Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 546 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 546

JANE AUSTEN

“I wish I could say anything to comfort you,” replied

Elizabeth; “but it is wholly out of my power. You must

feel it; and the usual satisfaction of preaching patience

to a sufferer is denied me, because you have always so

much.”

Mr. Bingley arrived. Mrs. Bennet, through the assis-

tance of servants, contrived to have the earliest tidings

of it, that the period of anxiety and fretfulness on her

side might be as long as it could. She counted the days

that must intervene before their invitation could be

sent; hopeless of seeing him before. But on the third

morning after his arrival in Hertfordshire, she saw him,

from her dressing-room window, enter the paddock and

ride towards the house.

Her daughters were eagerly called to partake of

her joy. Jane resolutely kept her place at the table;

but Elizabeth, to satisfy her mother, went to the

windowshe looked ,she saw Mr. Darcy with him,

and sat down again by her sister.

“There is a gentleman with him, mamma,” said Kitty;

“who can it be?”

“Some acquaintance or other, my dear, I suppose; I

am sure I do not know.”

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