Strona 310 z 817

I pity, though I cannot help blaming, her. She was very wrong in

singling me out as she did; I can safely say, that every advance

to intimacy began on her side. But I pity her, because she must

feel that she has been acting wrong, and because I am very sure

that anxiety for her brother is the cause of it. I need not

explain myself farther; and though we know this anxiety to be

quite needless, yet if she feels it, it will easily account for

her behaviour to me; and so deservedly dear as he is to his

sister, whatever anxiety she may feel on his behalf is natural

and amiable. I cannot but wonder, however, at her having any such

fears now, because if he had at all cared about me, we must have

met long, long ago. He knows of my being in town, I am certain,

from something she said herself; and yet it would seem, by her

manner of talking, as if she wanted to persuade herself that he

is really partial to Miss Darcy. I cannot understand it.