Chapter 44

Elizabeth had settled it that Mr. Darcy would bring his sister to visit her the very day after her
reaching Pemberley; and was consequently resolved not to be out of sight of the inn the whole of that morning. But her
conclusion was false; for on the very morning after their arrival at Lambton, these visitors came. They had been walking
about the place with some of their new friends, and were just returning to the inn to dress themselves for dining with
the same family, when the sound of a carriage drew them to a window, and they saw a gentleman and a lady in a curricle
driving up the street. Elizabeth immediately recognizing the livery, guessed what it meant, and imparted no small degree
of her surprise to her relations by acquainting them with the honour which she expected. Her uncle and aunt were all
amazement; and the embarrassment of her manner as she spoke, joined to the circumstance itself, and many of the
circumstances of the preceding day, opened to them a new idea on the business. Nothing had ever suggested it before, but
they felt that there was no other way of accounting for such attentions from such a quarter than by supposing a
partiality for their niece. While these newly-born notions were passing in their heads, the perturbation of Elizabeth’s
feelings was at every moment increasing. She was quite amazed at her own discomposure; but amongst other causes of
disquiet, she dreaded lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in her favour; and, more than commonly
anxious to please, she naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her.

Miss Darcy and her brother appeared, and this formidable introduction took place
 

She retreated from the window, fearful of being seen; and as she walked up and down the room, endeavouring to compose
herself, saw such looks of inquiring surprise in her uncle and aunt as made everything worse.

Miss Darcy and her brother appeared, and this formidable introduction took place. With astonishment did Elizabeth see
that her new acquaintance was at least as much embarrassed as herself. Since her being at Lambton, she had heard that
Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud; but the observation of a very few minutes convinced her that she was only exceedingly
shy. She found it difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable.

Miss Darcy was tall, and on a larger scale than Elizabeth; and, though little more than sixteen, her figure was
formed, and her appearance womanly and graceful. She was less handsome than her brother; but there was sense and good
humour in her face, and her manners were perfectly unassuming and gentle. Elizabeth, who had expected to find in her as
acute and unembarrassed an observer as ever Mr. Darcy had been, was much relieved by discerning such different
feelings.

They had not long been together before Mr. Darcy told her that Bingley was also coming to wait on her; and she had
barely time to express her satisfaction, and prepare for such a visitor, when Bingley’s quick step was heard on the
stairs, and in a moment he entered the room. All Elizabeth’s anger against him had been long done away; but had she still
felt any, it could hardly have stood its ground against the unaffected cordiality with which he expressed himself on
seeing her again. He inquired in a friendly, though general way, after her family, and looked and spoke with the same
good-humoured ease that he had ever done.

To Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner he was scarcely a less interesting personage than to herself. They had long wished to see
him. The whole party before them, indeed, excited a lively attention. The suspicions which had just arisen of Mr. Darcy
and their niece directed their observation towards each with an earnest though guarded inquiry; and they soon drew from
those inquiries the full conviction that one of them at least knew what it was to love. Of the lady’s sensations they
remained a little in doubt; but that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration was evident enough.

Elizabeth, on her side, had much to do. She wanted to ascertain the feelings of each of her visitors; she wanted to
compose her own, and to make herself agreeable to all; and in the latter object, where she feared most to fail, she was
most sure of success, for those to whom she endeavoured to give pleasure were prepossessed in her favour. Bingley was
ready, Georgiana was eager, and Darcy determined, to be pleased.

In seeing Bingley, her thoughts naturally flew to her sister; and, oh! how ardently did she long to know whether any
of his were directed in a like manner. Sometimes she could fancy that he talked less than on former occasions, and once
or twice pleased herself with the notion that, as he looked at her, he was trying to trace a resemblance. But, though
this might be imaginary, she could not be deceived as to his behaviour to Miss Darcy, who had been set up as a rival to
Jane. No look appeared on either side that spoke particular regard. Nothing occurred between them that could justify the
hopes of his sister. On this point she was soon satisfied; and two or three little circumstances occurred ere they
parted, which, in her anxious interpretation, denoted a recollection of Jane not untinctured by tenderness, and a wish of
saying more that might lead to the mention of her, had he dared. He observed to her, at a moment when the others were
talking together, and in a tone which had something of real regret, that it “was a very long time since he had had the
pleasure of seeing her;” and, before she could reply, he added, “It is above eight months. We have not met since the 26th
of November, when we were all dancing together at Netherfield.”

Elizabeth was pleased to find his memory so exact; and he afterwards took occasion to ask her, when unattended to by
any of the rest, whether all her sisters were at Longbourn. There was not much in the question, nor in the
preceding remark; but there was a look and a manner which gave them meaning.

It was not often that she could turn her eyes on Mr. Darcy himself; but, whenever she did catch a glimpse, she saw an
expression of general complaisance, and in all that he said she heard an accent so removed from hauteur or disdain of his
companions, as convinced her that the improvement of manners which she had yesterday witnessed however temporary its
existence might prove, had at least outlived one day. When she saw him thus seeking the acquaintance and courting the
good opinion of people with whom any intercourse a few months ago would have been a disgrace — when she saw him thus
civil, not only to herself, but to the very relations whom he had openly disdained, and recollected their last lively
scene in Hunsford Parsonage — the difference, the change was so great, and struck so forcibly on her mind, that she could
hardly restrain her astonishment from being visible. Never, even in the company of his dear friends at Netherfield, or
his dignified relations at Rosings, had she seen him so desirous to please, so free from self-consequence or unbending
reserve, as now, when no importance could result from the success of his endeavours, and when even the acquaintance of
those to whom his attentions were addressed would draw down the ridicule and censure of the ladies both of Netherfield as
Rosings.

