Ɖ invteśn wz axptd v cors, n at a propr aur ɖe jônd ɖ parti in Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z drw̃rūm. Hr lediśp rsivd ɖm siṿli, bt it wz plen ɖt ɖer cumṗni wz bî no mīnz so axptbl az ẃn ś cd gt nbdi els; n ś wz, in fact, olmst ingrost bî hr nefyz, spīcñ t ɖm, ispeṣ́li t Darsi, mć mor ɖn t eni uɖr prsn in ɖ rūm.

Crnl Fitswiłm sīmd riyli glad t si ɖm; enʈñ wz a welcm rlif t him at Rozñz; n Msz Colinz’z priti frend hd morovr còt hiz fansi vri mć. H nǎ sītd himslf bî hr, n tōct so agriybli v Cnt n Hartfdśr, v traṿlñ n steyñ at hom, v ny bcs n ḿzic, ɖt Iliẓbʈ hd nvr bn haf so wel enttend in ɖt rūm bfr; n ɖe cnvrst wɖ so mć spirit n flo, az t drw ɖ atnśn v Ledi Caʈ̇rin hrslf, az wel az v Mr Darsi. Hiz îz hd bn sn n rpitidli trnd twdz ɖm wɖ a lc v krioṣti; n ɖt hr lediśp, aftr a ẃl, śerd ɖ fīlñ, wz mor opnli acnolijd, fr ś dd nt scrūpl t cōl ǎt:

“Ẃt z ɖt y r seyñ, Fitswiłm? Ẃt z it y r tōcñ v? Ẃt r y telñ Mis Benit? Let m hír ẃt it z.”

“W r spīcñ v ḿzic, madm,” sd h, ẃn no longr ebl t avôd a rplî.

“V ḿzic! Ɖen pre spīc alǎd. It z v ol subjicts mî dlît. I mst hv mî śer in ɖ convseśn f y r spīcñ v ḿzic. Ɖr r fy ppl in Ñgḷnd, I s’poz, hu hv mor tru injômnt v ḿzic ɖn mslf, or a betr naćṛl test. F I hd evr lrnt, I śd hv bn a gret pṛfiśnt. N so wd Án, f hr hlʈ hd alaud hr t aplî. I am confidnt ɖt ś wd hv pformd dlîtf̣li. Hǎ dz Jorjana gt on, Darsi?”

Mr Darsi spouc wɖ afx́ṇt prêz v hiz sistr’z pṛfiśnsi.

“I am vri glad t hír sć a gd acǎnt v hr,” sd Ledi Caʈ̇rin; “n pre tel hr fṛm m, ɖt ś canot xpct t xel f ś dz nt practis a gd dīl.”

“I aśur y, madm,” h rplaid, “ɖt ś dz nt nīd sć advîs. Ś pracṭsz vri constntli.”

“So mć ɖ betr. It canot b dn tù mć; n ẃn I nxt rait t hr, I śl ćarj hr nt t nglect it on eni acǎnt. I ofn tel yuñ lediz ɖt no xḷns in ḿzic z t b aqîrd wɖt constnt practis. I hv tld Mis Benit sevṛl tîmz, ɖt ś wl nvr ple riyli wel unls ś pracṭsz mor; n ɖo Msz Colinz hz no instṛmnt, ś z vri welcm, az I hv ofn tld hr, t cm t Rozñz evri de, n ple on ɖ piaṇforte in Msz Jncinsn’z rūm. Ś wd b in nbdi’z we, y nǒ, in ɖt part v ɖ hǎs.”

Mr Darsi lct a litl aśemd v hiz ānt’s il brīdñ, n md no ansr.

Ẃn cofi wz ovr, Crnl Fitswiłm rmîndd Iliẓbʈ v hvñ promist t ple t him; n ś sat dǎn d’recli t ɖ instṛmnt. H drù a ćer nir hr. Ledi Caʈ̇rin lisnd t haf a soñ, n ɖen tōct, az bfr, t hr uɖr nefy; tl ɖ latr wōct awe fṛm hr, n mcñ wɖ hiz yźl dliḅreśn twdz ɖ piaṇforte steśnd himslf so az t cmand a fl vy v ɖ fer pformr’z cǎntinns. Iliẓbʈ sw ẃt h wz dwñ, n at ɖ frst cnvińnt pōz, trnd t him wɖ an arć smîl, n sd:

“Y mīn t frîtn m, Mr Darsi, bî cmñ in ol ɖs stet t hír m? I wl nt b alarmd ɖo yr sistr dz ple so wel. Ɖr z a stubņis abt m ɖt nvr cn ber t b frîtnd at ɖ wl v uɖrz. Mî curij olwz rîzz at evri atmt t intiṃdet m.”

“I śl nt se y r mstecn,” h rplaid, “bcz y cd nt riyli b’liv m t entten eni dzîn v alarmñ y; n I hv hd ɖ pleźr v yr aqentns loñ inuf t nǒ ɖt y fînd gret injômnt in oceźṇli pṛfesñ opińnz ẃć in fact r nt yr ǒn.”

Iliẓbʈ laft harṭli at ɖs picćr v hrslf, n sd t Crnl Fitswiłm, “Yr cuzn wl gv y a vri priti nośn v m, n tīć y nt t b’liv a wrd I se. I am ptiklrli unluci in mītñ wɖ a prsn so ebl t xpoz mî riyl caṛctr, in a part v ɖ wrld ẃr I hd hopt t pas mslf of wɖ sm dgri v credit. Indd, Mr Darsi, it z vri unjenṛs in y t mnśn ol ɖt y ń t mî dis’dvantij in Hartfdśr – n, gv m līv t se, vri impoḷtic tù – fr it z pṛvocñ m t rtaliet, n sć ʈñz me cm ǎt az wl śoc yr rleśnz t hír.”

“I am nt afreid v y,” sd h, smîlñli.

“Pre let m hír ẃt y hv t akz him v,” craid Crnl Fitswiłm. “I śd lîc t nǒ hǎ h bhevz amñ strenjrz.”

“Y śl hír ɖen – bt priper yrslf fr smʈñ vri dredfl. Ɖ frst tîm v mî evr siyñ him in Hartfdśr, y mst nǒ, wz at a bōl – n at ɖs bōl, ẃt d y ʈnc h dd? H danst onli for dansz, ɖo jntlṃn wr scers; n, t mî srtn nolij, mor ɖn wn yuñ ledi wz sitñ dǎn in wont v a partnr. Mr Darsi, y canot dnî ɖ fact.”

“I hd nt at ɖt tîm ɖ onr v nwñ eni ledi in ɖ asmbli bynd mî ǒn parti.”

“Tru; n nbdi cn evr b intṛdyst in a bōlrūm. Wel, Crnl Fitswiłm, ẃt d I ple nxt? Mî fngrz wêt yr ordrz.”

“Phps,” sd Darsi, “I śd hv jujd betr, hd I sòt an intṛdux́n; bt I am il-qoḷfaid t rec̣mnd mslf t strenjrz.”

“Śl w asc yr cuzn ɖ rīzn v ɖs?” sd Iliẓbʈ, stl adresñ Crnl Fitswiłm. “Śl w asc him ẃ a man v sns n edyceśn, n hu hz livd in ɖ wrld, z il qoḷfaid t rec̣mnd himslf t strenjrz?”

“I cn ansr yr qsćn,” sd Fitswiłm, “wɖt aplayñ t him. It z bcz h wl nt gv himslf ɖ trubl.”

“I srtnli hv nt ɖ taḷnt ẃć sm ppl pzes,” sd Darsi, “v cnvrsñ īẓli wɖ ɖoz I hv nvr sìn bfr. I canot cać ɖer ton v convseśn, or apir inṭrestd in ɖer cnsrnz, az I ofn si dn.”

“Mî fngrz,” sd Iliẓbʈ, “d nt muv ovr ɖs instṛmnt in ɖ mastrli manr ẃć I si so mni wimin’z d. Ɖe hv nt ɖ sem fors or r’pidti, n d nt pṛdys ɖ sem xpreśn. Bt ɖen I hv olwz s’pozd it t b mî ǒn fōlt – bcz I wl nt tec ɖ trubl v pracṭsñ. It z nt ɖt I d nt b’liv mî fngrz az ceṗbl az eni uɖr wmn’z v s’pirịr x’kśn.”

Darsi smîld n sd, “Y r prf̣cli rît. Y hv imploid yr tîm mć betr. Nwn admitd t ɖ priṿlij v hírñ y cn ʈnc enʈñ wontñ. W nɖr v s pform t strenjrz.”

Hir ɖe wr inṭruptd bî Ledi Caʈ̇rin, hu cōld ǎt t nǒ ẃt ɖe wr tōcñ v. Iliẓbʈ imīɉtli bgan pleyñ agn. Ledi Caʈ̇rin aproćt, n, aftr liṣnñ fr a fy minits, sd t Darsi:

“Mis Benit wd nt ple at ol amis f ś practist mor, n cd hv ɖ advantij v a Lundn mastr. Ś hz a vri gd nośn v fnġrñ, ɖo hr test z nt īql t Án’z. Án wd hv bn a dlîtfl pformr, hd hr hlʈ alaud hr t lrn.”

Iliẓbʈ lct at Darsi t si hǎ corɉli h asntd t hiz cuzn’z prêz; bt nɖr at ɖt momnt nr at eni uɖr cd ś dsrn eni simtm v luv; n fṛm ɖ hol v hiz bhevyr t Mis d’Brg ś d’rîvd ɖs cumf̣t fr Mis Bñli, ɖt h mt hv bn jst az lîcli t mari hr, hd ś bn hiz rleśn.

Ledi Caʈ̇rin cntinyd hr rmarcs on Iliẓbʈ’s pformns, mixñ wɖ ɖm mni instrux́nz on x’kśn n test. Iliẓbʈ rsivd ɖm wɖ ol ɖ fōrbeṛns v sviḷti, n, at ɖ rqst v ɖ jntlṃn, rmend at ɖ instṛmnt tl hr lediśp’s carij wz redi t tec ɖm ol hom.

H sīmd astoniśt tù on fîndñ hr alon, n apoḷjîzd fr hiz intruźn bî letñ hr nǒ ɖt h hd unḍstd ol ɖ lediz wr t b wɖn.

Ɖe ɖen sat dǎn, n ẃn hr inqîriz aftr Rozñz wr md, sīmd in denjr v sncñ intu totl sîḷns. It wz abṣlutli nesṣri, ɖrfr, t ʈnc v smʈñ, n in ɖs imrjns rec̣lectñ ẃn ś hd sìn him last in Hartfdśr, n fīlñ krịs t nǒ ẃt h wd se on ɖ subjict v ɖer hesti dparćr, ś obzrvd:

“Hǎ vri sudnli y ol qitd Neɖ̇fīld last Nvmbr, Mr Darsi! It mst hv bn a most agriybl s’prîz t Mr Bñli t si y ol aftr him so sn; fr, f I rec̣lect rît, h wnt bt ɖ de bfr. H n hiz sistrz wr wel, I hop, ẃn y left Lundn?”

“Prf̣cli so, I ʈanc y.”

Ś faund ɖt ś wz t rsiv no uɖr ansr, n, aftr a śort pōz add:

“I ʈnc I hv unḍstd ɖt Mr Bñli hz nt mć îdīa v evr rtrnñ t Neɖ̇fīld agn?”

“I hv nvr hŕd him se so; bt it z probbl ɖt h me spend vri litl v hiz tîm ɖr in ɖ fyćr. H hz mni frendz, n z at a tîm v lîf ẃn frendz n ingejmnts r cntińli incrisñ.”

“F h mīnz t b bt litl at Neɖ̇fīld, it wd b betr fr ɖ nebrhd ɖt h śd gv p ɖ ples intîrli, fr ɖen w mt poṣbli gt a setld faṃli ɖr. Bt, phps, Mr Bñli dd nt tec ɖ hǎs so mć fr ɖ cnvīńns v ɖ nebrhd az fr hiz ǒn, n w mst xpct him t cīp it or qit it on ɖ sem prínsipl.”

“I śd nt b s’prîzd,” sd Darsi, “f h wr t gv it p az sn az eni eliɉbl prćs ofrz.”

Iliẓbʈ md no ansr. Ś wz afreid v tōcñ longr v hiz frend; n, hvñ nʈñ els t se, wz nǎ dtrmind t līv ɖ trubl v fîndñ a subjict t him.

H tc ɖ hint, n sn bgan wɖ, “Ɖs sīmz a vri cumf̣tbl hǎs. Ledi Caʈ̇rin, I b’liv, dd a gret dīl t it ẃn Mr Colinz frst cem t Hunsf̣d.”

“I b’liv ś dd – n I am śr ś cd nt hv bstoud hr cîndnis on a mor gretfl objict.”

