第81章[第1页/共5页]

Their journey was performed without much conversation, or any alarm; and within four hours of their leaving Hunsford they reached Mr. Gardiner's house,where they were to remain a few days.

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

Elizabeth was eager with her thanks and assurances of happiness. She had spent six weeks with great enjoyment; and the pleasure of being with Charlotte,and the kind attentions she had received, must make her feel the obliged. Mr. Collins was gratified,and with a more smiling solemnity replied:

“But,”he added,“you will of course wish to have your humble respects delivered to them, with your grateful thanks for their kindness to you while you have been here.”

Elizabeth made no objection;the door was then allowed to be shut,and the carriage drove off.

Words were insufficient for the elevation of his feelings; and he was obliged to walk about the room,while Elizabeth tried to unite civility and truth in a few short sentences.

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.