第129章[第3页/共4页]

“It must have been his sister's doing.They were certainly no friends to his acquaintance with me,which I cannot wonder at, since he might have chosen so much more advantageously in many respects.But when they see,as I trust they will,that their brother is happy with me,they will learn to be contented,and we shall be on good terms again; though we can never be what we once were to each other.”

“I suspected as much,”replied Elizabeth.“But how did he account for it?”

Mary petitioned for the use of the library at Netherfield;and Kitty begged very hard for a few balls there every winter.

“That is the most unforgiving speech,”said Elizabeth,“that I ever heard you utter.Good girl!It would vex me,indeed,to see you again the dupe of Miss Bingley's pretended regard.”

The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world,though only a few weeks before,when Lydia had first run away,they had been generally proved to be marked out for misfortune.

“I am certainly the most fortunate creature that ever existed!”cried Jane.“Oh!Lizzy,why am I thus singled from my family,and blessed above them all!If I could but see you as happy!If there were b