第81章[第1頁/共5頁]

“A great many indeed,”said her companion with a sigh.

Jane looked well, and Elizabeth had little opportunity of studying her spirits, amidst the various engagements which the kindness of her aunt had reserved for them.But Jane was to go home with her,and at Longbourn there would be leisure enough for observation.

It was not without an effort, meanwhile, that she could wait even for Longbourn, before she told her sister of Mr. Darcy's proposals.To know that she had the power of revealing what would so exceedingly astonish Jane,and must,at the same time, so highly gratify whatever of her own vanity she had not yet been able to reason away,was such a temptation to openness as nothing could have conquered but the state of indecision in which she remained as to the extent of what she should communicate;and her fear,if she once entered on the subject,of being hurried into repeating something of Bingley which might only grieve her sister further.

Elizabeth added privately,“And how much I shall have to conceal!”

“I know not, Miss Elizabeth,”said he,“whether Mrs. Collins has yet expressed her sense of your kindness in coming to us;but I am very certain you will not leave the house without receiving her thanks for it.The favor of your company has been much felt, I assure you.We know how little there is to tempt anyone to our humble abode.Our plain manner of living,our small rooms and few domestics,and the little we see of the world,must make Hunsford extremely dull to a young lady like yourself;but I hope you will believe us grateful for the condescension, and that we have done everything in our power to prevent your spending your time unpleasantly.”