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Elizabeth's mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight; and,

after half an hour's quiet reflection in her own room, she was

able to join the others with tolerable composure. Everything was

too recent for gaiety, but the evening passed tranquilly away;

there was no longer anything material to be dreaded, and the

comfort of ease and familiarity would come in time.

When her mother went up to her dressing-room at night, she

followed her, and made the important communication. Its effect

was most extraordinary; for, on first hearing it, Mrs. Bennet sat

quite still, and unable to utter a syllable. Nor was it under

many, many minutes, that she could comprehend what she heard,

though not in general backward to credit what was for the

advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of a lover to

any of them. She began at length to recover, to fidget about in

her chair, get up, sit down again, wonder, and bless herself.