Austen Said:

“but it is confined to his air, and is not unbecoming. I can now say with the housekeeper, that though some people may call him proud, I have seen nothing of it.”

“To be sure, Lizzy,”

“he is not so handsome as Wickham; or, rather, he has not Wickham's countenance, for his features are perfectly good. But how came you to tell me that he was so disagreeable?”

“From what we have seen of him,”

“I really should not have thought that he could have behaved in so cruel a way by anybody, as he has done by poor Wickham. He has not an ill-natured look. On the contrary, there is something pleasing about his mouth when he speaks. And there is something of dignity in his countenance that would not give one an unfavourable idea of his heart. But, to be sure, the good lady who showed us his house did give him a most flaming character! I could hardly help laughing aloud sometimes. But he is a liberal master, I suppose, and that in the eye of a servant comprehends every virtue.”

“But what is to be done about Pemberley?”

“John told us Mr. Darcy was here when you sent for us; was it so?”

“What is all settled?”

“And are they upon such terms as for her to disclose the real truth? Oh, that I knew how it was!”

“Upon my word,”

“I begin to be of your uncle's opinion. It is really too great a violation of decency, honour, and interest, for him to be guilty of it. I cannot think so very ill of Wickham. Can you yourself, Lizzy, so wholly give him up, as to believe him capable of it?”

“But you see that Jane,”

“does not think so very ill of Wickham as to believe him capable of the attempt.”

“And do you really know all this?”

“But does Lydia know nothing of this? can she be ignorant of what you and Jane seem so well to understand?”

“When they all removed to Brighton, therefore, you had no reason, I suppose, to believe them fond of each other?”

with the design of cheering and heartening them up

nothing, therefore, could be fairly conjectured from that,

“Gracechurch street, Sept. 6.

“My dear niece,

“I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it, as I foresee that alittle writing will not comprise what I have to tell you. I must confess myself surprised by your application; I did not expect it from you. Don't think me angry, however, for I only mean to let you know that I had not imagined such inquiries to be necessary on your side. If you do not choose to understand me, forgive my impertinence. Your uncle is as much surprised as I am — and nothing but the belief of your being a party concerned would have allowed him to act as he has done. But if you are really innocent and ignorant, I must be more explicit. "On the very day of my coming home from Longbourn, your uncle had a most unexpected visitor. Mr. Darcy called, and was shut up with him several hours. It was all over before I arrived; so my curiosity was not so dreadfully racked as yours seems to have been.

He came to tell Mr. Gardiner that

and that

From what I can collect,

The motive professed was his conviction of

He generously imputed

and confessed that

He called it, therefore,

If he had another motive, I am sure it would never disgrace him.

it seems,

though he did not say what.

he knew,

I suppose,

At length, however, our kind friend procured the wished-for direction.

he acknowledged,

Since such were her feelings, it only remained,

he thought,

to secure and expedite a marriage, which, in his very first conversation with Wickham,

he easily learnt

had never beenhis design.

He confessed

and scrupled not to lay all the ill-consequences of Lydia's flight on her own folly alone.

"Mr. Darcy asked him

But

he found,

in reply to this question,

that

and

Mr. Darcy found,

on further inquiry,