第539页 / 共817页

Her uncle and aunt were all amazement; and the embarrassment of

her manner as she spoke, joined to the circumstance itself, and

many of the circumstances of the preceding day, opened to them a

new idea on the business. Nothing had ever suggested it before,

but they now felt that there was no other way of accounting for

such attentions from such a quarter than by supposing a

partiality for their niece. While these newly-born notions were

passing in their heads, the perturbation of Elizabeth's feelings

was every moment increasing. She was quite amazed at her own

discomposure; but, amongst other causes of disquiet, she dreaded

lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in

her favour; and, more than commonly anxious to please, she

naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her.