第141章[第1頁/共7頁]

“I am more likely to want more time than courage,Elizabeth. But it ought to be done,and if you will give me a sheet of paper,it shall be done directly.”

“My real purpose was to see you, and to judge, if I could, whether I might ever hope to make you love me.My avowed one, or what I avowed to myself,was to see whether your sister were still partial to Bingley,and if she were,to make the confession to him which I have since made.”

“Because you were grave and silent,and gave me no encouragement.”

Elizabeth's spirits soon rising to playfulness again,she wanted Mr.Darcy to account for his having ever fallen in love with her.“How could you begin?”said she.“I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?”

“But I was embarrassed.”

“And so was I.”

“My beauty you had early withstood,and as for my manners―my behaviour to you was at least always bordering on the uncivil,and I never spoke to you without rather wishing to give you pain than not.Now be sincere;did you admire me for my impertinence?”