Chapter 12
In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote
the next morning to their 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, as 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 of 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- bass and human nature; and had some extracts to admire,
and some new observations of threadbare 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 Foster was going to be married.