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Darcy's character, though he had assured her that respect for the

father would always prevent his exposing the son.

How differently did everything now appear in which he was

concerned! His attentions to Miss King were now the consequence

of views solely and hatefully mercenary; and the mediocrity of

her fortune proved no longer the moderation of his wishes, but

his eagerness to grasp at anything. His behaviour to herself

could now have had no tolerable motive: he had either been

deceived with regard to her fortune, or had been gratifying his

vanity by encouraging the preference which she believed she had

most incautiously shown. Every lingering struggle in his favour

grew fainter and fainter; and in further justification of Mr.

Darcy, she could not but allow that Mr.