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Instead of receiving any such letter of excuse from his friend, as Elizabeth half expected Mr.Bingley to do,he was able to bring Darcy with him to Longbourn before many days had passed after Lady Catherine's visit.The gentlemen arrived early;and,before Mrs.Bennet had time to tell him of their having seen his aunt, of which her daughter sat in momentary dread, Bingley, who wanted to be alone with Jane,proposed their all walking out.It was agreed to.Mrs.Bennet was not in the habit of walking;Mary could never spare time; but the remaining five set off together. Bingley and Jane, however, soon allowed the others to outstrip them.They lagged behind,while Elizabeth,Kitty,and Darcy were to entertain each other.Very little was said by either;Kitty was too much afraid of him to talk;Elizabeth was secretly forming a desperate resolution;and perhaps he might be doing the same.

They walked towards the Lucases, because Kitty wished to call upon Maria; and as Elizabeth saw no occasion for making it a general concern, when Kitty left them she went boldly on with him alone. Now was the moment for her resolution to be executed,and,while her courage was high,she immediately said:“Mr. Darcy, I am a very selfish creature; and, for the sake of giving relief to my own feelings, care not how much I may be wounding yours. I can no longer help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister.Ever since I have known it,I have been most anxious to acknowledge to you how gratefully I feel it.Were it known to the rest of my family,I should not have merely my own gratitude to express.”

“I am sorry, exceedingly sorry,”replied Darcy, in a tone of surprise and emotion,“that you have ever been informed of what may, in a mistaken light, have given you uneasiness. I did not think Mrs.Gardiner was so little to be trusted.”

“You must not blame my aunt. Lydia's thoughtlessness first betrayed to me that you had been concerned in the matter;and,of course,I could not rest till I knew the particulars.Let me thank you again and again,in the name of all my family,for that generous compassion which induced you to take so much trouble,and bear so many mortifications,for the sake of discovering them.”

“If you will thank me,”he replied,“let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on,I shall not attempt to deny.But your family owe me nothing.Much as I respect them,I believe I thought only of you.”

Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word.After a short pause,her companion added,“You are too generous to trifle with me.If your feelings are still what they were last April,tell me so at once.My affections and wishes are unchanged,but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.”