第135章[第4页/共5页]

They walked on, without knowing in what direction.There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to any other objects. She soon learnt that they were indebted for their present good understanding to the efforts of his aunt,who did call on him in her return through London, and there relate her journey to Longbourn, its motive, and the substance of her conversation with Elizabeth;dwelling emphatically on every expression of the latter which, in her ladyship's apprehension, peculiarly denoted her perverseness and assurance; in the belief that such a relation must assist her endeavours to obtain that promise from her nephew which she had refused to give.But,unluckily for her ladyship,its effect had been exactly contrariwise.

Elizabeth coloured and laughed as she replied,“Yes,you know enough of my frankness to believe me capable of that. After abusing you so abominably to your face,I could have no scruple in abusing you to all your relations.”

“What did you say of me,that I did not deserve?For,though your accusations were ill-founded,formed on mistaken premises, my behaviour to you at the time had merited the severest reproof. It was unpardonable.I cannot think of it without abhorrence.”