“Mr Colinz apirz t b vri forćṇt in hiz ćôs v a wîf.”

“Yes, indd, hiz frendz me wel rjôs in hiz hvñ met wɖ wn v ɖ vri fy snṣbl wimin hu wd hv axptd him, or hv md him hapi f ɖe hd. Mî frend hz an xḷnt unḍstandñ – ɖo I am nt srtn ɖt I cnsidr hr mariyñ Mr Colinz az ɖ wîzist ʈñ ś evr dd. Ś sīmz prf̣cli hapi, hvr, n in a prūdnśl lît it z srtnli a vri gd mać fr hr.”

“It mst b vri agriybl fr hr t b setld wɖn so īzi a distns v hr ǒn faṃli n frendz.”

“An īzi distns, d y cōl it? It z nirli fifti mîlz.”

“N ẃt z fifti mîlz v gd rod? Litl mor ɖn haf a de’z jrni. Yes, I cōl it a vri īzi distns.”

“I śd nvr hv cnsidrd ɖ distns az wn v ɖ advantjz v ɖ mać,” craid Iliẓbʈ. “I śd nvr hv sd Msz Colinz wz setld nir hr faṃli.”

“It z a prūf v yr ǒn ataćmnt t Hartfdśr. Enʈñ bynd ɖ vri nebrhd v Loñbōrn, I s’poz, wd apir far.”

Az h spouc ɖr wz a sort v smîl ẃć Iliẓbʈ fansid ś unḍstd; h mst b s’pozñ hr t b ʈncñ v Jen n Neɖ̇fīld, n ś bluśt az ś ansrd:

“I d nt mīn t se ɖt a wmn me nt b setld tù nir hr faṃli. Ɖ far n ɖ nir mst b reḷtiv, n dpnd on mni vẹriyñ srcmstansz. Ẃr ɖr z fortyn t mc ɖ xpnsz v traṿlñ unimportnt, distns bcmz no īvl. Bt ɖt z nt ɖ ces hir. Mr n Msz Colinz hv a cumf̣tbl incm, bt nt sć a wn az wl alǎ v frīqnt jrniz – n I am pswedd mî frend wd nt cōl hrslf nir hr faṃli undr les ɖn haf ɖ preznt distns.”

Mr Darsi drù hiz ćer a litl twdz hr, n sd, “Y canot hv a rît t sć vri stroñ locl ataćmnt. Y canot hv bn olwz at Loñbōrn.”

Iliẓbʈ lct s’prîzd. Ɖ jntlmn xpirịnst sm ćenj v fīlñ; h drù bac hiz ćer, tc a nyzpepr fṛm ɖ tebl, n glansñ ovr it, sd, in a coldr vôs:

“R y plizd wɖ Cnt?”

A śort daylog on ɖ subjict v ɖ cuntri insyd, on îɖr sîd cām n cnsîs – n sn pt an end t bî ɖ entṛns v Śarlót n hr sistr, jst rtrnd fṛm hr wōc. Ɖ tete-a-tete s’prîzd ɖm. Mr Darsi rletd ɖ mstec ẃć hd oceźnd hiz intrudñ on Mis Benit, n aftr sitñ a fy minits longr wɖt seyñ mć t enbdi, wnt awe.

“Ẃt cn b ɖ mīnñ v ɖs?” sd Śarlót, az sn az h wz gn. “Mî dir, Ilîza, h mst b in luv wɖ y, or h wd nvr hv cōld s in ɖs fmiłr we.”

Bt ẃn Iliẓbʈ tld v hiz sîḷns, it dd nt sīm vri lîcli, īvn t Śarlót’s wśz, t b ɖ ces; n aftr verịs cnjcćrz, ɖe cd at last onli s’poz hiz vizit t pṛsid fṛm ɖ dificlti v fîndñ enʈñ t d, ẃć wz ɖ mor probbl fṛm ɖ tîm v yir. Ol fīldsports wr ovr. Wɖn dorz ɖr wz Ledi Caʈ̇rin, bcs, n a biłdtebl, bt jntlṃn canot olwz b wɖn dorz; n in ɖ nirnis v ɖ Parṣnij, or ɖ plezntnis v ɖ wōc t it, or v ɖ ppl hu livd in it, ɖ tū cuznz faund a tmteśn fṛm ɖs pirịd v wōcñ ɖiɖr olmst evri de. Ɖe cōld at verịs tîmz v ɖ mornñ, smtmz sepṛtli, smtmz tgɖr, n nǎ n ɖen acumṗnid bî ɖer ānt. It wz plen t ɖm ol ɖt Crnl Fitswiłm cem bcz h hd pleźr in ɖer ssayti, a psweźn ẃć v cors rec̣mndd him stl mor; n Iliẓbʈ wz rmîndd bî hr ǒn saṭsfax́n in biyñ wɖ him, az wel az bî hiz evidnt adṃreśn v hr, v hr formr feṿrit Jorj Wicm; n ɖo, in cmperñ ɖm, ś sw ɖr wz les captvetñ softnis in Crnl Fitswiłm’z manrz, ś b’livd h mt hv ɖ bst informd mînd.

Bt ẃ Mr Darsi cem so ofn t ɖ Parṣnij, it wz mor dificlt t unḍstand. It cd nt b fr ssayti, az h frīqntli sat ɖr ten minits tgɖr wɖt oṗnñ hiz lips; n ẃn h dd spīc, it sīmd ɖ ifct v nseṣti rɖr ɖn v ćôs – a sacṛfîs t pṛprayti, nt a pleźr t himslf. H sldm apird riyli aṇmetd. Msz Colinz ń nt ẃt t mc v him. Crnl Fitswiłm’z oceźṇli lafñ at hiz stypidti, pruvd ɖt h wz jenṛli difṛnt, ẃć hr ǒn nolij v him cd nt hv tld hr; n az ś wd lîct t hv b’livd ɖs ćenj ɖ ifct v luv, n ɖ objict v ɖt luv hr frend Ilîza, ś set hrslf sirịsli t wrc t fînd it ǎt. Ś woćt him ẃnvr ɖe wr at Rozñz, n ẃnvr h cem t Hunsf̣d; bt wɖt mć s’xes. H srtnli lct at hr frend a gret dīl, bt ɖ xpreśn v ɖt lc wz dspytbl. It wz an rnist, stedfst gêz, bt ś ofn dǎtd ẃɖr ɖr wr mć adṃreśn in it, n smtmz it sīmd nʈñ bt absns v mînd.

Ś hd wns or twîs sjstd t Iliẓbʈ ɖ posbiḷti v hiz biyñ parśl t hr, bt Iliẓbʈ olwz laft at ɖ îdīa; n Msz Colinz dd nt ʈnc it rît t pres ɖ subjict, fṛm ɖ denjr v rezñ xpcteśnz ẃć mt onli end in dis’pôntmnt; fr in hr opińn it admitd nt v a dǎt, ɖt ol hr frend’z dslîc wd vaniś, f ś cd s’poz him t b in hr pǎr.

In hr cînd scīmz fr Iliẓbʈ, ś smtmz pland hr mariyñ Crnl Fitswiłm. H wz bynd cmparisn ɖ most pleznt man; h srtnli admîrd hr, n hiz sićueśn in lîf wz most eliɉbl; bt, t cǎnṭbaḷns ɖz advantjz, Mr Darsi hd cnsidṛbl patṛnij in ɖ ćrć, n hiz cuzn cd hv nn at ol.

Ś wz ingejd wn de az ś wōct, in p’ruzñ Jen’z last letr, n dwelñ on sm paṣjz ẃć pruvd ɖt Jen hd nt ritn in spirits, ẃn, instd v biyñ agn s’prîzd bî Mr Darsi, ś sw on lcñ p ɖt Crnl Fitswiłm wz mītñ hr. Ptñ awe ɖ letr imīɉtli n forsñ a smîl, ś sd:

“I dd nt nǒ bfr ɖt y evr wōct ɖs we.”

“I hv bn mcñ ɖ tur v ɖ parc,” h rplaid, “az I jenṛli d evri yir, n intnd t cloz it wɖ a cōl at ɖ Parṣnij. R y gwñ mć farɖr?”

“No, I śd hv trnd in a momnt.”

N acordñli ś dd trn, n ɖe wōct twdz ɖ Parṣnij tgɖr.

“D y srtnli līv Cnt on Saṭde?” sd ś.

“Yes – f Darsi dz nt pt it of agn. Bt I am at hiz dspozl. H arenjz ɖ biznis jst az h plizz.”

“N f nt ebl t plīz himslf in ɖ arenjmnt, h hz at līst pleźr in ɖ gret pǎr v ćôs. I d nt nǒ enbdi hu sīmz mor t injô ɖ pǎr v dwñ ẃt h lîcs ɖn Mr Darsi.”

“H lîcs t hv hiz ǒn we vri wel,” rplaid Crnl Fitswiłm. “Bt so w ol d. It z onli ɖt h hz betr mīnz v hvñ it ɖn mni uɖrz, bcz h z rić, n mni uɖrz r pur. I spīc fīlñli. A yungr sun, y nǒ, mst b inyrd t slf-dnayl n dpndns.”

“In mî opińn, ɖ yungr sun v an rl cn nǒ vri litl v îɖr. Nǎ sirịsli, ẃt hv y evr noun v slf-dnayl n dpndns? Ẃn hv y bn privntd bî wont v muni fṛm gwñ ẃrvr y ćouz, or pṛkrñ enʈñ y hd a fansi fr?”

“Ɖz r homqsćnz – n phps I canot se ɖt I hv xpirịnst mni hardśps v ɖt nećr. Bt in matrz v gretr weit, I me sufr fṛm wont v muni. Yungr sunz canot mari ẃr ɖe lîc.”

“Unls ẃr ɖe lîc wimin v fortyn, ẃć I ʈnc ɖe vri ofn d.”

“Ǎr habits v xpns mc s tù dpndnt, n ɖr r nt mni in mî ranc v lîf hu cn aford t mari wɖt sm atnśn t muni.”

“Z ɖs,” ʈt Iliẓbʈ, “mnt fr m?” n ś culrd at ɖ îdīa; bt, rcuṿrñ hrslf, sd in a lîvli ton, “N pre, ẃt z ɖ yźl prîs v an rl’z yungr sun? Unls ɖ eldr bruɖr z vri sicli, I s’poz y wd nt asc abv fifti ʈǎznd pǎndz.”

H ansrd hr in ɖ sem stîl, n ɖ subjict dropt. T inṭrupt a sîḷns ẃć mt mc him fansi hr afctd wɖ ẃt hd pást, ś sn aftwdz sd:

“I imajn yr cuzn bròt y dǎn wɖ him ćīfli fr ɖ sec v hvñ smwn at hiz dspozl. I wundr h dz nt mari, t s’kr a lastñ cnvīńns v ɖt cnd. Bt, phps, hiz sistr dz az wel fr ɖ preznt, n, az ś z undr hiz sol cer, h me d ẃt h lîcs wɖ hr.”

“No,” sd Crnl Fitswiłm, “ɖt z an advantij ẃć h mst dvîd wɖ m. I am jônd wɖ him in ɖ gardịnśp v Mis Darsi.”

“R y indd? N pre ẃt sort v gardịnz d y mc? Dz yr ćarj gv y mć trubl? Yuñ lediz v hr ej r smtmz a litl dificlt t manij, n f ś hz ɖ tru Darsi spirit, ś me lîc t hv hr ǒn we.”

Az ś spouc ś obzrvd him lcñ at hr rṇstli; n ɖ manr in ẃć h imīɉtli asct hr ẃ ś s’pozd Mis Darsi lîcli t gv ɖm eni unīzinis, cnvinst hr ɖt ś hd smhǎ or uɖr got priti nir ɖ truʈ. Ś d’recli rplaid:

“Y nīd nt b frîtnd. I nvr hŕd eni harm v hr; n I der se ś z wn v ɖ most tracṭbl crīćrz in ɖ wrld. Ś z a vri gret feṿrit wɖ sm lediz v mî aqentns, Msz Hrst n Mis Bñli. I ʈnc I hv hŕd y se ɖt y nǒ ɖm.”

“I nǒ ɖm a litl. Ɖer bruɖr z a pleznt jntlmnlîc man – h z a gret frend v Darsi’z.”

“Ǒ! yes,” sd Iliẓbʈ drîli; “Mr Darsi z uncomnli cînd t Mr Bñli, n tecs a pṛdijs dīl v cer v him.”

“Cer v him! Yes, I riyli b’liv Darsi dz tec cer v him in ɖoz pônts ẃr h most wonts cer. Fṛm smʈñ ɖt h tld m in ǎr jrni hiɖr, I hv rīzn t ʈnc Bñli vri mć indétd t him. Bt I òt t beg hiz pardn, fr I hv no rît t s’poz ɖt Bñli wz ɖ prsn mnt. It wz ol cnjcćr.”

“Ẃt z it y mīn?”

“It z a srcmstans ẃć Darsi cd nt wś t b jenṛli noun, bcz f it wr t gt rnd t ɖ ledi’z faṃli, it wd b an unpleznt ʈñ.”

“Y me dpnd upn mî nt mnṣ́nñ it.”

“N rmembr ɖt I hv nt mć rīzn fr s’pozñ it t b Bñli. Ẃt h tld m wz mirli ɖs: ɖt h cngrać̣letd himslf on hvñ lêtli sevd a frend fṛm ɖ incnvińnsz v a most imprūdnt marij, bt wɖt mnṣ́nñ nemz or eni uɖr ptiklrz, n I onli sspctd it t b Bñli fṛm b’livñ him ɖ cnd v yuñ man t gt intu a screp v ɖt sort, n fṛm nwñ ɖm t hv bn tgɖr ɖ hol v last sumr.”

“Dd Mr Darsi gv y rīznz fr ɖs inṭfiṛns?”

“I unḍstd ɖt ɖr wr sm vri stroñ objx́nz agnst ɖ ledi.”

“N ẃt arts dd h yz t sepṛt ɖm?”

“H dd nt tōc t m v hiz ǒn arts,” sd Fitswiłm, smîlñ. “H onli tld m ẃt I hv nǎ tld y.”

Iliẓbʈ md no ansr, n wōct on, hr hart swelñ wɖ inḍgneśn. Aftr woćñ hr a litl, Fitswiłm asct hr ẃ ś wz so ʈtfl.

“I am ʈncñ v ẃt y hv bn telñ m,” sd ś. “Yr cuzn’z conduct dz nt sūt mî fīlñz. Ẃ wz h t b ɖ juj?”

“Y r rɖr dspozd t cōl hiz inṭfiṛns ofiśs?”

“I d nt si ẃt rît Mr Darsi hd t dsîd on ɖ pṛprayti v hiz frend’z incḷneśn, or ẃ, upn hiz ǒn jujmnt alon, h wz t dtrmin n d’rect in ẃt manr hiz frend wz t b hapi. Bt,” ś cntinyd, rec̣lectñ hrslf, “az w nǒ nn v ɖ ptiklrz, it z nt fer t cndem him. It z nt t b s’pozd ɖt ɖr wz mć afx́n in ɖ ces.”

“Ɖt z nt an uņaćṛl s’mîz,” sd Fitswiłm, “bt it z a leṣnñ v ɖ onr v mî cuzn’z trîumf vri sadli.”

Ɖs wz spocn jestñli; bt it apird t hr so just a picćr v Mr Darsi, ɖt ś wd nt trust hrslf wɖ an ansr, n ɖrfr, abrupli ćenjñ ɖ convseśn tōct on indifṛnt matrz untl ɖe rīćt ɖ Parṣnij. Ɖr, śut intu hr ǒn rūm, az sn az ɖer vizitr left ɖm, ś cd ʈnc wɖt inṭrupśn v ol ɖt ś hd hŕd. It wz nt t b s’pozd ɖt eni uɖr ppl cd b mnt ɖn ɖoz wɖ hūm ś wz cnctd. Ɖr cd nt xist in ɖ wrld tū men ovr hūm Mr Darsi cd hv sć bǎndlis inflụns. Ɖt h hd bn cnsrnd in ɖ meźrz tecn t sepṛt Bñli n Jen ś hd nvr dǎtd; bt ś hd olwz atribytd t Mis Bñli ɖ prinsipl dzîn n arenjmnt v ɖm. F hiz ǒn vaṇti, hvr, dd nt mslid him, h wz ɖ cōz, hiz prîd n cprīs wr ɖ cōz, v ol ɖt Jen hd sufrd, n stl cntinyd t sufr. H hd ruind fr a ẃl evri hop v hapinis fr ɖ most afx́ṇt, jenṛs hart in ɖ wrld; n nwn cd se hǎ lastñ an īvl h mt hv inflictd.

“Ɖr wr sm vri stroñ objx́nz agnst ɖ ledi,” wr Crnl Fitswiłm’z wrdz; n ɖoz stroñ objx́nz probbli wr, hr hvñ wn uncl hu wz a cuntri’trni, n anɖr hu wz in biznis in Lundn.

“T Jen hrslf,” ś xclemd, “ɖr cd b no posbiḷti v objx́n; ol luvlinis n gdnis az ś z! – hr unḍstandñ xḷnt, hr mînd impruvd, n hr manrz captvetñ. Nɖr cd enʈñ b rjd agnst mî faɖr, hu, ɖo wɖ sm pkliaṛtiz, hz abiḷtiz Mr Darsi himslf nīd nt dsden, n rspctbiḷti ẃć h wl probbli nvr rīć.” Ẃn ś ʈt v hr muɖr, hr confidns gev we a litl; bt ś wd nt alǎ ɖt eni objx́nz ɖr hd mtirịl weit wɖ Mr Darsi, huz prîd, ś wz cnvinst, wd rsiv a dīpr wūnd fṛm ɖ wont v importns in hiz frend’z cnx́nz, ɖn fṛm ɖer wont v sns; n ś wz qt dsîdd, at last, ɖt h hd bn partli guvnd bî ɖs wrst cnd v prîd, n partli bî ɖ wś v rtenñ Mr Bñli fr hiz sistr.

Ɖ ajteśn n tirz ẃć ɖ subjict oceźnd, bròt on a hedec; n it grù so mć wrs twdz ɖ īvnñ, ɖt, add t hr unwilñnis t si Mr Darsi, it dtrmind hr nt t atnd hr cuznz t Rozñz, ẃr ɖe wr ingejd t drinc ti. Msz Colinz, siyñ ɖt ś wz riyli unwel, dd nt pres hr t g n az mć az poṣbl privntd hr huzbnd fṛm presñ hr; bt Mr Colinz cd nt cnsil hiz aprihnśn v Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z biyñ rɖr dsplizd bî hr steyñ at hom.

Ś cd nt ʈnc v Darsi’z līvñ Cnt wɖt rmemḅrñ ɖt hiz cuzn wz t g wɖ him; bt Crnl Fitswiłm hd md it clir ɖt h hd no intnśnz at ol, n agriybl az h wz, ś dd nt mīn t b unhapi abt him.

Ẃl seṭlñ ɖs pônt, ś wz sudnli rǎzd bî ɖ sǎnd v ɖ dorbel, n hr spirits wr a litl flutrd bî ɖ îdīa v its biyñ Crnl Fitswiłm himslf, hu hd wns bfr cōld lêt in ɖ īvnñ, n mt nǎ cm t inqîr ptiklrli aftr hr. Bt ɖs îdīa wz sn baniśt, n hr spirits wr vri difṛntli afctd, ẃn, t hr utr amezmnt, ś sw Mr Darsi wōc intu ɖ rūm. In an hurid manr h imīɉtli bgan an inqîri aftr hr hlʈ, impytñ hiz vizit t a wś v hírñ ɖt ś wr betr. Ś ansrd him wɖ cold sviḷti. H sat dǎn fr a fy momnts, n ɖen gtñ p, wōct abt ɖ rūm. Iliẓbʈ wz s’prîzd, bt sd nt a wrd. Aftr a sîḷns v sevṛl minits, h cem twdz hr in an ajtetd manr, n ɖus bgan:

“In ven I hv strugld. It wl nt d. Mî fīlñz wl nt b rprest. Y mst alǎ m t tel y hǎ ardntli I admîr n luv y.”

Iliẓbʈ’s astoniśmnt wz bynd xpreśn. Ś stérd, culrd, dǎtd, n wz sîḷnt. Ɖs h cnsidrd sfiśnt incurijmnt; n ɖ avawl v ol ɖt h flt, n hd loñ flt fr hr, imīɉtli foloud. H spouc wel; bt ɖr wr fīlñz bsdz ɖoz v ɖ hart t b dīteld; n h wz nt mor eḷqnt on ɖ subjict v tndrnis ɖn v prîd. Hiz sns v hr infirioṛti – v its biyñ a degṛdeśn – v ɖ faṃli-obsṭclz ẃć hd olwz opozd t incḷneśn, wr dwelt on wɖ a wormʈ ẃć sīmd dy t ɖ consiqns h wz wūndñ, bt wz vri unlîcli t rec̣mnd hiz sūt.

In spît v hr dīpli rūtd dslîc, ś cd nt b insnsbl t ɖ complimnt v sć a man’z afx́n, n ɖo hr intnśnz dd nt vẹri fr an instnt, ś wz at frst sori fr ɖ pen h wz t rsiv; tl, rǎzd t rzntmnt bî hiz subsiqnt lanḡj, ś lost ol cmpaśn in angr. Ś traid, hvr, t cmpoz hrslf t ansr him wɖ peśns, ẃn h śd hv dn. H cncludd wɖ reprizntñ t hr ɖ streñʈ v ɖt ataćmnt ẃć, in spît v ol hiz indevrz, h hd faund imposbl t concr; n wɖ xpresñ hiz hop ɖt it wd nǎ b rwordd bî hr axptns v hiz hand. Az h sd ɖs, ś cd īẓli si ɖt h hd no dǎt v a fevṛbl ansr. H spouc v aprihnśn n añzayti, bt hiz cǎntinns xprest riyl s’kṛti. Sć a srcmstans cd onli xasṗret farɖr, n, ẃn h sīst, ɖ culr rouz intu hr ćīcs, n ś sd:

“In sć cesz az ɖs, it z, I b’liv, ɖ istabliśt mod t xpres a sns v obḷgeśn fr ɖ sntimnts avaud, hvr unīqli ɖe me b rtrnd. It z naćṛl ɖt obḷgeśn śd b flt, n f I cd fīl grattyd, I wd nǎ ʈanc y. Bt I canot – I hv nvr dzîrd yr gd opińn, n y hv srtnli bstoud it most unwilñli. I am sori t hv oceźnd pen t enwn. It hz bn most unconśsli dn, hvr, n I hop wl b v śort jreśn. Ɖ fīlñz ẃć, y tel m, hv loñ privntd ɖ acnolijmnt v yr rgard, cn hv litl dificlti in oṿcmñ it aftr ɖs xpḷneśn.”

Mr Darsi, hu wz līnñ agnst ɖ mantlpìs wɖ hiz îz fixt on hr fes, sīmd t cać hr wrdz wɖ no les rzntmnt ɖn s’prîz. Hiz cmplex́n bcem pel wɖ angr, n ɖ dstrbns v hiz mînd wz viẓbl in evri fīćr. H wz struġlñ fr ɖ apiṛns v cmpoźr, n wd nt opn hiz lips tl h b’livd himslf t hv atend it. Ɖ pōz wz t Iliẓbʈ’s fīlñz dredfl. At leñʈ, wɖ a vôs v forst cāmnis, h sd:

“N ɖs z ol ɖ rplî ẃć I am t hv ɖ onr v xpctñ! I mt, phps, wś t b informd ẃ, wɖ so litl indevr at sviḷti, I am ɖus rjctd. Bt it z v smōl importns.”

“I mt az wel inqîr,” rplaid ś, “ẃ wɖ so evidnt a dzîr v ofndñ n insultñ m, y ćouz t tel m ɖt y lîct m agnst yr wl, agnst yr rīzn, n īvn agnst yr caṛctr? Wz nt ɖs sm xks fr inṣviḷti, f I wz unsivl? Bt I hv uɖr provceśnz. Y nǒ I hv. Hd nt mî fīlñz dsîdd agnst y – hd ɖe bn indifṛnt, or hd ɖe īvn bn fevṛbl, d y ʈnc ɖt eni cnsiḍreśn wd tmt m t axpt ɖ man hu hz bn ɖ mīnz v ruinñ, phps fr evr, ɖ hapinis v a most b’luvid sistr?”

Az ś pṛnǎnst ɖz wrdz, Mr Darsi ćenjd culr; bt ɖ imośn wz śort, n h lisnd wɖt atmtñ t inṭrupt hr ẃl ś cntinyd:

“I hv evri rīzn in ɖ wrld t ʈnc il v y. No motiv cn xkz ɖ unjust n unjenṛs part y actd ɖr. Y der nt, y canot dnî, ɖt y hv bn ɖ prinsipl, f nt ɖ onli mīnz v dvîdñ ɖm fṛm ć uɖr – v xpozñ wn t ɖ snśr v ɖ wrld fr cprīs n instbiḷti, n ɖ uɖr t its d’riźn fr dis’pôntd hops, n involvñ ɖm bʈ in miẓri v ɖ aktist cnd.”

Ś pōzd, n sw wɖ no slît inḍgneśn ɖt h wz liṣnñ wɖ an er ẃć pruvd him hoļi unmuvd bî eni fīlñ v rmors. H īvn lct at hr wɖ a smîl v afctd incṛdyḷti.

“Cn y dnî ɖt y hv dn it?” ś rpitd.

Wɖ asymd tranqiḷti h ɖen rplaid: “I hv no wś v dnayñ ɖt I dd evrʈñ in mî pǎr t seṗret mî frend fṛm yr sistr, or ɖt I rjôs in mî s’xes. Twdz him I hv bn cîndr ɖn twdz mslf.”

Iliẓbʈ dsdend ɖ apiṛns v noṭsñ ɖs sivl rflex́n, bt its mīnñ dd nt iscep, nr wz it lîcli t cnsiliet hr.

“Bt it z nt mirli ɖs afer,” ś cntinyd, “on ẃć mî dslîc z fǎndd. Loñ bfr it hd tecn ples mî opińn v y wz dsîdd. Yr caṛctr wz unfoldd in ɖ rsîtl ẃć I rsivd mni munʈs ago fṛm Mr Wicm. On ɖs subjict, ẃt cn y hv t se? In ẃt imajinri act v frendśp cn y hir dfnd yrslf? or undr ẃt misrepriznteśn cn y hir impoz upn uɖrz?”

“Y tec an īgr inṭrest in ɖt jntlmn’z cnsrnz,” sd Darsi, in a les tranqil ton, n wɖ a hîtnd culr.

“Hu ɖt nz ẃt hiz msfortynz hv bn, cn hlp fīlñ an inṭrest in him?”

“Hiz msfortynz!” rpitd Darsi cntmć̣sli; “yes, hiz msfortynz hv bn gret indd.”

“N v yr inflix́n,” craid Iliẓbʈ wɖ eṇji. “Y hv rdyst him t hiz preznt stet v poṿti – cmpaṛtiv poṿti. Y hv wɖheld ɖ advantjz ẃć y mst nǒ t hv bn dzînd fr him. Y hv dprîvd ɖ bst yirz v hiz lîf v ɖt indipndns ẃć wz no les hiz dy ɖn hiz deẓt. Y hv dn ol ɖs! n yt y cn trīt ɖ mnśn v hiz msfortyn wɖ cntmt n riḍkl.”

“N ɖs,” craid Darsi, az h wōct wɖ qc steps acrs ɖ rūm, “z yr opińn v m! Ɖs z ɖ esṭmeśn in ẃć y hold m! I ʈanc y fr xplenñ it so fŭli. Mî fōlts, acordñ t ɖs calkleśn, r hevi indd! Bt phps,” add h, stopñ in hiz wōc, n trnñ twdz hr, “ɖz ofnsz mt hv bn oṿlct, hd nt yr prîd bn hrt bî mî onist cnfeśn v ɖ scrūplz ɖt hd loñ privntd mî formñ eni sirịs dzîn. Ɖz bitr akześnz mt hv bn s’prest, hd I, wɖ gretr poḷsi, cnsild mî struglz, n flatrd y intu ɖ b’lif v mî biyñ impeld bî unqoḷfaid, un’loid incḷneśn; bî rīzn, bî rflex́n, bî evrʈñ. Bt dsgîz v evri sort z mî abhoṛns. Nr am I aśemd v ɖ fīlñz I rletd. Ɖe wr naćṛl n just. Cd y xpct m t rjôs in ɖ infirioṛti v yr cnx́nz? – t cngrać̣let mslf on ɖ hop v rleśnz, huz cndiśn in lîf z so dsîdidli bnʈ mî ǒn?”

Iliẓbʈ flt hrslf growñ mor angri evri momnt; yt ś traid t ɖ utmost t spīc wɖ cmpoźr ẃn ś sd:

“Y r mstecn, Mr Darsi, f y s’poz ɖt ɖ mod v yr decḷreśn afctd m in eni uɖr we, ɖn az it sperd m ɖ cnsrn ẃć I mt hv flt in rfyzñ y, hd y bhevd in a mor jntlmnlîc manr.”

Ś sw him start at ɖs, bt h sd nʈñ, n ś cntinyd:

“Y cd nt hv md ɖ ofr v yr hand in eni poṣbl we ɖt wd hv tmtd m t axpt it.”

Agn hiz astoniśmnt wz obvịs; n h lct at hr wɖ an xpreśn v mngld incṛdyḷti n mortif̣ceśn. Ś wnt on:

“Fṛm ɖ vri bginñ – fṛm ɖ frst momnt, I me olmst se – v mî aqentns wɖ y, yr manrz, impresñ m wɖ ɖ fŭlist b’lif v yr aṛgns, yr cnsit, n yr slfiś dsden v ɖ fīlñz v uɖrz, wr sć az t form ɖ grǎndwrc v disapṛbeśn on ẃć s’xidñ ivnts hv bilt so imuṿbl a dslîc; n I hd nt noun y a munʈ bfr I flt ɖt y wr ɖ last man in ɖ wrld hūm I cd evr b priveld on t mari.”

“Y hv sd qt inuf, madm. I prf̣cli comprihnd yr fīlñz, n hv nǎ onli t b aśemd v ẃt mî ǒn hv bn. Fgiv m fr hvñ tecn p so mć v yr tîm, n axpt mî bst wśz fr yr hlʈ n hapinis.”

N wɖ ɖz wrdz h hesṭli left ɖ rūm, n Iliẓbʈ hŕd him ɖ nxt momnt opn ɖ frunt dor n qit ɖ hǎs.

Ɖ tymult v hr mînd, wz nǎ penf̣li gret. Ś ń nt hǎ t s’port hrslf, n fṛm acćl wìcnis sat dǎn n craid fr haf-an-aur. Hr astoniśmnt, az ś rflectd on ẃt hd pást, wz incrist bî evri rvy v it. Ɖt ś śd rsiv an ofr v marij fṛm Mr Darsi! Ɖt h śd hv bn in luv wɖ hr fr so mni munʈs! So mć in luv az t wś t mari hr in spît v ol ɖ objx́nz ẃć hd md him privnt hiz frend’z mariyñ hr sistr, n ẃć mst apir at līst wɖ īql fors in hiz ǒn ces – wz olmst increḍbl! It wz graṭfayñ t hv inspîrd unconśsli so stroñ an afx́n. Bt hiz prîd, hiz abomiṇbl prîd – hiz śemlis avawl v ẃt h hd dn wɖ rspct t Jen – hiz unpardṇbl aśuṛns in acnoḷjñ, ɖo h cd nt jusṭfî it, n ɖ unfīlñ manr in ẃć h hd mnśnd Mr Wicm, hiz cruwlti twdz hūm h hd nt atmtd t dnî, sn oṿcem ɖ piti ẃć ɖ cnsiḍreśn v hiz ataćmnt hd fr a momnt xîtd. Ś cntinyd in vri ajtetd rflex́nz tl ɖ sǎnd v Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z carij md hr fīl hǎ unīql ś wz t incǎntr Śarlót’s obẓveśn, n hurid hr awe t hr rūm.

Aftr wōcñ tū or ʈri tîmz alñ ɖt part v ɖ len, ś wz tmtd, bî ɖ plezntnis v ɖ mornñ, t stop at ɖ gets n lc intu ɖ parc. Ɖ fîv wīcs ẃć ś hd nǎ pást in Cnt hd md a gret difṛns in ɖ cuntri, n evri de wz adñ t ɖ vrdyr v ɖ rli triz. Ś wz on ɖ pônt v cntinywñ hr wōc, ẃn ś còt a glims v a jntlmn wɖn ɖ sort v grov ẃć éjd ɖ parc; h wz muvñ ɖt we; n, firfl v its biyñ Mr Darsi, ś wz d’recli rtritñ. Bt ɖ prsn hu advanst wz nǎ nir inuf t si hr, n stepñ fwd wɖ īgrnis, pṛnǎnst hr nem. Ś hd trnd awe; bt on hírñ hrslf cōld, ɖo in a vôs ẃć pruvd it t b Mr Darsi, ś muvd agn twdz ɖ get. H hd bî ɖt tîm rīćt it olso, n, holdñ ǎt a letr, ẃć ś instñtivli tc, sd, wɖ a lc v hōti cmpoźr, “I hv bn wōcñ in ɖ grov sm tîm in ɖ hop v mītñ y. Wl y d m ɖ onr v rīdñ ɖt letr?” N ɖen, wɖ a slît bǎ, trnd agn intu ɖ planteśn, n wz sn ǎt v sît.

Wɖ no xpcteśn v pleźr, bt wɖ ɖ strongist krioṣti, Iliẓbʈ opnd ɖ letr, n, t hr stl incrisñ wundr, psivd an enṿlop cntenñ tū śīts v letrpepr, ritn qt ʈru, in a vri clos hand. Ɖ enṿlop itslf wz lîcwz fl. Psywñ hr we alñ ɖ len, ś ɖen bgan it. It wz detd fṛm Rozñz, at et o’cloc in ɖ mornñ, n wz az foloz: –

“B nt alarmd, madm, on rsivñ ɖs letr, bî ɖ aprihnśn v its cntenñ eni reṗtiśn v ɖoz sntimnts or rnywl v ɖoz ofrz ẃć wr last nît so dsgustñ t y. I rait wɖt eni intnśn v penñ y, or humḅlñ mslf, bî dwelñ on wśz ẃć, fr ɖ hapinis v bʈ, canot b tù sn fgotn; n ɖ ef̣t ẃć ɖ formeśn n ɖ p’ruzl v ɖs letr mst oceźn, śd hv bn sperd, hd nt mî caṛctr rqîrd it t b ritn n réd. Y mst, ɖrfr, pardn ɖ frīdm wɖ ẃć I dmand yr atnśn; yr fīlñz, I nǒ, wl bsto it unwilñli, bt I dmand it v yr justis.

“Tū ofnsz v a vri difṛnt nećr, n bî no mīnz v īql magṇtyd, y last nît leid t mî ćarj. Ɖ frst mnśnd wz, ɖt, rgardlis v ɖ sntimnts v îɖr, I hd dtaćt Mr Bñli fṛm yr sistr, n ɖ uɖr, ɖt I hd, in dfayns v verịs clemz, in dfayns v onr n hymaṇti, ruind ɖ imīɉt pṛspeṛti n blastd ɖ prospects v Mr Wicm. Wilf̣li n wontnli t hv ʈroun of ɖ cmpańn v mî yʈ, ɖ acnolijd feṿrit v mî faɖr, a yuñ man hu hd scersli eni uɖr dpndns ɖn on ǎr patṛnij, n hu hd bn bròt p t xpct its xrśn, wd b a dpravti, t ẃć ɖ seṗreśn v tū yuñ prsnz, huz afx́n cd b ɖ groʈ v onli a fy wīcs, cd ber no cmparisn. Bt fṛm ɖ sveṛti v ɖt blem ẃć wz last nît so libṛli bstoud, rspctñ ć srcmstans, I śl hop t b in ɖ fyćr s’krd, ẃn ɖ folowñ acǎnt v mî ax́nz n ɖer motivz hz bn réd. F, in ɖ xpḷneśn v ɖm, ẃć z dy t mslf, I am undr ɖ nseṣti v rletñ fīlñz ẃć me b ofnsiv t yrz, I cn onli se ɖt I am sori. Ɖ nseṣti mst b obeid, n frɖr apoḷji wd b absrd.

“I hd nt bn loñ in Hartfdśr, bfr I sw, in comn wɖ uɖrz, ɖt Bñli prifŕd yr eldr sistr t eni uɖr yuñ wmn in ɖ cuntri. Bt it wz nt tl ɖ īvnñ v ɖ dans at Neɖ̇fīld ɖt I hd eni aprihnśn v hiz fīlñ a sirịs ataćmnt. I hd ofn sìn him in luv bfr. At ɖt bōl, ẃl I hd ɖ onr v dansñ wɖ y, I wz frst md aqentd, bî Sr Wiłm Lūc̣s’z axdntl inf̣meśn, ɖt Bñli’z atnśnz t yr sistr hd gvn rîz t a jenṛl xpcteśn v ɖer marij. H spouc v it az a srtn ivnt, v ẃć ɖ tîm alon cd b undsîdd. Fṛm ɖt momnt I obzrvd mî frend’z bhevyr atntivli; n I cd ɖen psiv ɖt hiz parśiaḷti fr Mis Benit wz bynd ẃt I hd evr witnist in him. Yr sistr I olso woćt. Hr lc n manrz wr opn, ćirfl, n ingejñ az evr, bt wɖt eni simtm v pkłr rgard, n I rmend cnvinst fṛm ɖ īvnñ’z scrūṭni, ɖt ɖo ś rsivd hiz atnśnz wɖ pleźr, ś dd nt invît ɖm bî eni ptiṣpeśn v sntimnt. F y hv nt bn mstecn hir, I mst hv bn in err. Yr s’pirịr nolij v yr sistr mst mc ɖ latr probbl. F it b so, f I hv bn msléd bî sć err t inflict pen on hr, yr rzntmnt hz nt bn unrīzṇbl. Bt I śl nt scrūpl t asrt, ɖt ɖ sreṇti v yr sistr’z cǎntinns n er wz sć az mt hv gvn ɖ most akt obzrvr a cnvix́n ɖt, hvr emịbl hr tmpr, hr hart wz nt lîcli t b īẓli tućt. Ɖt I wz dzîṛs v b’livñ hr indifṛnt z srtn – bt I wl vnćr t se ɖt mî invstgeśn n dsiźnz r nt yẓ́li inflụnst bî mî hops or firz. I dd nt b’liv hr t b indifṛnt bcz I wśt it; I b’livd it on imparśl cnvix́n, az trūli az I wśt it in rīzn. Mî objx́nz t ɖ marij wr nt mirli ɖoz ẃć I last nît acnolijd t hv ɖ utmost fors v paśn t pt asd, in mî ǒn ces; ɖ wont v cnx́n cd nt b so gret an īvl t mî frend az t m. Bt ɖr wr uɖr cōzz v rpugnns; cōzz ẃć, ɖo stl xistñ, n xistñ t an īql dgri in bʈ instnsz, I hd mslf indevrd t fget, bcz ɖe wr nt imīɉtli bfr m. Ɖz cōzz mst b stetd, ɖo brīfli. Ɖ sićueśn v yr muɖr’z faṃli, ɖo objx́ṇbl, wz nʈñ in cmparisn t ɖt totl wont v pṛprayti so frīqntli, so olmst yṇformli btreid bî hrslf, bî yr ʈri yungr sistrz, n oceźṇli īvn bî yr faɖr. Pardn m. It penz m t ofnd y. Bt amdst yr cnsrn fr ɖ dīfects v yr nirist rleśnz, n yr dspleźr at ɖs repriznteśn v ɖm, let it gv y conṣleśn t cnsidr ɖt, t hv cnductd yrslvz so az t avôd eni śer v ɖ lîc snśr, z prêz no les jenṛli bstoud on y n yr eldr sistr, ɖn it z onṛbl t ɖ sns n disṗziśn v bʈ. I wl onli se farɖr ɖt fṛm ẃt pást ɖt īvnñ, mî opińn v ol partiz wz cnfrmd, n evri indysmnt hîtnd ẃć cd hv léd m bfr, t prizrv mî frend fṛm ẃt I istimd a most unhapi cnx́n. H left Neɖ̇fīld fr Lundn, on ɖ de folowñ, az y, I am srtn, rmembr, wɖ ɖ dzîn v sn rtrnñ.

“Ɖ part ẃć I actd z nǎ t b xplend. Hiz sistrz’ unīzinis hd bn īqli xîtd wɖ mî ǒn; ǎr cǒinsdns v fīlñ wz sn dscuvrd, n, alîc snṣbl ɖt no tîm wz t b lost in dtaćñ ɖer bruɖr, w śortli rzolvd on jônñ him d’recli in Lundn. W acordñli wnt – n ɖr I reḍli ingejd in ɖ ofis v pôntñ ǎt t mî frend ɖ srtn īvlz v sć a ćôs. I dscrîbd, n inforst ɖm rṇstli. Bt, hvr ɖs remnstṛns mt hv stagrd or dleid hiz dtrṃneśn, I d nt s’poz ɖt it wd ultiṃtli hv privntd ɖ marij, hd it nt bn secndd bî ɖ aśuṛns ɖt I heztetd nt in gvñ, v yr sistr’z indifṛns. H hd bfr b’livd hr t rtrn hiz afx́n wɖ snsir, f nt wɖ īql rgard. Bt Bñli hz gret naćṛl moḍsti, wɖ a strongr dpndns on mî jujmnt ɖn on hiz ǒn. T cnvins him, ɖrfr, ɖt h hd dsivd himslf, wz no vri dificlt pônt. T pswed him agnst rtrnñ intu Hartfdśr, ẃn ɖt cnvix́n hd bn gvn, wz scersli ɖ wrc v a momnt. I canot blem mslf fr hvñ dn ɖus mć. Ɖr z bt wn part v mî conduct in ɖ hol afer on ẃć I d nt rflect wɖ saṭsfax́n; it z ɖt I condisndd t adopt ɖ meźrz v art so far az t cnsil fṛm him yr sistr’z biyñ in tǎn. I ń it mslf, az it wz noun t Mis Bñli; bt hr bruɖr z īvn yt ignṛnt v it. Ɖt ɖe mt hv met wɖt il consiqns z phps probbl; bt hiz rgard dd nt apir t m inuf xtnḡśt fr him t si hr wɖt sm denjr. Phps ɖs cnsilmnt, ɖs dsgîz wz bnʈ m; it z dn, hvr, n it wz dn fr ɖ bst. On ɖs subjict I hv nʈñ mor t se, no uɖr apoḷji t ofr. F I hv wūndd yr sistr’z fīlñz, it wz uņowñli dn n ɖo ɖ motivz ẃć guvnd m me t y vri naćṛli apir inṣfiśnt, I hv nt yt lrnt t cndem ɖm.

“Wɖ rspct t ɖt uɖr, mor weiti akześn, v hvñ injrd Mr Wicm, I cn onli rfyt it bî leyñ bfr y ɖ hol v hiz cnx́n wɖ mî faṃli. V ẃt h hz ptiklrli akzd m I am ignṛnt; bt v ɖ truʈ v ẃt I śl rlet, I cn sumn mor ɖn wn witnis v undǎtd vraṣti.

“Mr Wicm z ɖ sun v a vri rspctbl man, hu hd fr mni yirz ɖ manijmnt v ol ɖ Pmḅli istets, n huz gd conduct in ɖ disćarj v hiz trust naćṛli inclînd mî faɖr t b v srvis t him; n on Jorj Wicm, hu wz hiz godsun, hiz cîndnis wz ɖrfr libṛli bstoud. Mî faɖr s’portd him at scūl, n aftwdz at Cembrij – most importnt asistns, az hiz ǒn faɖr, olwz pur fṛm ɖ xtraṿgns v hiz wîf, wd hv bn unebl t gv him a jntlmn’z edyceśn. Mî faɖr wz nt onli fond v ɖs yuñ man’z ssayti, huz manrz wr olwz ingejñ; h hd olso ɖ hîist opińn v him, n hopñ ɖ ćrć wd b hiz pṛfeśn, intndd t pṛvîd fr him in it. Az fr mslf, it z mni, mni yirz sins I frst bgan t ʈnc v him in a vri difṛnt manr. Ɖ viśs pṛpnṣtiz – ɖ wont v prínsipl, ẃć h wz cerfl t gard fṛm ɖ nolij v hiz bst frend, cd nt iscep ɖ obẓveśn v a yuñ man v nirli ɖ sem ej wɖ himslf, n hu hd oṗtyṇtiz v siyñ him in ungardd momnts, ẃć Mr Darsi cd nt hv. Hir agn I śl gv y pen – t ẃt dgri y onli cn tel. Bt ẃtvr me b ɖ sntimnts ẃć Mr Wicm hz crietd, a sspiśn v ɖer nećr śl nt privnt m fṛm unfoldñ hiz riyl caṛctr – it adz īvn anɖr motiv.

“Mî xḷnt faɖr daid abt fîv yirz ago; n hiz ataćmnt t Mr Wicm wz t ɖ last so stedi, ɖt in hiz wil h ptiklrli rec̣mndd it t m, t pṛmot hiz advansmnt in ɖ bst manr ɖt hiz pṛfeśn mt alǎ – n f h tc ordrz, dzîrd ɖt a vałbl faṃlilivñ mt b hiz az sn az it bcem vecnt. Ɖr wz olso a leġsi v wn ʈǎznd pǎndz. Hiz ǒn faɖr dd nt loñ svîv mîn, n wɖn haf a yir fṛm ɖz ivnts, Mr Wicm rout t inform m ɖt, hvñ fîṇli rzolvd agnst tecñ ordrz, h hopt I śd nt ʈnc it unrīzṇbl fr him t xpct sm mor imīɉt pkńri advantij, in lū v ɖ prifŕmnt, bî ẃć h cd nt b beṇfitd. H hd sm intnśn, h add, v studiyñ lw, n I mst b awer ɖt ɖ inṭrest v wn ʈǎznd pǎndz wd b a vri inṣfiśnt s’port ɖr-in. I rɖr wśt, ɖn b’livd him t b snsir; bt, at eni ret, wz prf̣cli redi t axid t hiz pṛpozl. I ń ɖt Mr Wicm òt nt t b a clrjimn; ɖ biznis wz ɖrfr sn setld – h rzînd ol clem t asistns in ɖ ćrć, wr it poṣbl ɖt h cd evr b in a sićueśn t rsiv it, n axptd in rtrn ʈri ʈǎznd pǎndz. Ol cnx́n btwn s sīmd nǎ dzolvd. I ʈt tù il v him t invît him t Pmḅli, or admit hiz ssayti in tǎn. In tǎn I b’liv h ćīfli livd, bt hiz studiyñ ɖ lw wz a mir pritns, n biyñ nǎ fri fṛm ol rstrent, hiz lîf wz a lîf v îdlnis n diṣpeśn. Fr abt ʈri yirz I hŕd litl v him; bt on ɖ dsis v ɖ incumbnt v ɖ livñ ẃć hd bn dzînd fr him, h aplaid t m agn bî letr fr ɖ preznteśn. Hiz srcmstansz, h aśurd m, n I hd no dificlti in b’livñ it, wr xidñli bad. H hd faund ɖ lw a most unprof̣tbl studi, n wz nǎ abṣlutli rzolvd on biyñ ordend, f I wd priznt him t ɖ livñ in qsćn – v ẃć h trustd ɖr cd b litl dǎt, az h wz wel aśurd ɖt I hd no uɖr prsn t pṛvîd fr, n I cd nt hv fgotn mî rvird faɖr’z intnśnz. Y wl hardli blem m fr rfyzñ t cmplî wɖ ɖs intriti, or fr rzistñ evri reṗtiśn t it. Hiz rzntmnt wz in pṛporśn t ɖ dstres v hiz srcmstansz – n h wz dǎtlis az vayḷnt in hiz abys v m t uɖrz az in hiz rproćz t mslf. Aftr ɖs pirịd evri apiṛns v aqentns wz dropt. Hǎ h livd I nǒ nt. Bt last sumr h wz agn most penf̣li obtrudd on mî notis.

“I mst nǎ mnśn a srcmstans ẃć I wd wś t fget mslf, n ẃć no obḷgeśn les ɖn ɖ preznt śd indys m t unfold t eni hymn biyñ. Hvñ sd ɖus mć, I fīl no dǎt v yr sīcṛsi. Mî sistr, hu z mor ɖn ten yirz mî jūńr, wz left t ɖ gardịnśp v mî muɖr’z nefy, Crnl Fitswiłm, n mslf. Abt a yir ago, ś wz tecn fṛm scūl, n an istabliśmnt formd fr hr in Lundn; n last sumr ś wnt wɖ ɖ ledi hu prizîdd ovr it, t Ramzget; n ɖiɖr olso wnt Mr Wicm, undǎtdli bî dzîn; fr ɖr pruvd t hv bn a prîr aqentns btwn him n Msz Yúñ, in huz caṛctr w wr most unhaṗli dsivd; n bî hr cnîvns n ed, h so far rec̣mndd himslf t Jorjana, huz afx́ṇt hart rtend a stroñ impreśn v hiz cîndnis t hr az a ćîld, ɖt ś wz pswedd t b’liv hrslf in luv, n t cnsnt t an ilopmnt. Ś wz ɖen bt fiftīn, ẃć mst b hr xks; n aftr stetñ hr imprudns, I am hapi t ad, ɖt I oud ɖ nolij v it t hrslf. I jônd ɖm unixpctidli a de or tū bfr ɖ intndd ilopmnt, n ɖen Jorjana, unebl t s’port ɖ îdīa v grīvñ n ofndñ a bruɖr hūm ś olmst lct p t az a faɖr, acnolijd ɖ hol t m. Y me imajn ẃt I flt n hǎ I actd. Rgard fr mî sistr’z credit n fīlñz privntd eni public xpoźr; bt I rout t Mr Wicm, hu left ɖ ples imīɉtli, n Msz Yúñ wz v cors rmuvd fṛm hr ćarj. Mr Wicm’z ćīf objict wz unqsćṇbli mî sistr’z fortyn, ẃć z ʈrti ʈǎznd pǎndz; bt I canot hlp s’pozñ ɖt ɖ hop v rvnjñ himslf on m wz a stroñ indysmnt. Hiz rvnj wd hv bn cmplit indd.

“Ɖs, madm, z a feʈfl naṛtiv v evri ivnt in ẃć w hv bn cnsrnd tgɖr; n f y d nt abṣlutli rjct it az fōls, y wl, I hop, aqit m hnsfʈ v cruwlti twdz Mr Wicm. I nǒ nt in ẃt manr, undr ẃt form v fōlshd h hd impozd on y; bt hiz s’xes z nt phps t b wundrd at. Ignṛnt az y prīvịsli wr v evrʈñ cnsrnñ îɖr, dtx́n cd nt b in yr pǎr, n sspiśn srtnli nt in yr incḷneśn.

“Y me poṣbli wundr ẃ ol ɖs wz nt tld y last nît; bt I wz nt ɖen mastr inuf v mslf t nǒ ẃt cd or òt t b rvild. Fr ɖ truʈ v evrʈñ hir rletd, I cn apil mor ptiklrli t ɖ tstiṃni v Crnl Fitswiłm, hu, fṛm ǎr nir rleśnśp n constnt intiṃsi, n, stl mor, az wn v ɖ xektrz v mî faɖr’z wl, hz bn un’vôḍbli aqentd wɖ evri ptiklr v ɖz trnzax́nz. F yr abhoṛns v m śd mc mî asrśnz valylis, y canot b privntd bî ɖ sem cōz fṛm cnfîdñ in mî cuzn; n ɖt ɖr me b ɖ posbiḷti v cnsultñ him, I śl indevr t fînd sm oṗtyṇti v ptñ ɖs letr in yr handz in ɖ cors v ɖ mornñ. I wl onli ad, God bles y.

“Fitswiłm DARSI”

Bt ẃn ɖs subjict wz s’xidd bî hiz acǎnt v Mr Wicm – ẃn ś réd wɖ smẃt clirr atnśn a rleśn v ivnts ẃć, f tru, mst oṿʈro evri ćeriśt opińn v hiz wrʈ, n ẃć bòr so alarmñ an afiṇti t hiz ǒn hisṭri v himslf – hr fīlñz wr yt mor aktli penfl n mor dificlt v def̣niśn. Astoniśmnt, aprihnśn, n īvn horr, oprest hr. Ś wśt t dscredit it intîrli, rpitidli xclemñ, “Ɖs mst b fōls! Ɖs canot b! Ɖs mst b ɖ grosist fōlshd!” – n ẃn ś hd gn ʈru ɖ hol letr, ɖo scersli nwñ enʈñ v ɖ last pej or tū, pt it hesṭli awe, pṛtstñ ɖt ś wd nt rgard it, ɖt ś wd nvr lc in it agn.

In ɖs ptrbd stet v mînd, wɖ ʈts ɖt cd rest on nʈñ, ś wōct on; bt it wd nt d; in haf a minit ɖ letr wz unfoldd agn, n c’lectñ hrslf az wel az ś cd, ś agn bgan ɖ morṭfayñ p’ruzl v ol ɖt rletd t Wicm, n cmandd hrslf so far az t xamin ɖ mīnñ v evri sntns. Ɖ acǎnt v hiz cnx́n wɖ ɖ Pmḅli faṃli wz xacli ẃt h hd rletd himslf; n ɖ cîndnis v ɖ lêt Mr Darsi, ɖo ś hd nt bfr noun its xtnt, agrìd īqli wel wɖ hiz ǒn wrdz. So far ć rsîtl cnfrmd ɖ uɖr; bt ẃn ś cem t ɖ wil, ɖ difṛns wz gret. Ẃt Wicm hd sd v ɖ livñ wz freś in hr meṃri, n az ś rcōld hiz vri wrdz, it wz imposbl nt t fīl ɖt ɖr wz gros dypliṣti on wn sîd or ɖ uɖr; n, fr a fy momnts, ś flatrd hrslf ɖt hr wśz dd nt ŕ. Bt ẃn ś réd n rīréd wɖ ɖ closist atnśn, ɖ ptiklrz imīɉtli folowñ v Wicm’z rzînñ ol pritnśnz t ɖ livñ, v hiz rsivñ in lū so cnsidṛbl a sum az ʈri ʈǎznd pǎndz, agn wz ś forst t heẓtet. Ś pt dǎn ɖ letr, weid evri srcmstans wɖ ẃt ś mnt t b imparśiaḷti – dliḅretd on ɖ probbiḷti v ć stetmnt – bt wɖ litl s’xes. On bʈ sîdz it wz onli asrśn. Agn ś réd on; bt evri lîn pruvd mor clirli ɖt ɖ afer, ẃć ś hd b’livd it imposbl ɖt eni cntrîvns cd so repriznt az t rendr Mr Darsi’z conduct in it les ɖn infṃs, wz ceṗbl v a trn ẃć mst mc him intîrli blemlis ʈrt ɖ hol.

Ɖ xtraṿgns n jenṛl profligsi ẃć h scrūpld nt t le at Mr Wicm’z ćarj, xidñli śoct hr; ɖ mor so, az ś cd brñ no prūf v its injustis. Ś hd nvr hŕd v him bfr hiz entṛns intu ɖ ––śr Mliśa, in ẃć h hd ingejd at ɖ psweźn v ɖ yuñ man hu, on mītñ him axdntli in tǎn, hd ɖr rnyd a slît aqentns. V hiz formr we v lîf nʈñ hd bn noun in Hartfdśr bt ẃt h tld himslf. Az t hiz riyl caṛctr, hd inf̣meśn bn in hr pǎr, ś hd nvr flt a wś v inqîrñ. Hiz cǎntinns, vôs, n manr hd istabliśt him at wns in ɖ pześn v evri vrću. Ś traid t rec̣lect sm instns v gdnis, sm dstnḡśt tret v integṛti or bnevḷns, ɖt mt resk him fṛm ɖ atacs v Mr Darsi; or at līst, bî ɖ pridominns v vrću, aton fr ɖoz caźl errz undr ẃć ś wd indevr t clas ẃt Mr Darsi hd dscrîbd az ɖ îdlnis n vîs v mni yirz’ cntinẏns. Bt no sć rec̣lex́n bfrendd hr. Ś cd si him instntli bfr hr, in evri ćarm v er n adres; bt ś cd rmembr no mor sbstanśl gd ɖn ɖ jenṛl apṛbeśn v ɖ nebrhd, n ɖ rgard ẃć hiz sośl pǎrz hd gend him in ɖ més. Aftr pōzñ on ɖs pônt a cnsidṛbl ẃl, ś wns mor cntinyd t rīd. Bt, alas! ɖ stori ẃć foloud, v hiz dzînz on Mis Darsi, rsivd sm confmeśn fṛm ẃt hd pást btwn Crnl Fitswiłm n hrslf onli ɖ mornñ bfr; n at last ś wz rfŕd fr ɖ truʈ v evri ptiklr t Crnl Fitswiłm himslf – fṛm hūm ś hd prīvịsli rsivd ɖ inf̣meśn v hiz nir cnsrn in ol hiz cuzn’z aferz, n huz caṛctr ś hd no rīzn t qsćn. At wn tîm ś hd olmst rzolvd on aplayñ t him, bt ɖ îdīa wz ćect bî ɖ ōcẉdnis v ɖ apḷceśn, n at leñʈ hoļi baniśt bî ɖ cnvix́n ɖt Mr Darsi wd nvr hv haẓdd sć a pṛpozl, f h hd nt bn wel aśurd v hiz cuzn’z c’roḅreśn.

Ś prf̣cli rmembrd evrʈñ ɖt hd pást in convseśn btwn Wicm n hrslf, in ɖer frst īvnñ at Mr Filips’z. Mni v hiz xpreśnz wr stl freś in hr meṃri. Ś wz nǎ struc wɖ ɖ impṛprayti v sć cḿṇceśnz t a strenjr, n wundrd it hd iscept hr bfr. Ś sw ɖ indelic̣si v ptñ himslf fwd az h hd dn, n ɖ incnsistnsi v hiz pṛfeśnz wɖ hiz conduct. Ś rmembrd ɖt h hd bostd v hvñ no fir v siyñ Mr Darsi – ɖt Mr Darsi mt līv ɖ cuntri, bt ɖt h śd stand hiz grǎnd; yt h hd avôdd ɖ Neɖ̇fīld bōl ɖ vri nxt wīc. Ś rmembrd olso ɖt, tl ɖ Neɖ̇fīld faṃli hd qitd ɖ cuntri, h hd tld hiz stori t nwn bt hrslf; bt ɖt aftr ɖer rmuvl it hd bn evrẃr dscust; ɖt h hd ɖen no rzrvz, no scrūplz in sncñ Mr Darsi’z caṛctr, ɖo h hd aśurd hr ɖt rspct fr ɖ faɖr wd olwz privnt hiz xpozñ ɖ sun.

Hǎ difṛntli dd evrʈñ nǎ apir in ẃć h wz cnsrnd! Hiz atnśnz t Mis Cñ wr nǎ ɖ consiqns v vyz soļi n hetf̣li mrsnri; n ɖ mīdiocṛti v hr fortyn pruvd no longr ɖ moḍreśn v hiz wśz, bt hiz īgrnis t grasp at enʈñ. Hiz bhevyr t hrslf cd nǎ hv hd no tolṛbl motiv; h hd îɖr bn dsivd wɖ rgard t hr fortyn, or hd bn graṭfayñ hiz vaṇti bî incuṛjñ ɖ prefṛns ẃć ś b’livd ś hd most incōśsli śoun. Evri linġrñ strugl in hiz fevr grù fentr n fentr; n in farɖr justif̣ceśn v Mr Darsi, ś cd nt bt alǎ ɖt Mr Bñli, ẃn qsćnd bî Jen, hd loñ ago asrtd hiz blemlisnis in ɖ afer; ɖt prǎd n rpulsiv az wr hiz manrz, ś hd nvr, in ɖ hol cors v ɖer aqentns – an aqentns ẃć hd latrli bròt ɖm mć tgɖr, n gvn hr a sort v intiṃsi wɖ hiz wez – sìn enʈñ ɖt btreid him t b unprínsipld or unjust – enʈñ ɖt spouc him v iṛlijs or imoṛl habits; ɖt amñ hiz ǒn cnx́nz h wz istimd n valyd – ɖt īvn Wicm hd alaud him merit az a bruɖr, n ɖt ś hd ofn hŕd him spīc so afx́ṇtli v hiz sistr az t pruv him ceṗbl v sm emịbl fīlñ; ɖt hd hiz ax́nz bn ẃt Mr Wicm reprizntd ɖm, so gros a vạleśn v evrʈñ rît cd hardli hv bn cnsild fṛm ɖ wrld; n ɖt frendśp btwn a prsn ceṗbl v it, n sć an emịbl man az Mr Bñli, wz incomprihnsbl.

Ś grù abṣlutli aśemd v hrslf. V nɖr Darsi nr Wicm cd ś ʈnc wɖt fīlñ ś hd bn blînd, parśl, preɉdist, absrd.

“Hǎ dspicbli I hv actd!” ś craid; “I, hu hv prîdd mslf on mî dsrnmnt! I, hu hv valyd mslf on mî abiḷtiz! hu hv ofn dsdend ɖ jenṛs candr v mî sistr, n graṭfaid mî vaṇti in yslis or bleṃbl mstrust! Hǎ hymilietñ z ɖs dscuṿri! Yt, hǎ just a hymilieśn! Hd I bn in luv, I cd nt hv bn mor rećidli blînd! Bt vaṇti, nt luv, hz bn mî foli. Plizd wɖ ɖ prefṛns v wn, n ofndd bî ɖ nglect v ɖ uɖr, on ɖ vri bginñ v ǎr aqentns, I hv cortd prīṗześn n ignṛns, n drivn rīzn awe, ẃr îɖr wr cnsrnd. Tl ɖs momnt I nvr ń mslf.”

Fṛm hrslf t Jen – fṛm Jen t Bñli, hr ʈts wr in a lîn ẃć sn bròt t hr rec̣lex́n ɖt Mr Darsi’z xpḷneśn ɖr hd apird vri inṣfiśnt, n ś réd it agn. Wîdli difṛnt wz ɖ ifct v a secnd p’ruzl. Hǎ cd ś dnî ɖt credit t hiz asrśnz in wn instns, ẃć ś hd bn oblîjd t gv in ɖ uɖr? H dclerd himslf t b toṭli unsspiśs v hr sistr’z ataćmnt; n ś cd nt hlp rmemḅrñ ẃt Śarlót’s opińn hd olwz bn. Nɖr cd ś dnî ɖ justis v hiz dscripśn v Jen. Ś flt ɖt Jen’z fīlñz, ɖo frvnt, wr litl dspleid, n ɖt ɖr wz a constnt cmplesnsi in hr er n manr nt ofn ynîtd wɖ gret snsbiḷti.

Ẃn ś cem t ɖt part v ɖ letr in ẃć hr faṃli wr mnśnd in trmz v sć morṭfayñ, yt meṛtd rproć, hr sns v śem wz svir. Ɖ justis v ɖ ćarj struc hr tù forṣbli fr dnayl, n ɖ srcmstansz t ẃć h ptiklrli aludd az hvñ pást at ɖ Neɖ̇fīld bōl, n az cnfrmñ ol hiz frst disapṛbeśn, cd nt hv md a strongr impreśn on hiz mînd ɖn on hrz.

Ɖ complimnt t hrslf n hr sistr wz nt unfelt. It suɖd, bt it cd nt consol hr fr ɖ cntmt ẃć hd ɖus bn slf’tractd bî ɖ rest v hr faṃli; n az ś cnsidrd ɖt Jen’z dis’pôntmnt hd in fact bn ɖ wrc v hr nirist rleśnz, n rflectd hǎ mtirịli ɖ credit v bʈ mst b hrt bî sć impṛprayti v conduct, ś flt dprest bynd enʈñ ś hd evr noun bfr.

Aftr wonḍrñ alñ ɖ len fr tū aurz, gvñ we t evri vrayti v ʈt – rīcnsiḍrñ ivnts, dtrṃnñ probbiḷtiz, n recnsîlñ hrslf, az wel az ś cd, t a ćenj so sudn n so importnt, ftīg, n a rec̣lex́n v hr loñ absns, md hr at leñʈ rtrn hom; n ś entrd ɖ hǎs wɖ ɖ wś v apirñ ćirfl az yźl, n ɖ reẓluśn v rpresñ sć rflex́nz az mst mc hr unfit fr convseśn.

Ś wz imīɉtli tld ɖt ɖ tū jntlṃn fṛm Rozñz hd ć cōld jrñ hr absns; Mr Darsi, onli fr a fy minits, t tec līv – bt ɖt Crnl Fitswiłm hd bn sitñ wɖ ɖm at līst an aur, hopñ fr hr rtrn, n olmst rzolvñ t wōc aftr hr tl ś cd b faund. Iliẓbʈ cd bt jst afct cnsrn in misñ him; ś riyli rjôst at it. Crnl Fitswiłm wz no longr an objict; ś cd ʈnc onli v hr letr.

Iliẓbʈ cd nt si Ledi Caʈ̇rin wɖt rec̣lectñ ɖt, hd ś ćozn it, ś mt bî ɖs tîm hv bn prizntd t hr az hr fyćr nīs; nr cd ś ʈnc, wɖt a smîl, v ẃt hr lediśp’s inḍgneśn wd hv bn. “Ẃt wd ś hv sd? hǎ wd ś hv bhevd?” wr qsćnz wɖ ẃć ś aḿzd hrslf.

Ɖer frst subjict wz ɖ diṃńśn v ɖ Rozñz parti. “I aśur y, I fīl it xidñli,” sd Ledi Caʈ̇rin; “I b’liv nwn fīlz ɖ los v frendz so mć az I d. Bt I am ptiklrli ataćt t ɖz yuñ men, n nǒ ɖm t b so mć ataćt t m! Ɖe wr xesivli sori t g! Bt so ɖe olwz r. Ɖ dir Crnl ralid hiz spirits tolṛbli tl jst at last; bt Darsi sīmd t fīl it most aktli, mor, I ʈnc, ɖn last yir. Hiz ataćmnt t Rozñz srtnli incrisz.”

Mr Colinz hd a complimnt, n an aluźn t ʈro in hir, ẃć wr cîndli smîld on bî ɖ muɖr n dōtr.

Ledi Caʈ̇rin obzrvd, aftr dinr, ɖt Mis Benit sīmd ǎt v spirits, n imīɉtli acǎntñ fr it bî hrslf, bî s’pozñ ɖt ś dd nt lîc t g hom agn so sn, ś add:

“Bt f ɖt z ɖ ces, y mst rait t yr muɖr n beg ɖt y me ste a litl longr. Msz Colinz wl b vri glad v yr cumṗni, I am śr.”

“I am mć oblîjd t yr lediśp fr yr cînd invteśn,” rplaid Iliẓbʈ, “bt it z nt in mî pǎr t axpt it. I mst b in tǎn nxt Saṭde.”

“Ẃ, at ɖt ret, y wl hv bn hir onli six wīcs. I xpctd y t ste tū munʈs. I tld Msz Colinz so bfr y cem. Ɖr cn b no oceźn fr yr gwñ so sn. Msz Benit cd srtnli sper y fr anɖr fortnît.”

“Bt mî faɖr canot. H rout last wīc t huri mî rtrn.”

“Ǒ! yr faɖr v cors me sper y, f yr muɖr cn. Dōtrz r nvr v so mć consiqns t a faɖr. N f y wl ste anɖr munʈ cmplit, it wl b in mî pǎr t tec wn v y az far az Lundn, fr I am gwñ ɖr rli in Jūn, fr a wīc; n az Dawson dz nt objict t ɖ b’rūśbox, ɖr wl b vri gd rūm fr wn v y – n indd, f ɖ weɖr śd hapn t b cūl, I śd nt objict t tecñ y bʈ, az y r nɖr v y larj.”

“Y r ol cîndnis, madm; bt I b’liv w mst abîd bî ǎr orijinl plan.”

Ledi Caʈ̇rin sīmd rzînd. “Msz Colinz, y mst snd a srvnt wɖ ɖm. Y nǒ I olwz spīc mî mînd, n I canot ber ɖ îdīa v tū yuñ wimin traṿlñ post bî ɖmslvz. It z hîli impropr. Y mst cntrîv t snd smbdi. I hv ɖ gretist dslîc in ɖ wrld t ɖt sort v ʈñ. Yuñ wimin śd olwz b proprli gardd n atndd, acordñ t ɖer sićueśn in lîf. Ẃn mî nīs Jorjana wnt t Ramzget last sumr, I md a pônt v hr hvñ tū mensrvnts g wɖ hr. Mis Darsi, ɖ dōtr v Mr Darsi, v Pmḅli, n Ledi Án, cd nt hv apird wɖ pṛprayti in a difṛnt manr. I am xesivli atntiv t ol ɖoz ʈñz. Y mst snd Jon wɖ ɖ yuñ lediz, Msz Colinz. I am glad it ocŕd t m t mnśn it; fr it wd riyli b dscredtbl t y t let ɖm g alon.”

“Mî uncl z t snd a srvnt fr s.”

“Ǒ! Yr uncl! H cīps a mansrvnt, dz h? I am vri glad y hv smbdi hu ʈncs v ɖz ʈñz. Ẃr śl y ćenj horsz? Ǒ! Bromli, v cors. F y mnśn mî nem at ɖ Bel, y wl b atndd t.”

Ledi Caʈ̇rin hd mni uɖr qsćnz t asc rspctñ ɖer jrni, n az ś dd nt ansr ɖm ol hrslf, atnśn wz nesṣri, ẃć Iliẓbʈ b’livd t b luci fr hr; or, wɖ a mînd so okpaid, ś mt hv fgotn ẃr ś wz. Rflex́n mst b rzrvd fr solitri aurz; ẃnvr ś wz alon, ś gev we t it az ɖ gretist rlif; n nt a de wnt bî wɖt a solitri wōc, in ẃć ś mt indulj in ol ɖ dlît v unpleznt rec̣lex́nz.

Mr Darsi’z letr ś wz in a fer we v sn nwñ bî hart. Ś studid evri sntns; n hr fīlñz twdz its raitr wr at tîmz wîdli difṛnt. Ẃn ś rmembrd ɖ stîl v hiz adres, ś wz stl fl v inḍgneśn; bt ẃn ś cnsidrd hǎ unjustli ś hd cndemd n upbrêdd him, hr angr wz trnd agnst hrslf; n hiz dis’pôntd fīlñz bcem ɖ objict v cmpaśn. Hiz ataćmnt xîtd grattyd, hiz jenṛl caṛctr rspct; bt ś cd nt apruv him; nr cd ś fr a momnt rpnt hr rfyzl, or fīl ɖ slîtist incḷneśn evr t si him agn. In hr ǒn past bhevyr, ɖr wz a constnt sors v vxeśn n rgret; n in ɖ unhapi dīfects v hr faṃli, a subjict v yt hevịr śagrin. Ɖe wr hoplis v reṃdi. Hr faɖr, cntntd wɖ lafñ at ɖm, wd nvr xrt himslf t rstren ɖ wîld gidinis v hiz yungist dōtrz; n hr muɖr, wɖ manrz so far fṛm rît hrslf, wz intîrli insnsbl v ɖ īvl. Iliẓbʈ hd frīqntli ynîtd wɖ Jen in an indevr t ćec ɖ imprudns v Caʈ̇rin n Lidia; bt ẃl ɖe wr s’portd bî ɖer muɖr’z induljns, ẃt ćans cd ɖr b v impruvmnt? Caʈ̇rin, wìc-spiṛtd, iritbl, n cmplitli undr Lidia’z gîdns, hd bn olwz afruntd bî ɖer advîs; n Lidia, slf-wild n cerlis, wd scersli gv ɖm a hírñ. Ɖe wr ignṛnt, îdl, n ven. Ẃl ɖr wz an ofisr in Meritn, ɖe wd flrt wɖ him; n ẃl Meritn wz wɖn a wōc v Loñbōrn, ɖe wd b gwñ ɖr fr evr.

Añzayti on Jen’z bhaf wz anɖr privelñ cnsrn; n Mr Darsi’z xpḷneśn, bî rstorñ Bñli t ol hr formr gd opińn, hîtnd ɖ sns v ẃt Jen hd lost. Hiz afx́n wz pruvd t hv bn snsir, n hiz conduct clird v ol blem, unls eni cd atać t ɖ implisitnis v hiz confidns in hiz frend. Hǎ grīṿs ɖen wz ɖ ʈt ɖt, v a sićueśn so dzîṛbl in evri rspct, so rplit wɖ advantij, so proṃsñ fr hapinis, Jen hd bn dprîvd, bî ɖ foli n inḍcoṛm v hr ǒn faṃli!

Ẃn t ɖz rec̣lex́nz wz add ɖ dveḷpmnt v Wicm’z caṛctr, it me b īẓli b’livd ɖt ɖ hapi spirits ẃć hd sldm bn dprest bfr, wr nǎ so mć afctd az t mc it olmst imposbl fr hr t apir tolṛbli ćirfl.

Ɖer ingejmnts at Rozñz wr az frīqnt jrñ ɖ last wīc v hr ste az ɖe hd bn at frst. Ɖ vri last īvnñ wz spent ɖr; n hr lediśp agn inqîrd mînytli intu ɖ ptiklrz v ɖer jrni, gev ɖm d’rex́nz az t ɖ bst meʈ̇d v pacñ, n wz so rjnt on ɖ nseṣti v plesñ gǎnz in ɖ onli rît we, ɖt Mrīa ʈt hrslf oblîjd, on hr rtrn, t undu ol ɖ wrc v ɖ mornñ, n pac hr trunc afreś.

Ẃn ɖe partd, Ledi Caʈ̇rin, wɖ gret condisnśn, wśt ɖm a gd jrni, n invîtd ɖm t cm t Hunsf̣d agn nxt yir; n Mis d’Brg xrtd hrslf so far az t crtsi n hold ǎt hr hand t bʈ.

“I nǒ nt, Mis Iliẓbʈ,” sd h, “ẃɖr Msz Colinz hz yt xprest hr sns v yr cîndnis in cmñ t s; bt I am vri srtn y wl nt līv ɖ hǎs wɖt rsivñ hr ʈancs fr it. Ɖ fevr v yr cumṗni hz bn mć flt, I aśur y. W nǒ hǎ litl ɖr z t tmt enwn t ǎr humbl abod. Ǎr plen manr v livñ, ǎr smōl rūmz n fy dmestics, n ɖ litl w si v ɖ wrld, mst mc Hunsf̣d xtrimli dul t a yuñ ledi lîc yrslf; bt I hop y wl b’liv s gretfl fr ɖ condisnśn, n ɖt w hv dn evrʈñ in ǎr pǎr t privnt yr spendñ yr tîm unplezntli.”

Iliẓbʈ wz īgr wɖ hr ʈancs n aśuṛnsz v hapinis. Ś hd spent six wīcs wɖ gret injômnt; n ɖ pleźr v biyñ wɖ Śarlót, n ɖ cînd atnśnz ś hd rsivd, mst mc hr fīl ɖ oblîjd. Mr Colinz wz graṭfaid, n wɖ a mor smîlñ s’lemṇti rplaid:

“It gvz m gret pleźr t hír ɖt y hv pást yr tîm nt dis’griybli. W hv srtnli dn ǎr bst; n most forćṇtli hvñ it in ǎr pǎr t intṛdys y t vri s’pirịr ssayti, n, fṛm ǎr cnx́n wɖ Rozñz, ɖ frīqnt mīnz v vẹriyñ ɖ humbl hom sīn, I ʈnc w me flatr ǎrslvz ɖt yr Hunsf̣d vizit canot hv bn intîrli rcsm. Ǎr sićueśn wɖ rgard t Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z faṃli z indd ɖ sort v xtrordnri advantij n blesñ ẃć fy cn bost. Y si on ẃt a ftñ w r. Y si hǎ cntińli w r ingejd ɖr. In truʈ I mst acnolij ɖt, wɖ ol ɖ dis’dvantjz v ɖs humbl parṣnij, I śd nt ʈnc enwn abîdñ in it an objict v cmpaśn, ẃl ɖe r śerrz v ǎr intiṃsi at Rozñz.”

Wrdz wr inṣfiśnt fr ɖ eḷveśn v hiz fīlñz; n h wz oblîjd t wōc abt ɖ rūm, ẃl Iliẓbʈ traid t ynît sviḷti n truʈ in a fy śort sntnsz.

“Y me, in fact, cari a vri fevṛbl rport v s intu Hartfdśr, mî dir cuzn. I flatr mslf at līst ɖt y wl b ebl t d so. Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z gret atnśnz t Msz Colinz y hv bn a dêli witnis v; n oltgɖr I trust it dz nt apir ɖt yr frend hz drwn an unforćṇt – bt on ɖs pônt it wl b az wel t b sîḷnt. Onli let m aśur y, mî dir Mis Iliẓbʈ, ɖt I cn fṛm mî hart most corɉli wś y īql f’liṣti in marij. Mî dir Śarlót n I hv bt wn mînd n wn we v ʈncñ. Ɖr z in evrʈñ a most rmarcbl rzmbḷns v caṛctr n îdīaz btwn s. W sīm t hv bn dzînd fr ć uɖr.”

Iliẓbʈ cd sefli se ɖt it wz a gret hapinis ẃr ɖt wz ɖ ces, n wɖ īql s’nseṛti cd ad, ɖt ś frmli b’livd n rjôst in hiz dmestic cumf̣ts. Ś wz nt sori, hvr, t hv ɖ rsîtl v ɖm inṭruptd bî ɖ ledi fṛm hūm ɖe sprañ. Pur Śarlót! it wz meḷnc̣li t līv hr t sć ssayti! Bt ś hd ćozn it wɖ hr îz opn; n ɖo evidntli rgretñ ɖt hr vizitrz wr t g, ś dd nt sīm t asc fr cmpaśn. Hr hom n hr hǎscīpñ, hr pariś n hr poltri, n ol ɖer dpndnt cnsrnz, hd nt yt lost ɖer ćarmz.

At leñʈ ɖ śêz arîvd, ɖ truncs wr fasnd on, ɖ parslz plest wɖn, n it wz pṛnǎnst t b redi. Aftr an afx́ṇt partñ btwn ɖ frendz, Iliẓbʈ wz atndd t ɖ carij bî Mr Colinz, n az ɖe wōct dǎn ɖ gardn h wz cmiśnñ hr wɖ hiz bst rspcts t ol hr faṃli, nt fgetñ hiz ʈancs fr ɖ cîndnis h hd rsivd at Loñbōrn in ɖ wintr, n hiz complimnts t Mr n Msz Gardinr, ɖo uņoun. H ɖen handd hr in, Mrīa foloud, n ɖ dor wz on ɖ pônt v biyñ clozd, ẃn h sudnli rmîndd ɖm, wɖ sm consṭneśn, ɖt ɖe hd hiɖrtu fgotn t līv eni mesij fr ɖ lediz at Rozñz.

“Bt,” h add, “y wl v cors wś t hv yr humbl rspcts dlivrd t ɖm, wɖ yr gretfl ʈancs fr ɖer cîndnis t y ẃl y hv bn hir.”

Iliẓbʈ md no objx́n; ɖ dor wz ɖen alaud t b śut, n ɖ carij drouv of.

“Gd greśs!” craid Mrīa, aftr a fy minits’ sîḷns, “it sīmz bt a de or tū sins w frst cem! n yt hǎ mni ʈñz hv hapnd!”

“A gret mni indd,” sd hr cmpańn wɖ a sai.

“W hv dînd nîn tîmz at Rozñz, bsdz drincñ ti ɖr twîs! Hǎ mć I śl hv t tel!”

Iliẓbʈ add prîṿtli, “N hǎ mć I śl hv t cnsil!”

Ɖer jrni wz pformd wɖt mć convseśn, or eni alarm; n wɖn for aurz v ɖer līvñ Hunsf̣d ɖe rīćt Mr Gardinr’z hǎs, ẃr ɖe wr t rmen a fy dez.

Jen lct wel, n Iliẓbʈ hd litl oṗtyṇti v studiyñ hr spirits, amdst ɖ verịs ingejmnts ẃć ɖ cîndnis v hr ānt hd rzrvd fr ɖm. Bt Jen wz t g hom wɖ hr, n at Loñbōrn ɖr wd b leźr inuf fr obẓveśn.

It wz nt wɖt an ef̣t, mnẃl, ɖt ś cd wêt īvn fr Loñbōrn, bfr ś tld hr sistr v Mr Darsi’z pṛpozlz. T nǒ ɖt ś hd ɖ pǎr v rvilñ ẃt wd so xidñli astoniś Jen, n mst, at ɖ sem tîm, so hîli graṭfî ẃtvr v hr ǒn vaṇti ś hd nt yt bn ebl t rīzn awe, wz sć a tmteśn t opņis az nʈñ cd hv concrd bt ɖ stet v indisiźn in ẃć ś rmend az t ɖ xtnt v ẃt ś śd cḿṇcet; n hr fir, f ś wns entrd on ɖ subjict, v biyñ hurid intu rpitñ smʈñ v Bñli ẃć mt onli grīv hr sistr frɖr.

Aftr welcmñ ɖer sistrz, ɖe trîumfntli dspleid a tebl set ǎt wɖ sć cold mìt az an ínlardr yẓ́li afordz, xclemñ, “Z nt ɖs nîs? Z nt ɖs an agriybl s’prîz?”

“N w mīn t trīt y ol,” add Lidia, “bt y mst lend s ɖ muni, fr w hv jst spent ǎrz at ɖ śop ǎt ɖr.” Ɖen, śowñ hr prć̣sz – “Lc hir, I hv bòt ɖs bonit. I d nt ʈnc it z vri priti; bt I ʈt I mt az wel bai it az nt. I śl pl it t pìsz az sn az I gt hom, n si f I cn mc it p eni betr.”

N ẃn hr sistrz abyzd it az ugli, ś add, wɖ prfict uncnsrn, “Ǒ! bt ɖr wr tū or ʈri mć uglịr in ɖ śop; n ẃn I hv bòt sm pritịr-culrd satin t trim it wɖ freś, I ʈnc it wl b vri tolṛbl. Bsdz, it wl nt mć sigṇfî ẃt wn werz ɖs sumr, aftr ɖ ––śr hv left Meritn, n ɖe r gwñ in a fortnît.”

“R ɖe indd!” craid Iliẓbʈ, wɖ ɖ gretist saṭsfax́n.

“Ɖe r gwñ t b incamt nir Braitn; n I d so wont ppā t tec s ol ɖr fr ɖ sumr! It wd b sć a dliśs scīm; n I der se wd hardli cost enʈñ at ol. M’mā wd lîc t g tù v ol ʈñz! Onli ʈnc ẃt a mizṛbl sumr els w śl hv!”

“Yes,” ʈt Iliẓbʈ, “ɖt wd b a dlîtfl scīm indd, n cmplitli d fr s at wns. Gd Hevn! Braitn, n a hol campfl v soljrz, t s, hu hv bn oṿset olrdi bî wn pur rejimnt v mliśa, n ɖ munʈli bōlz v Meritn!”

“Nǎ I hv got sm nyz fr y,” sd Lidia, az ɖe sat dǎn at tebl. “Ẃt d y ʈnc? It z xḷnt nyz – capitl nyz – n abt a srtn prsn w ol lîc!”

Jen n Iliẓbʈ lct at ć uɖr, n ɖ wêtr wz tld h nīd nt ste. Lidia laft, n sd:

“Ai, ɖt z jst lîc yr formaḷti n dscreśn. Y ʈt ɖ wêtr mst nt hír, az f h cerd! I der se h ofn hírz wrs ʈñz sd ɖn I am gwñ t se. Bt h z an ugli felo! I am glad h z gn. I nvr sw sć a loñ ćin in mî lîf. Wel, bt nǎ fr mî nyz; it z abt dir Wicm; tù gd fr ɖ wêtr, z it nt? Ɖr z no denjr v Wicm’z mariyñ Mẹri Cñ. Ɖr’z fr y! Ś z gn dǎn t hr uncl at Liṿpul: gn t ste. Wicm z sef.”

“N Mẹri Cñ z sef!” add Iliẓbʈ; “sef fṛm a cnx́n imprūdnt az t fortyn.”

“Ś z a gret fūl fr gwñ awe, f ś lîct him.”

“Bt I hop ɖr z no stroñ ataćmnt on îɖr sîd,” sd Jen.

“I am śr ɖr z nt on hiz. I wl ansr fr it, h nvr cerd ʈri strwz abt hr – hu cd abt sć a nasti litl frecld ʈñ?”

Iliẓbʈ wz śoct t ʈnc ɖt, hvr inceṗbl v sć cōrsnis v xpreśn hrslf, ɖ cōrsnis v ɖ sntimnt wz litl uɖr ɖn hr ǒn brest hd harbrd n fansid libṛl!

Az sn az ol hd ét, n ɖ eldr wnz peid, ɖ carij wz ordrd; n aftr sm cntrîvns, ɖ hol parti, wɖ ol ɖer boxz, wrcbagz, n parslz, n ɖ unwelcm adiśn v Citi’z n Lidia’z prć̣sz, wr sītd in it.

“Hǎ nîsli w r ol cramd in,” craid Lidia. “I am glad I bòt mî bonit, f it z onli fr ɖ fun v hvñ anɖr bandbox! Wel, nǎ let s b qt cumf̣tbl n snug, n tōc n laf ol ɖ we hom. N in ɖ frst ples, let s hír ẃt hz hapnd t y ol sins y wnt awe. Hv y sìn eni pleznt men? Hv y hd eni flrtñ? I wz in gret hops ɖt wn v y wd hv got a huzbnd bfr y cem bac. Jen wl b qt an old meid sn, I dcler. Ś z olmst ʈri-n-twenti! Lord, hǎ aśemd I śd b v nt biyñ marid bfr ʈri-n-twenti! Mî ānt Filips wonts y so t gt huzbndz, y c’nt ʈnc. Ś sz Lizi hd betr hv tecn Mr Colinz; bt I d nt ʈnc ɖr wd hv bn eni fun in it. Lord! hǎ I śd lîc t b marid bfr eni v y; n ɖen I wd śaṗron y abt t ol ɖ bōlz. Dir m! w hd sć a gd pìs v fun ɖ uɖr de at Crnl Forstr’z. Citi n m wr t spend ɖ de ɖr, n Msz Forstr promist t hv a litl dans in ɖ īvnñ; (bî ɖ bái, Msz Forstr n m r sć frendz!) n so ś asct ɖ tū Harñtnz t cm, bt Harịt wz il, n so Pén wz forst t cm bî hrslf; n ɖen, ẃt d y ʈnc w dd? W drest p Ćemḅlin in wmn’z cloɖz on prṗs t pas fr a ledi, onli ʈnc ẃt fun! Nt a soul ń v it, bt Crnl n Msz Forstr, n Citi n m, xpt mî ānt, fr w wr forst t boro wn v hr gǎnz; n y canot imajn hǎ wel h lct! Ẃn Deni, n Wicm, n Prát, n tū or ʈri mor v ɖ men cem in, ɖe dd nt nǒ him in ɖ līst. Lord! hǎ I laft! n so dd Msz Forstr. I ʈt I śd hv daid. N ɖt md ɖ men sspct smʈñ, n ɖen ɖe sn faund ǎt ẃt wz ɖ matr.”

Wɖ sć cndz v hisṭriz v ɖer partiz n gd jocs, dd Lidia, asistd bî Citi’z hints n adiśnz, indevr t aḿz hr cmpańnz ol ɖ we t Loñbōrn. Iliẓbʈ lisnd az litl az ś cd, bt ɖr wz no iscepñ ɖ frīqnt mnśn v Wicm’z nem.

Ɖer rspśn at hom wz most cînd. Msz Benit rjôst t si Jen in undiminiśt byti; n mor ɖn wns jrñ dinr dd Mr Benit se voḷntṛli t Iliẓbʈ:

“I am glad y r cm bac, Lizi.”

Ɖer parti in ