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Pride & Prejudice – page 231

Pride and Prejudice

With a stronger voice she soon added, “I have this

comfort immediately, that it has not been more than an

error of fancy on my side, and that it has done no harm

to anyone but myself.”

“My dear Jane!” exclaimed Elizabeth, “you are too

good. Your sweetness and disinterestedness are really

angelic; I do not know what to say to you. I feel as

if I had never done you justice, or loved you as you

deserve.”

Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary

merit, and threw back the praise on her sister’s warm

affection.

“Nay,” said Elizabeth, “this is not fair. You wish to

think all the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak

ill of anybody. I only want to think you perfect, and you

set yourself against it. Do not be afraid of my running

into any excess, of my encroaching on your privilege of

universal good-will. You need not. There are few people

whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well.

The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied

with it; and every day confirms my belief of the

inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little

dependence that can be placed on the appearance of

merit or sense. I have met with two instances lately, one

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