Chapter 54 322
They did not see the gentlemen again till Tuesday ; and Mrs . Bennet , in the meanwhile , was giving way to all the happy schemes , which the good humour and common politeness of Bingley , in half an hour ' s visit , had revived .
On Tuesday there was a large party assembled at Longbourn ; and the two who were most anxiously expected , to the credit of their punctuality as sportsmen , were in very good time . When they repaired to the dining-room , Elizabeth eagerly watched to see whether Bingley would take the place , which , in all their former parties , had belonged to him , by her sister . Her prudent mother , occupied by the same ideas , forbore to invite him to sit by herself . On entering the room , he seemed to hesitate ; but Jane happened to look round , and happened to smile : it was decided . He placed himself by her .
Elizabeth , with a triumphant sensation , looked towards his friend . He bore it with noble indifference , and she would have imagined that Bingley had received his sanction to be happy , had she not seen his eyes likewise turned towards Mr . Darcy , with an expression of half-laughing alarm .
His behaviour to her sister was such , during dinner time , as showed an admiration of her , which , though more guarded than formerly , persuaded Elizabeth , that if left wholly to himself , Jane ' s happiness , and his own , would be speedily secured . Though she dared not depend upon the consequence , she yet received pleasure from observing his behaviour . It gave her all the animation that her spirits could boast ; for she was in no cheerful humour . Mr . Darcy was almost as far from her as the table could divide them . He was on one side of her mother . She knew how little such a situation would give pleasure to either , or make either appear to advantage . She was not near enough to hear any of their discourse , but she could see how seldom they spoke to each other , and how formal and cold was their manner whenever they did . Her mother ' s ungraciousness , made the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth ' s mind ; and she would , at times , have given anything to be privileged to tell him that his kindness was neither unknown nor unfelt by the whole of the family .