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He had ruined for a while every hope of happiness for the most

affectionate, generous heart in the world; and no one could say

how lasting an evil he might have inflicted.

"There were some very strong objections against the lady," were

Colonel Fitzwilliam's words; and these strong objections probably

were, her having one uncle who was a country attorney, and

another who was in business in London.

"To Jane herself," she exclaimed, "there could be no possibility

of objection,--all loveliness and goodness as she is! Her

understanding excellent, her mind improved, and her manners

captivating. Neither could anything be urged against my father,

who, though with some peculiarities, has abilities which Mr.

Darcy himself need not disdain, and respectability which he will

probably never reach." When she thought of her mother, indeed,

her confidence gave way a little; but she would not allow that

any objections there had material weight with Mr. Darcy, whose

pride, she was convinced, would receive a deeper wound from the

want of importance in his friend's connections than from their

want of sense; and she was quite decided, at last, that he had

been partly governed by this worst kind of pride, and partly by

the wish of retaining Mr. Bingley for his sister.