keener sense of her sister’s sufferings. It was some consolation to

think that his visit to Rosings was to end on the day after the next,

and a still greater that in less than a fortnight she should herself be

with Jane again, and enabled to contribute to the recovery of her

spirits, by all that affection could do.
She could not think of Darcy’s leaving Kent without remembering that his

cousin was to go with him; but Colonel Fitzwilliam had made it clear

that he had no intentions at all, and, agreeable as he was, she did not

mean to be unhappy about him.
While settling this point, she was suddenly roused by the sound of the

door-bell; and her spirits were a little fluttered by the idea of its

being Colonel Fitzwilliam himself, who had once before called late in

the evening, and might now come to inquire particularly after her. But

this idea was soon banished, and her spirits were very differently

affected, when, to her utter amazement, she saw Mr. Darcy walk into the

room. In a hurried manner he immediately began an inquiry after her

health, imputing his visit to a wish of hearing that she were better.

She answered him with cold civility. He sat down for a few moments, and

then getting up walked{237} about the room. Elizabeth was surprised, but

said not a word. After a silence of several minutes, he came towards her

in an agitated manner, and thus began:—
“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be

repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love

you.”
Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured,

doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient encouragement,

and the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her immediately

followed. He spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the

heart to be detailed, and he was not more eloquent on the subject of

tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority, of its being a