Chapter 44 251
and acrimony of her manner in rejecting him , and all the unjust accusations accompanying her rejection . He who , she had been persuaded , would avoid her as his greatest enemy , seemed , on this accidental meeting , most eager to preserve the acquaintance , and without any indelicate display of regard , or any peculiarity of manner , where their two selves only were concerned , was soliciting the good opinion of her friends , and bent on making her known to his sister . Such a change in a man of so much pride exciting not only astonishment but gratitude--for to love , ardent love , it must be attributed ; and as such its impression on her was of a sort to be encouraged , as by no means unpleasing , though it could not be exactly defined . She respected , she esteemed , she was grateful to him , she felt a real interest in his welfare ; and she only wanted to know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself , and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should employ the power , which her fancy told her she still possessed , of bringing on her the renewal of his addresses .
It had been settled in the evening between the aunt and the niece , that such a striking civility as Miss Darcy ' s in coming to see them on the very day of her arrival at Pemberley , for she had reached it only to a late breakfast , ought to be imitated , though it could not be equalled , by some exertion of politeness on their side ; and , consequently , that it would be highly expedient to wait on her at Pemberley the following morning . They were , therefore , to go . Elizabeth was pleased ; though when she asked herself the reason , she had very little to say in reply .
Mr . Gardiner left them soon after breakfast . The fishing scheme had been renewed the day before , and a positive engagement made of his meeting some of the gentlemen at Pemberley before noon .