Their visitors stayed with them above half-an-hour; and when they arose to depart, Mr. Darcy called on his sister to
join him in expressing their wish of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, and Miss Bennet, to dinner at Pemberley, before they
left the country. Miss Darcy, though with a diffidence which marked her little in the habit of giving invitations,
readily obeyed. Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece, desirous of knowing how she, whom the invitation most
concerned, felt disposed as to its acceptance, but Elizabeth had turned away her head. Presuming however, that this
studied avoidance spoke rather a momentary embarrassment than any dislike of the proposal, and seeing in her husband, who
was fond of society, a perfect willingness to accept it, she ventured to engage for her attendance, and the day after the
was fixed on.

Bingley expressed great pleasure in the certainty of seeing Elizabeth again, having still a great deal to say to her,
and many inquiries to make after all their Hertfordshire friends. Elizabeth, construing all this into a wish of hearing
her speak of her sister, was pleased, and on this account, as well as some others, found herself, when their visitors
left them, capable of considering the last half-hour with some satisfaction, though while it was passing, the enjoyment
of it had been little. Eager to be alone, and fearful of inquiries or hints from her uncle and aunt, she stayed with them
only long enough to hear their favourable opinion of Bingley, and then hurried away to dress.

But she had no reason to fear Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner’s curiosity; it was not their wish to force her communication. It
was evident that she was much better acquainted with Mr. Darcy than they had before any idea of; it was evident that he
was very much in love with her. They saw much to interest, but nothing to justify inquiry.

Of Mr. Darcy it was now a matter of anxiety to think well; and, as far as their acquaintance reached, there was no
fault to find. They could not be untouched by his politeness; and had they drawn his character from their own feelings
and his servant’s report, without any reference to any other account, the circle in Hertfordshire to which he was known
would not have recognized it for Mr. Darcy. There was now an interest, however, in believing the housekeeper; and they
soon became sensible that the authority of a servant who had known him since he was four years old, and whose own manners
indicated respectability, was not to be hastily rejected. Neither had anything occurred in the intelligence of their
Lambton friends that could materially lessen its weight. They had nothing to accuse him of but pride; pride he probably
had, and if not, it would certainly be imputed by the inhabitants of a small market-town where the family did not visit.
It was acknowledged, however, that he was a liberal man, and did much good among the poor.

With respect to Wickham, the travellers soon found that he was not held there in much estimation; for though the chief
of his concerns with the son of his patron were imperfectly understood, it was yet a well-known fact that, on his
quitting Derbyshire, he had left many debts behind him, which Mr. Darcy afterwards discharged.

As for Elizabeth, her thoughts were at Pemberley this evening more than the last; and the evening, though as it passed
it seemed long, was not long enough to determine her feelings towards one in that mansion; and she lay awake two
whole hours endeavouring to make them out. She certainly did not hate him. No; hatred had vanished long ago, and she had
almost as long been ashamed of ever feeling a dislike against him, that could be so called. The respect created by the
conviction of his valuable qualities, though at first unwillingly admitted, had for some time ceased to be repugnant to
her feeling; and it was now heightened into somewhat of a friendlier nature, by the testimony so highly in his favour,
and bringing forward his disposition in so amiable a light, which yesterday had produced. But above all, above respect
and esteem, there was a motive within her of goodwill which could not be overlooked. It was gratitude; gratitude, not
merely for having once loved her, but for loving her still well enough to forgive all the petulance and acrimony of her
manner in rejecting him, and all the unjust accusations accompanying her rejection. He who, she had been persuaded, would
avoid her as his greatest enemy, seemed, on this accidental meeting, most eager to preserve the acquaintance, and without
any indelicate display of regard, or any peculiarity of manner, where their two selves only were concerned, was
soliciting the good opinion of her friends, and bent on making her known to his sister. Such a change in a man of so much
pride exciting not only astonishment but gratitude — for to love, ardent love, it must be attributed; and as such its
impression on her was of a sort to be encouraged, as by no means unpleasing, though it could not be exactly defined. She
respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him, she felt a real interest in his welfare; and she only wanted to know
how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself, and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should
employ the power, which her fancy told her she still possessed, of bringing on her the renewal of his addresses.

It had been settled in the evening between the aunt and the niece, that such a striking civility as Miss Darcy’s in
coming to see them on the very day of her arrival at Pemberley, for she had reached it only to a late breakfast, ought to
be imitated, though it could not be equalled, by some exertion of politeness on their side; and, consequently, that it
would be highly expedient to wait on her at Pemberley the following morning. They were, therefore, to go. Elizabeth was
pleased; though when she asked herself the reason, she had very little to say in reply.

Mr. Gardiner left them soon after breakfast. The fishing scheme had been renewed the day before, and a positive
engagement made of his meeting some of the gentlemen at Pemberley before noon.