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Pride & Prejudice – page 415

Pride and Prejudice

strikingly alteredwhat could it mean? That he should

even speak to her was amazing!but to speak with such

civility, to inquire after her family! Never in her life

had she seen his manners so little dignified, never had

he spoken with such gentleness as on this unexpected

meeting. What a contrast did it offer to his last address

in Rosings Park, when he put his letter into her hand!

She knew not what to think, or how to account for it.

They had now entered a beautiful walk by the side of

the water, and every step was bringing forward a nobler

fall of ground, or a finer reach of the woods to which

they were approaching; but it was some time before

Elizabeth was sensible of any of it; and, though she

answered mechanically to the repeated appeals of her

uncle and aunt, and seemed to direct her eyes to such

objects as they pointed out, she distinguished no part

of the scene. Her thoughts were all fixed on that one

spot of Pemberley House, whichever it might be, where

Mr. Darcy then was. She longed to know what at the

moment was passing in his mindin what manner he

thought of her, and whether, in defiance of everything,

she was still dear to him. Perhaps he had been civil

only because he felt himself at ease; yet there had been

that in his voice which was not like ease. Whether he

had felt more of pain or of pleasure in seeing her she

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