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Values today well be continuing pride and prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 44 Elizabeth had settled it that Mister Darcy would bring his sister to visit her the very day after her reaching Pemberley, and was consequently resolved not to be out of sight of the inn the whole of that morning.

But her conclusion was false, for on the very morning after their own arrival at Lambton, these visitors came.

They had been walking about the place with some of their new friends, and were just returned to the inn to dress themselves for dining with the same family, when the sound of a carriage drew them to a window, and they saw a gentleman and lady in a curricle driving up the street.

Elizabeth, immediately recognizing the livery, guessed what it meant, and imparted no small degree of surprise to her relations by acquainting them with the honor which she expected.

Her uncle and aunt were all amazement, and the embarrassment of her manner as she spoke joined to the circumstance itself, and many of the circumstances of the preceding day opened to them a new idea on the business.

Nothing had ever suggested it before, but they now felt that there was no other way of accounting for such attentions from such a quarter, than by supposing a partiality for their niece.

While these newly born notions were passing in their heads, the perturbation of Elizabeths feelings was every moment increasing.

She was quite amazed at her own discomposure, but amongst other causes of disquiet, she dreaded lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in her favor, and more than commonly anxious to please, she naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her.

She retreated from the window, fearful of being seen, and as she walked up and down the room, endeavoring to compose herself, saw such looks of inquiring surprise in her uncle and aunt, as made everything worse.

Miss Darcy and her brother appeared, and this formidable introduction took place with astonishment.

Did Elizabeth see that her new acquaintance was at least as much embarrassed as herself since her being at Lambton?

She had heard that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud, but the observation of a very few minutes convinced her that she was only exceedingly shy.

She found it difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable.

Miss Darcy was tall, and on a larger scale than Elizabeth, and though little more than 16, her figure was formed, and her appearance womanly and graceful.

She was less handsome than her brother, but there was sense and good humor in her face, and her manners were perfectly unassuming and gentle.

Elizabeth, who had expected to find in her as acute and unembarrassed an observer as ever Mister Darcy had been, was much relieved by discerning such different feelings.

They had not been long together before Darcy told her that Bingley was also coming to wait on her, and she had barely time to express her satisfaction and prepare for such a visitor, when Bingleys quick step was heard on the stairs, and in a moment he entered the room.

All Elizabeths anger against him had been long done away, but had she still felt any, it could hardly have stood its ground against the unaffected cordiality with which he expressed himself.

On seeing her again, he inquired in a friendly, though general way after her family, and looked and spoke with the same good humored ease that he had ever done to Mister and misses Gardner.

He was scarcely a less interesting personage than to herself.

They had long wished to see him.

The whole party before them indeed excited a lively attention.

The suspicions which had just arisen of Mister Darcy and their niece directed their observation towards each with an earnest, though guarded, inquiry, and they soon drew from those inquiries the full conviction that one of them at least knew what it was to love of the ladies sensations they remained a little in doubt, but that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration was evident enough.

Elizabeth, on her side, had much to do.

She wanted to ascertain the feelings of each of her visitors.

She wanted to compose her own, and to make herself agreeable to all.

And in the latter object, which she feared most to fail, she was most sure of success, for those to whom she endeavored to give pleasure were prepossessed in her favorite Bingley was ready.

Georgiana was eager, and Darcy determined to be pleased.

In seeing Bingley, her thoughts naturally flew to her sister, and oh, how ardently did she long to know whether any of his were directed in a like manner.

Sometimes she could fancy that he talked less on the former occasions, and once or twice pleased herself with the notion that as he looked at her, he was trying to trace a resemblance.

But though this might be imaginary, she could not be deceived as to his behavior.

To miss Darcy, who had been set up as a rival to Jane, no look appeared on either side that spoke particular regard.

Nothing occurred between them that could justify the hopes of his sister.

On this point she was soon satisfied, and two or three little circumstances occurred ere they parted, which in her anxious interpretation denoted a recollection of Jane not untinctured by tenderness, and a wish of saying more than might lead to the mention of her.

Had he dared he observed to her at a moment when the others were talking together, and in a tone which had something of real regret, that it was a long time since he had had the pleasure of seeing her, and before she could reply, he added, it is above eight months.

We have not met since the 26 November, when we were all dancing together at Netherfield, Elizabeth was pleased to find his memory so exact, and he afterwards took occasion to ask her, when unattended by any of the rest, whether all her sisters were at Longbourn?

There was not much in the question, nor in the preceding remark, but there was a look and a manner which gave them meaning.

It was not often that she could turn her eyes on Mister Darcy himself, but whenever she did catch a glimpse, she saw an expression of general complacence.

And in all that he said, she heard an accent so far removed from Hauteur or disdain of his companions, as convinced her that the improvement of manners which she had yesterday witnessed, however temporary its existence might prove, had at least outlived one day, when she saw him thus seeking the acquaintance and courting the good opinion of people with whom any intercourse a few months ago would have been a disgrace.

When she saw him thus civil not only to herself, but to the very relations whom he had openly disdained, and recollected their last lively scene in Hunsford parsonage.

The difference?

