either; and Elizabeth was on the point of going away again, when

Bingley, who as well as the other had sat{426} down, suddenly rose, and,

whispering a few words to her sister, ran out of the room.
Jane could have no reserves from Elizabeth, where confidence would give

pleasure; and, instantly embracing her, acknowledged, with the liveliest

emotion, that she was the happiest creature in the world.
“’Tis too much!” she added, “by far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh,

why is not everybody as happy?”
Elizabeth’s congratulations were given with a sincerity, a warmth, a

delight, which words could but poorly express. Every sentence of

kindness was a fresh source of happiness to Jane. But she would not

allow herself to stay with her sister, or say half that remained to be

said, for the present.
“I must go instantly to my mother,” she cried. “I would not on any

account trifle with her affectionate solicitude, or allow her to hear it

from anyone but myself. He is gone to my father already. Oh, Lizzy, to

know that what I have to relate will give such pleasure to all my dear

family! how shall I bear so much happiness?”
She then hastened away to her mother, who had purposely broken up the

card-party, and was sitting upstairs with Kitty.
Elizabeth, who was left by herself, now smiled at the rapidity and ease

with which an affair was finally settled, that had given them so many

previous months of suspense and vexation.
“And this,” said she, “is the end of all his friend’s anxious

circumspection! of all his sister’s falsehood and contrivance! the

happiest, wisest, and most reasonable end!”
In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley, whose{427} conference with her

father had been short and to the purpose.
“Where is your sister?” said he hastily, as he opened the door.
“With my mother upstairs. She will be down in a moment, I dare say.”
He then shut the door, and, coming up to her, claimed the good wishes