Страница 778 из 817

"Your surprise could not be greater than mine in being noticed by

you. My conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary

politeness, and I confess that I did not expect to receive more

than my due."

"My object then," replied Darcy, "was to show you, by every

civility in my power, that I was not so mean as to resent the

past; and I hoped to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill

opinion, by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended

to. How soon any other wishes introduced themselves, I can hardly

tell, but I believe in about half an hour after I had seen you."