The change was so great, and struck so forcibly on her mind, that she could hardly restrain her astonishment from being visible.

Never even in the company of his dear friends at Netherfield, or its dignified relations at Rosings, had she seen him so desirous to please, so free from self consequence or unbending reserve, as now, when no importance could result from the success of his endeavors, and when even the acquaintance of those to whom his attentions were addressed were drawn down at the ridicule and censure of the ladies, both at Netherfield and Rosings, their visitors stayed with them above half an hour, and when they arose to depart, Mister Darcy called on his sister to join him in expressing their wish of seeing Mister and misses Gardiner and Miss Bennet to dinner at Pemberley before they left the country.

Miss Darcy, though with a diffidence which marked her a little in the habit of giving invitations, readily obeyed.

Misses Gardner looked at her niece, desirous of knowing how she, whom the invitation most concerned felt disposed as to its acceptance.

But Elizabeth had turned away her head.

Presuming, however, that this studied avoidance spoke rather a momentary embarrassment than any dislike of the proposal, and seeing in her husband, who was fond of society a perfect willingness to accept it, she ventured to engage for her attendance, and the day after the next was fixed on Bingley expressed great pleasure in the certainty of seeing Elizabeth again, having still a great deal to say to her, and many inquiries to make after their Hertfordshire friends.

Elizabeth, construing all this into a wish of hearing her speak of her sister, was pleased, and on this account, as well as some others, found herself, when their visitors left them capable of considering the last half hour with some satisfaction, though while it was passing the enjoyment of it had been little eager to be alone, and fearful of inquiries or hints from her aunt and uncle, she stayed with them only long enough to hear their favorable opinion of Bingley, and then hurried away to dress.

But she had no reason to fear Mister and misses Gardner's curiosity.

It was not their wish to force her communication.

It was evident that she was much better acquainted with Mister Darcy than they had before any idea of it was evident that he was very much in love with her.

They saw much to interest, but nothing to justify inquiry of Mister Darcy.

It was now a matter of anxiety to think well, and as far as their acquaintance reached, there was no fault to find they could not be untouched by his politeness, and had they drawn his character from their own feelings, and his servants report, without any reference to any other account, the circle in Hertfordshire to which he was known would not have recognized it from Mister Darcy.

There was now an interest, however, in believing the housekeeper, and they soon became sensible, that the authority of a servant, who had known him since he was four years old, and whose own manners indicated respectability, was not to be hastily rejected.

Neither had anything occurred in the intelligence of their Lambton friends that could materially lessen its weight.

They had nothing to accuse him of but pride, pride he probably had, and if not, it would certainly be imputed by the inhabitants of a small market town, where the family did not visit.

It was acknowledged, however, that he was a liberal man, and did much good among the poor with respect to Wickham.

The traveler soon found that he was not held there in much estimation.

For though the chief of his concerns with the son of his patron were imperfectly understood, it was yet a well known fact that on his quitting Derbyshire, he had left many debts behind him, which Mister Darcy afterwards discharged.

As for Elizabeth, her thoughts were at Pemberley this evening more than the last.

And the evening, though, as it passed, it seemed long, was not long enough to determine her feelings towards one.

In that mansion she lay awake two whole hours, endeavoring to make them out.

She certainly did not hate him.

No hatred had vanished long ago, and she had almost as long been ashamed of ever feeling a dislike against him that could be so called.

The respect created by the conviction of his valuable qualities, though at first unwillingly admitted, had for some time ceased to be repugnant to her feelings.

And it was now heightened into somewhat of a friendlier nature, by the testimony so highly in his favor, and bringing forward his disposition in so amiable a light which yesterday had produced, but above all, above respect and esteem.

There was a motive within her of goodwill which could not be overlooked.

It was gratitude, gratitude, not merely for having once loved her, but for loving her still well enough to forgive all the petulance and acrimony of her manner in rejecting him, and all the unjust accusations accompanying her rejection.

He who she had been persuaded would avoid her, as his greatest enemy seemed on this accidental meeting, most eager to preserve the acquaintance, and without any indelicate display of regard or any peculiarity of manner, where their two selves only were concerned, was soliciting the good opinion of her friends, and bent on making her known to his sister.

Such a change in a man of so much pride excited not only astonishment, but gratitude.

For to love, ardent love, it must be attributed and as such its impression on her was of a sort to be encouraged, as by no means unpleasing, though it could not be exactly defined.

She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him, she felt a real interest in his welfare, and she only wanted to know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself, and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should employ the power which, her fancy told her, she still possessed, of bringing on the renewal of his addresses.

It had been settled in the evening between the aunt and niece, that such a striking civility as Miss Darcys, in coming to them on the very day of her arrival at Pemberley, for she had reached it only to a late breakfast, ought to be imitated, though it could not be equalled by some exertion of politeness on their side, and consequently that it would be highly expedient to wait on her at Pemberley the following morning.

They were therefore to go.

Elizabeth was pleased, though when she asked herself the reason, she had very little to say in reply.

Mister Gardner left them soon after breakfast.

A fishing scheme had been renewed the day before, and a positive engagement made of his meeting some of the gentlemen at Pemberley by noon.

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