him except just now and then; so do not put yourself to inconvenience.”
During their walk, it was resolved that Mr. Bennet’s consent should be

asked in the course of the evening: Elizabeth reserved to herself the

application for her mother’s. She could not determine how her mother

would take it; sometimes doubting whether all his wealth and grandeur

would be enough to overcome her abhorrence of the man; but whether she

were violently set against the match, or violently delighted with it, it

was certain that her manner would be equally ill adapted to do credit to

her sense; and she could no more bear that Mr. Darcy should hear the

first raptures of her joy, than the first vehemence of her

disapprobation.
In the evening, soon after Mr. Bennet withdrew to the library, she saw

Mr. Darcy rise also and follow him, and her agitation on seeing it was

extreme. She did not fear her father’s opposition, but he was going to

be made unhappy, and that it should be through her means; that she,

his favourite child, should be distressing him by her choice, should be

filling him with fears and regrets in{462} disposing of her, was a wretched

reflection, and she sat in misery till Mr. Darcy appeared again, when,

looking at him, she was a little relieved by his smile. In a few minutes

he approached the table where she was sitting with Kitty; and, while

pretending to admire her work, said in a whisper, “Go to your father; he

wants you in the library.” She was gone directly.
Her father was walking about the room, looking grave and anxious.

“Lizzy,” said he, “what are you doing? Are you out of your senses to be

accepting this man? Have not you always hated him?”
How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions had been more

reasonable, her expressions more moderate! It would have spared her from

explanations and professions which it was exceedingly awkward to give;

but they were now necessary, and she assured him, with some confusion,