第42章

M iss Bingley's letter arrived，and put an end to doubt. The very first sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London for the winter，and concluded with her brother's regret at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country.

Hope was over，entirely over；and when Jane could attend to the rest of the letter，she found little，except the professed affection of the writer，that could give her any comfort. Miss Darcy's praise occupied the chief of it.Her many attractions were again dwelt on，and Caroline boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy，and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former letter.She wrote also with great pleasure of her brother's being an inmate of Mr.Darcy's house，and mentioned with raptures，some plans of the latter with regard to new furniture.

Elizabeth，to whom Jane very soon communicated the chief of all this，heard it in silent indignation. Her heart was divided between concern for her sister，and resentment against all the others.To Caroline's assertion of her brother's being partial to Miss Darcy she paid no credit.That he was really fond of Jane，she doubted no more than she had ever done；and much as she had always been disposed to like him，she could not think withoutanger，hardly without contempt，on that easiness of temper，that want of proper resolution which now made him the slave of his designing friends，and led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations.Had his own happiness，however，been the only sacrifice，he might have been allowed to sport with it in what ever manner he thought best；but her sister's was involved in it，as she thought he must be sensible himself.It was a subject，in short，on which reflection would be long indulged，and must be unavailing.She could think of nothing else，and yet whether Bingley's regard had really died away，or were suppressed by his friends'interference；whether he had been aware of Jane's attachment，or whether it had escaped his observation；whichever were the case，though her opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference，her sister's situation remained the same，her peace equally wounded.

A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her feelings to Elizabeth；but at last on Mrs. Bennet's leaving them together，after a longer irritation than usual about Netherfield and its master，she could not help saying，

'Oh！that my dear mother had more command over herself；she can have no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him. But I will not repine.It cannot last long.He will be forgot，and we shall all be as we were before.'

Elizabeth looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude，but said nothing.

'You doubt me，'cried Jane，slightly colouring；'indeed you have no reason. He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance，but that is all.I have nothing either to hope or fear，and nothing to reproach him with.Thank God！I have notthat pain.A little time therefore.—I shall certainly try to get the better.'

With a stronger voice she soon added，'I have this comfort immediately，that it has not been more than an error of fancy on my side，and that it has done no harm to any one but myself.'

'My dear Jane！'exclaimed Elizabeth，'you are too good. Your sweetness and disinterestedness are really angelic；I do not know what to say to you.I feel as if I had never done you justice，or loved you as you deserve.'

Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary merit，and threw back the praise on her sister's warm affection.

'Nay，'said Elizabeth，'this is not fair. You wish to think all the world respectable，and are hurt if I speak ill of any body.I only want to think you perfect，and you set yourself against it.Do not be afraid of my running into any excess，of my encroaching on your privilege of universal good will.You need not.There are few people whom I really love，and still fewer of whom I think well.The more I see of the world，the more am I dissatisfied with it；and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters，and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.I have met with two instances lately；one I will not mention；the other is Charlotte's marriage.It is unaccountable！in every view it is unaccountable！'

'My dear Lizzy，do not give way to such feelings as these. They will ruin your happiness.You do not make allowance enough for difference of situation and temper.Consider Mr.Collins's respectability，and Charlotte's prudent，steady character.Remember that she is one of a large family；that as to fortune，it is a most eligible match；and be ready to believe，for every body'ssake，that she may feel something like regard and esteem for our cousin.

'To oblige you，I would try to believe almost any thing，but no one else could be benefited by such a belief as this；for were I persuaded that Charlotte had any regard for him，I should only think worse of her understanding，than I now do of her heart. My dear Jane，Mr.Collins is a conceited，pompous，narrow-minded，silly man；you know he is，as well as I do；and you must feel，as well as I do，that the woman who marries him，cannot have a proper way of thinking.You shall not defend her，though it is Charlotte Lucas.You shall not，for the sake of one individual，change the meaning of principle and integrity，nor endeavour to persuade yourself or me，that selfishness is prudence，and insensibility of danger，security for happiness.'