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.
“Well, Lizzy,” said Mrs. Bennet, one day, “what is your opinion now of

this sad business of Jane’s? For my part, I am determined never to speak

of it again to anybody. I told my sister Philips so the other day. But I

cannot find out that Jane saw anything of him in{283} London. Well, he is a

very undeserving young man—and I do not suppose there is the least

chance in the world of her ever getting him now. There is no talk of his

coming to Netherfield again in the summer; and I have inquired of

everybody, too, who is likely to know.”

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“I am determined never to speak of it again”


{284}
“I do not believe that he will ever live at Netherfield any more.”
“Oh, well! it is just as he chooses. Nobody wants him to come; though I

shall always say that he used my daughter extremely ill; and, if I was

her, I would not have put up with it. Well, my comfort is, I am sure

Jane will die of a broken heart, and then he will be sorry for what he

has done.”
But as Elizabeth could not receive comfort from any such expectation she

made no answer.
“Well, Lizzy,” continued her mother, soon afterwards, “and so the

Collinses live very comfortable, do they? Well, well, I only hope it

will last. And what sort of table do they keep? Charlotte is an

excellent manager, I dare say. If she is half as sharp as her mother,

she is saving enough. There is nothing extravagant in their

housekeeping, I dare say.”
“No, nothing at all.”
“A great deal of good management, depend upon it. Yes, yes. They will

take care not to outrun their income. They will never be distressed

for money. Well, much good may it do them! And so, I suppose, they often