Chapter 53 318
Jane as at herself , and frequently on no object but the ground . More thoughtfulness and less anxiety to please , than when they last met , were plainly expressed . She was disappointed , and angry with herself for being so .
" Could I expect it to be otherwise !" said she . " Yet why did he come ?"
She was in no humour for conversation with anyone but himself ; and to him she had hardly courage to speak .
She inquired after his sister , but could do no more . " It is a long time , Mr . Bingley , since you went away ," said Mrs . Bennet . He readily agreed to it .
" I began to be afraid you would never come back again . People did say you meant to quit the place entirely at Michaelmas ; but , however , I hope it is not true . A great many changes have happened in the neighbourhood , since you went away . Miss Lucas is married and settled . And one of my own daughters . I suppose you have heard of it ; indeed , you must have seen it in the papers . It was in The Times and The Courier , I know ; though it was not put in as it ought to be . It was only said , ' Lately , George Wickham , Esq . to Miss Lydia Bennet ,' without there being a syllable said of her father , or the place where she lived , or anything . It was my brother Gardiner ' s drawing up too , and I wonder how he came to make such an awkward business of it . Did you see it ?"
Bingley replied that he did , and made his congratulations . Elizabeth dared not lift up her eyes . How Mr . Darcy looked , therefore , she could not tell .
" It is a delightful thing , to be sure , to have a daughter well married ," continued her mother , " but at the same time , Mr . Bingley , it is very hard to have her taken such a way from me . They are gone down to Newcastle , a place quite northward , it seems , and there they are to stay I do not know how long . His regiment is there ; for I suppose you have heard of his leaving