionofherfriends，andbentonmakingherknowntohissister.Suchachangeinamanofsomuchprideexcitingnotonlyastonishmentbutgratitude—fortolove，ardentlove，itmustbeattributed;andassuchitsimpressiononherwasofasorttobeencouraged，asbynomeansunpleasing，thoughitcouldnotbeexactlydefined.Sherespected，sheesteemed，shewasgratefultohim，shefeltarealinterestinhiswelfare;andsheonlywantedtoknowhowfarshewishedthatwelfaretodependuponherself，andhowfaritwouldbeforthehappinessofboththatsheshouldemploythepower，whichherfancytoldhershestillpossessed，ofbringingonhertherenewalofhisaddresses.

Ithadbeensettledintheeveningbetweentheauntandtheniece，thatsuchastrikingcivilityasMissDarcysincomingtothemontheverydayofherarrivalatPemberley，forshehadreacheditonlytoalatebreakfast，oughttobeimitated，thoughitcouldnotbeequalled，bysomeexertionofpolitenessontheirside;and，consequently，thatitwouldbehighlyexpedienttowaitonheratPemberleythefollowingmorning.Theywere，therefore，togo.Elizabethwaspleased;thoughwhensheaskedherselfthereason，shehadverylittletosayinreply.

Mr.Gardinerleftthemsoonafterbreakfast.Thefishingschemehadbeenrenewedthedaybefore，andapositiveengagementmadeofhismeetingsomeofthegentlemenatPemberleybeforenoon.