Shehadinstinctivelyturnedaway;butstoppingonhisapproach,receivedheyhadjustbeenexamining,ho,astonishedandconfused,scarcelydaredlifthereyestohisface,andknewnotwhverysentencethatheutteredwasincreasingherembarrassment;andeveryideaoftheimproprietyofherbeingfoundthererecurringtohermind,thefewminutesinwhich;whenhespoke,hisaccenthadnoneofitsusualsedateness;andherepeatedhisinquiriesastothetimeofherhavingleftLongbourn,andofherstayinginDerbyshire,sooften,andinsohurriedaway,asplainlyspokethedistractionofhisthoughts.

    Atlengtheveryideaseemedtofailhim;and,afterstandingafewmomentswithoutsayingaword,hesuddenlyrecollectedhimself,andtookleave.

    Theothersthenjoinedher,andexpressedadmirationofhisfigure;butElizabethheardnotaword,andsthemostunfortunate,themostill-judgedthingintheworld!Howstrangeitmustappeartohim!Inwhatadisgracefullightmightitnotstrikesovainaman!Itmightseemasifshehadpurposelythrownherselfinhiswayagain!Oh!whydidhee?Or,whydidhethuseadaybeforehewasexpected?Hadtheybeenonlytenminutessooner,theyshouldhavebeenbeyondthereachofhisdiscrimination;foritwasplainthathewasthatmomeg.Andhisbehaviour,sostrikinglyaltered―whatcoulditmean?Thatheshouldevenspeaktoherwasamazing!―buttospeakwithsuchcivility,toinquireafterherfamily!Neverinherlifehadsheseenhismannerssolittledignified,neverhadk,whenheputhisletterintoherhand!Sheknewnotwhattothink,orhowtoaccountforit.

    Theyhadnowenteredabeautifulwalkbythesideofthewater,andeverystepwasbringingforwardanoblerfallofground,orafinerreachofthewoodstowhichtheywereapproaching;butitwassometimebeforeElizabethwassensibleofanyofit;and,thoughsheansweredmechanicallytotherepeatedappealsofheruncleandaunt,andseemedtodirecthereyestosuchobje,inwhatmannerhethoughtofher,and;shecouldnottell,buthecertainlyhadnotseenherwithposure.

    Atlength,however,theremarksofherpanionsonherabsenceofmindarousedher,andshefeltthenecessityofappearingmorelikeherself.