ConvincedasElizabethnowwasthatMissBingley'sdislikeofherhadoriginatedinjealousy,shecouldnothelpfeelinghowunweleherappearanceatPemberleymustbetoher,andwascurioustoknowwithhowmuchcivilityonthatlady'ssidetheacquaintancewouldnowberenewed.

    Onreachingthehouse,theywereshownthroughthehallintothesviewofthehighwoodyhillsbehindthehouse,andofthebeautifuloaksandSpahalltheembarrassmentwhich,thoughproceedingfromshynessandthefearofdoingwrong,wouldeasilygivetothosewhofelt;and,ontheirbeingseated,apause,awkngwoman,whoseendeavourtointroducesomekindofdiscourseprovedhertobemoretrulywell-bredthaneitheroftheothers;nit;andsometimesdidventureashortsentencewhentherewasleastdangerofitsbeingheard.

    ElizabethsoonsawthatshewasherselfcloselywatchedbyMissBingley,andthatshecouldnotspeaklktothelatter,hadtheynotbeenseatedataninconvenientdistance;bngstthem;andwhengMissBingley'svoice,Elizabethwasrousedbyressaidnomore.

    Thenextvariationwhichtheirvisitaffordedwasproducedbytheentranceofservantswithcoldmeat,cake,andavarietyofallthefinestfruitsinseason;butthisdidnotta.Therewasnowemploymentforthewholeparty―forthoughtheycouldnotalltalk,theycouldalleat;andthebeautifulpyramidsofgrapes,nectarines,andpeachessooncollectedthemroundthetable.

    Whilethusengaged,Elizabethhadafairopportunityofdecid;andthen,thoughbutamomentbeforeshehadbelievedherwishestopredominate,shebeganse,wasengagedbytheriver,andhadlefthimonlyonlearningthatthelerfectlyeasyandunembarrassed;aresolutionthemorenecessarytobemade,butperhapsnotthemoreeasilykept,becauseshesawthatthesuspicionsofthewholepartywereawakenedagainstthem,andthattherewasscarcelyaneyewhichsinMissBingley's,inspiteofthesmileswhichoverspreadherfacewhenevershespoketooneofitsobjects;forjeace,exertedherselfmuchmoretotalk,andElizabethsawthathewasanxiousforhissisterandherselftogetacquainted,andforwardedas;and,intheimprudenceofanger,tookthefirstopportunityofsaying,withsneeringcivility:

    “Pray,MissEliza,arenotthe―shireMilitiaremovedfromMeryton?Theymustbeagreatlosstoyourfamily.”