Chapter 54 324
" Yes , she will remain there till Christmas ."
" And quite alone ? Have all her friends left her ?"
" Mrs . Annesley is with her . The others have been gone on to Scarborough , these three weeks ."
She could think of nothing more to say ; but if he wished to converse with her , he might have better success . He stood by her , however , for some minutes , in silence ; and , at last , on the young lady ' s whispering to Elizabeth again , he walked away .
When the tea-things were removed , and the card-tables placed , the ladies all rose , and Elizabeth was then hoping to be soon joined by him , when all her views were overthrown by seeing him fall a victim to her mother ' s rapacity for whist players , and in a few moments after seated with the rest of the party . She now lost every expectation of pleasure . They were confined for the evening at different tables , and she had nothing to hope , but that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room , as to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself .
Mrs . Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen to supper ; but their carriage was unluckily ordered before any of the others , and she had no opportunity of detaining them .
" Well girls ," said she , as soon as they were left to themselves , " What say you to the day ? I think every thing has passed off uncommonly well , I assure you . The dinner was as well dressed as any I ever saw . The venison was roasted to a turn--and everybody said they never saw so fat a haunch . The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucases ' last week ; and even Mr . Darcy acknowledged , that the partridges were remarkably well done ; and I suppose he has two or three French cooks at least . And , my dear Jane , I never saw you look in greater beauty . Mrs . Long said so too , for I asked her whether you did not . And what do you think she said besides ? ' Ah ! Mrs . Bennet , we shall have her at Netherfield at last .' She did indeed . I do think Mrs . Long is as good a creature as ever lived--and her