第137章[第2页/共4页]

“And your assurance of it,I suppose,carried immediate conviction to him.”

“Did you speak from your own observation,”said she,“when you told him that my sister loved him, or merely from my information last spring?”

“What could become of Mr. Bingley and Jane!”was a wonder which introduced the discussion of their affairs. Darcy was delighted with their engagement; his friend had given him the earliest information of it.

“I am almost afraid of asking what you thought of me,when we met at Pemberley.You blamed me for coming?”

“I must ask whether you were surprised?”said Elizabeth.

“No indeed;I felt nothing but surprise.”

Elizabeth could not help smiling at his easy manner of directing his friend.

“From the former.I had narrowly observed her during the two visits which I had lately made here;and I was convinced of her affection.”

“On the evening before my going to London,”said he,“I made a confession to him,which I believe I ought to have made long ago. I told him of all that had occurred to make my former interference in his affairs absurd and impertinent. His surprise was great.He had never had the slightest suspicion.I told him, moreover,that I believed myself mistaken in supposing,as I had done,that your sister was indifferent to him;and as I could easily perceive that his attachment to her was unabated,I felt no doubt of their happiness together.”