“I do not believe he will ever live at Netherfield any more.”
“No,nothing at all.”
“That it ought not to be attempted.Mr.Darcy has not authorised me to make his communication public. On the contrary, every particular relative to his sister was meant to be kept as much as possible to myself; and if I endeavour to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct, who will believe me?The general prejudice against Mr. Darcy is so violent, that it would be the death of half the good people in Meryton to attempt to place him in an amiable light.I am not equal to it.Wickham will soon be gone;and therefore it will not signify to anyone here what he really is. Some time hence it will be all found out, and then we may laugh at their stupidity in not knowing it before.At present I will say nothing about it.”
Miss Bennet paused a little, and then replied,“Surely there can be no occasion for exposing him so dreadfully.What is your opinion?”
She was now, on being settled at home, at leisure to observe the real state of her sister's spirits.Jane was not happy.She still cherished a very tender affection for Bingley.Having never even fancied herself in love before, her regard had all the warmth of first attachment, and, from her age and disposition, greater steadiness than first attachments often boast;and so fervently did she value his remembrance,and prefer him to every other man, that all her good sense,and all her attention to the feelings of her friends, were requisite to check the indulgence of those regrets which must have been injurious to her own health and their tranquillity.