第125章[第1页/共4页]

“Why,if he came only to be silent,grave,and indifferent,”said she,“did he come at all?”

She was in hopes that the evening would afford some opportunity of bringing them together;that the whole of the visit would not pass away without enabling them to enter into something more of conversation than the mere ceremonious salutation attending his entrance.Anxious and uneasy,the period which passed in the drawing-room, before the gentlemen came, was wearisome and dull to a degree that almost made her uncivil.She looked forward to their entrance as the point on which all her chance of pleasure for the evening must depend.

On Tuesday there was a large party assembled at Longbourn;and the two who were most anxiously expected,to the credit of their punctuality as sportsmen, were in very good time.When they repaired to the dining-room, Elizabeth eagerly watched to see whether Bingley would take the place,which,in all their former parties,had belonged to him, by her sister. Her prudent mother, occupied by the same ideas,forbore to invite him to sit by herself. On entering the room, he seemed to hesitate;but Jane happened to look round,and happened to smile: it was decided. He placed himself by her.