Chapter 12
In consequence of an agreement between the
sisters, Elizabeth wrote the next morning to her mother, to beg
that the carriage might be sent for them in the course of the day.
But Mrs. Bennet, who had calculated on her daughters remaining at
Netherfield till the following Tuesday, which would exactly finish
Jane’s week, could not bring herself to receive them with pleasure
before. Her answer, therefore, was not propitious, at least not to
Elizabeth’s wishes, for she was impatient to get home. Mrs. Bennet
sent them word that they could not possibly have the carriage
before Tuesday; and in her postscript it was added, that if Mr.
Bingley and his sister pressed them to stay longer, she could spare
them very well. Against staying longer, however, Elizabeth was
positively resolved—nor did she much expect it would be asked; and
fearful, on the contrary, of being considered as intruding
themselves needlessly long, she urged Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley’s
carriage immediately, and at length it was settled that their
original design of leaving Netherfield that morning should be
mentioned, and the request made.
The communication excited many professions of
concern; and enough was said of wishing them to stay at least till
the following day to work on Jane; and till the morrow their going
was deferred. Miss Bingley was then sorry that she had proposed the
delay; for her jealousy and dislike of one sister much exceeded her
affection for the other.
The master of the house heard with real sorrow that
they were to go so soon, and repeatedly tried to persuade Miss
Bennet that it would not be safe for her—that she was not enough
recovered; but Jane was firm where she felt herself to be
right.
To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence: Elizabeth
had been at Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he
liked; and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teasing
than usual to himself. He wisely resolved to be particularly
careful that no sign of admiration should now escape
him—nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his
felicity; sensible that, if such an idea had been suggested, his
behaviour during the last day must have material weight in
confirming or crushing it. Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke
ten words to her through the whole of Saturday; and though they
were at one time left by themselves for half an hour, he adhered
most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at
her.
On Sunday, after morning service, the separation,
so agreeable to almost all, took place. Miss Bingley’s civility to
Elizabeth increased at last very rapidly, as well as her affection
for Jane; and when they parted, after assuring the latter of the
pleasure it would always give her to see her either at Longbourn or
Netherfield, and embracing her most tenderly, she even shook hands
with the former Elizabeth took leave of the whole party in the
liveliest spirits.
They were not welcomed home very cordially by their
mother. Mrs. Bennet wondered at their coming, and thought them very
wrong to give so much trouble, and was sure Jane would have caught
cold again. But their father, though very laconic in his
expressions of pleasure, was really glad to see them; he had felt
their importance in the family circle. The evening conversation,
when they were all assembled, had lost much of its animation, and
almost all its sense, by the absence of Jane and Elizabeth.
They found Mary, as usual, deep in the study of
thorough bassv and
human nature; and had some new extracts to admire, and some new
observations of thread-bare morality to listen to. Catherine and
Lydia had information for them of a different sort. Much had been
done, and much had been said, in the regiment since the preceding
Wednesday; several of the officers had dined lately with their
uncle; a private had been flogged, and it had actually been hinted
that Colonel Forster was going to be married.