صفحة 582 من 817

"Oh, yes! Be so kind as to apologize for us to Miss Darcy. Say

that urgent business calls us home immediately. Conceal the

unhappy truth as long as it is possible. I know it cannot be

long."

He readily assured her of his secrecy, again expressed his sorrow

for her distress, wished it a happier conclusion than there was

at present reason to hope, and, leaving his compliments for her

relations, with only one serious parting look, went away.

As he quitted the room, Elizabeth felt how improbable it was that

they should ever see each other again on such terms of cordiality

as had marked their several meetings in Derbyshire; and as she

threw a retrospective glance over the whole of their

acquaintance, so full of contradictions and varieties, sighed at

the perverseness of those feelings which would now have promoted

its continuance, and would formerly have rejoiced in its

termination.