Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 24

Miss Bingley's letter arrived, and put an end to doubt. The very

first sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled

in London for the winter, and concluded with her brother's regret

at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in

Hertfordshire before he left the country.

Hope was over, entirely over; and when Jane could attend to the

rest of the letter, she found little, except the professed affection

of the writer, that could give her any comfort. Miss Darcy's

praise occupied the chief of it. Her many attractions were again

dwelt on, and Caroline boasted joyfully of their increasing

intimacy, and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the

wishes which had been unfolded in her former letter. She wrote

also with great pleasure of her brother's being an inmate of Mr.

Darcy's house, and mentioned with raptures some plans of the

latter with regard to new furniture.

Elizabeth, to whom Jane very soon communicated the chief of

all this, heard it in silent indignation. Her heart was divided

between concern for her sister, and resentment against all others.

To Caroline's assertion of her brother's being partial to Miss

Darcy she paid no credit. That he was really fond of Jane, she

doubted no more than she had ever done; and much as she had

always been disposed to like him, she could not think without

anger, hardly without contempt, on that easiness of temper, that

want of proper resolution, which now made him the slave of his

designing friends, and led him to sacrifice of his own happiness

to the caprice of their inclination. Had his own happiness,

however, been the only sacrifice, he might have been allowed to

sport with it in whatever manner he thought best, but her sister's

was involved in it, as she thought he must be sensible himself.

It was a subject, in short, on which reflection would be long

indulged, and must be unavailing. She could think of nothing

else; and yet whether Bingley's regard had really died away, or

were suppressed by his friends' interference; whether he had

been aware of Jane's attachment, or whether it had escaped his

observation; whatever were the case, though her opinion of him

must be materially affected by the difference, her sister's

situation remained the same, her peace equally wounded.

A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her

feelings to Elizabeth; but at last, on Mrs. Bennet's leaving them

together, after a longer irritation than usual about Netherfield

and its master, she could not help saying: