Гордість і упередження

           SinceherbeingatLambton,shehadheardthatMissDarcywasexceedinglyproud; buttheobservationofaveryfewminutesconvincedherthatshewasonlyexceedinglyshy. Shefounditdifficulttoobtainevenawordfromherbeyondamonosyllable. 

           MissDarcywastall,andonalargerscalethanElizabeth; and,thoughlittlemorethansixteen,herfigurewasformed,andherappearancewomanlyandgraceful. Shewaslesshandsomethanherbrother;buttherewassenseandgoodhumourinherface,andhermannerswereperfectlyunassumingandgentle. Elizabeth,whohadexpectedtofindinherasacuteandunembarrassedanobserveraseverMr.Darcyhadbeen,wasmuchrelievedbydiscerningsuchdifferentfeelings. 

           TheyhadnotlongbeentogetherbeforeMr.DarcytoldherthatBingleywasalsocomingtowaitonher; andshehadbarelytimetoexpresshersatisfaction,andprepareforsuchavisitor,whenBingley’squickstepwasheardonthestairs,andinamomentheenteredtheroom. AllElizabeth’sangeragainsthimhadbeenlongdoneaway; buthadshestillfeltany,itcouldhardlyhavestooditsgroundagainsttheunaffectedcordialitywithwhichheexpressedhimselfonseeingheragain. Heinquiredinafriendly,thoughgeneralway,afterherfamily,andlookedandspokewiththesamegood-humouredeasethathehadeverdone. 

           ToMr.andMrs.Gardinerhewasscarcelyalessinterestingpersonagethantoherself. Theyhadlongwishedtoseehim. Thewholepartybeforethem,indeed,excitedalivelyattention. ThesuspicionswhichhadjustarisenofMr.Darcyandtheirniecedirectedtheirobservationtowardseachwithanearnestthoughguardedinquiry; andtheysoondrewfromthoseinquiriesthefullconvictionthatoneofthematleastknewwhatitwastolove. Ofthelady’ssensationstheyremainedalittleindoubt;butthatthegentlemanwasoverflowingwithadmirationwasevidentenough.