Chapter 12 62
during the last day must have material weight in confirming or crushing it . Steady to his purpose , he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday , and though they were at one time left by themselves for half-an-hour , he adhered most conscientiously to his book , and would not even look at her .
On Sunday , after morning service , the separation , so agreeable to almost all , took place . Miss Bingley ' s civility to Elizabeth increased at last very rapidly , as well as her affection for Jane ; and when they parted , after assuring the latter of the pleasure it would always give her to see her either at Longbourn or Netherfield , and embracing her most tenderly , she even shook hands with the former . Elizabeth took leave of the whole party in the liveliest of spirits .
They were not welcomed home very cordially by their mother . Mrs . Bennet wondered at their coming , and thought them very wrong to give so much trouble , and was sure Jane would have caught cold again . But their father , though very laconic in his expressions of pleasure , was really glad to see them ; he had felt their importance in the family circle . The evening conversation , when they were all assembled , had lost much of its animation , and almost all its sense by the absence of Jane and Elizabeth .
They found Mary , as usual , deep in the study of thorough-bass and human nature ; and had some extracts to admire , and some new observations of threadbare morality to listen to . Catherine and Lydia had information for them of a different sort . Much had been done and much had been said in the regiment since the preceding Wednesday ; several of the officers had dined lately with their uncle , a private had been flogged , and it had actually been hinted that Colonel Forster was going to be married .