Thegentlemencame;andshethoughthelookedasifhewouldhaveansweredherhopes;but,alas!theladieshadcrowdedroundthetable,whereMissBenwasmakingtea,andElizabethpouringoutthecoffee,insocloseaconfederacythattherertoherthanever,andsaid,inawh;doe,hadscarcelypatienceenoughtohelpanybodytocoffee;andthenwasenragedagainstherselfforbeingsosilly!

    “Amanwhohasoncebeenrefused!HowcouldIeverbefoolishenoughtoexpectarenewalofhislove?Isthereoneamongthesex,whowouldnotprotestagainstsuchaweaknessasasecondproposaltothesamewoman?Thereisnoindignitysoabhorrenttotheirfeelings!”

    Shewasalittlerevived,however,byhisbringingbackhiscoffeecuphimself;andsheseizedtheopportunityofsaying:

    “IsyoursisteratPemberleystill?”

    “Yes,shewillremaintheretillChristmas.”

    h,thesethreeweeks.”

    Shecouldthinkofnothingmoretosay;but;and,atlast,ontheyounglady'swhisperingtoElizabethagain,hewalkedaway.

    Whenthetea-thingswereremoved,andthecard-tablesplaced,theladiesallrose,andElizabethwasthenhopingtobesoonjoinedbyhim,whenallherviewswereoverthrownbyseeinghimfallavictimtohermother'srapacityforwhistplayersortheeveningatdifferenttables,andshehadnothingtohope,butthathiseyesweresooftenturnedtowardshersideoftheroom,supper;buttheircarriagewasunluckilyorderedbeforeanyoftheothers,andshehadnoopportunityofdetainingthem.

    “Wellgirls,”saidshe,assoonastheywerelefttothemselves,“Whatsayyoutotheday?Isroasts'lastweek;one;erlived―andherniecesareveryprettybehavedgirlss;shehadseenenoughofBingley'sbehaviourtoJane,tobeconvincedthatshewouldgethimatlast;andherexpectationsofadvantagetoherfamily,wheninahappyhumour,weresofarbeyondreason,thatshewasquitedisappointedatnotseeinghimthereagainthenextday,tomakehisproposals.

    “Ither.Ihopewemayoftenmeetagaavenowlearnttoenjoyhisconversationasanagreeableandsensibleyoungman,withouthavingawishbeyondit.Iamperfectlysatisfied,fromwhathismannersss,andastrongerdesireofgenerallypleasing,thananyotherman.”

    “Youareverycruel,”saidhersister,“youwillnotletmesmile,andareprovokingmetoiteverymoment.”

    “Howharditisinsomecasestobebelieved!”

    “Andhowimpossibleinothers!”

    “ButwhyshouldyouwishtopersuademethatIfeelmorethanIacknowledge?”

    andifyoupersistinindifference,donotmakemeyourconfidante.”