“Was there no good in your affectionate behaviour to Jane while she was ill at Netherfield?”
From an unwillingness to confess how much her intimacy with Mr.Darcy had been over-rated,Elizabeth had never yet answered Mrs.Gardiner's long letter;but now,having that to communicate which she knew would be most welcome,she was almost ashamed to find that her uncle and aunt had already lost three days of happiness,and immediately wrote as follows:
“I must trouble you once more for congratulations. Elizabeth will soon be the wife of Mr. Darcy. Console Lady Catherine as well as you can.But,if I were you,I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give.
“How unlucky that you should have a reasonable answer to give, and that I should be so reasonable as to admit it!But I wonder how long you would have gone on,if you had been left to yourself. I wonder when you would have spoken, if I had not asked you! My resolution of thanking you for your kindness to Lydia had certainly great effect.Too much,I am afraid;for what becomes of the moral,if our comfort springs from a breach of promise?for I ought not to have mentioned the subject.This will never do.”
“I cannot fix on the hour,or the spot,or the look,or the words, which laid the foundation.It is too long ago.I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”