Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 345 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 345

Pride and Prejudice

remember no more substantial good than the general

approbation of the neighbourhood, and the regard

which his social powers had gained him in the mess.

After pausing on this point a considerable while, she

once more continued to read. But, alas! the story which

followed, of his designs on Miss Darcy, received some

confirmation from what had passed between Colonel

Fitzwilliam and herself only the morning before; and at

last she was referred for the truth of every particular

to Colonel Fitzwilliam himselffrom whom she had

previously received the information of his near concern

in all his cousin’s affairs, and whose character she had

no reason to question. At one time she had almost

resolved on applying to him, but the idea was checked

by the awkwardness of the application, and at length

wholly banished by the conviction that Mr. Darcy

would never have hazarded such a proposal, if he had

not been well assured of his cousin’s corroboration.

She perfectly remembered everything that had

passed in conversation between Wickham and herself,

in their first evening at Mr. Phillips’s. Many of his

expressions were still fresh in her memory. She was

now struck with the impropriety of such communica-

tions to a stranger, and wondered it had escaped

her before. She saw the indelicacy of putting himself

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