“Your surprise could not be greater than mine in being noticed by you.

My conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary politeness, and I

confess that I did not expect to receive more than my due.”
“My object then,” replied Darcy, “was to show you, by every civility

in my power, that I was not so mean as to resent the past; and I hoped

to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill opinion, by letting you

see that your reproofs had been attended to. How soon any other wishes

introduced themselves, I can hardly{455} tell, but I believe in about half

an hour after I had seen you.”
He then told her of Georgiana’s delight in her acquaintance, and of her

disappointment at its sudden interruption; which naturally leading to

the cause of that interruption, she soon learnt that his resolution of

following her from Derbyshire in quest of her sister had been formed

before he quitted the inn, and that his gravity and thoughtfulness there

had arisen from no other struggles than what such a purpose must

comprehend.
She expressed her gratitude again, but it was too painful a subject to

each to be dwelt on farther.
After walking several miles in a leisurely manner, and too busy to know

anything about it, they found at last, on examining their watches, that

it was time to be at home.
“What could have become of Mr. Bingley and Jane?” was a wonder which

introduced the discussion of their affairs. Darcy was delighted with

their engagement; his friend had given him the earliest information of

it.
“I must ask whether you were surprised?” said Elizabeth.
“Not at all. When I went away, I felt that it would soon happen.”
“That is to say, you had given your permission. I guessed as much.” And

though he exclaimed at the term, she found that it had been pretty much

the case.
“On the evening before my going to London,” said he, “I made a

confession to him, which I believe I ought to have made long ago. I told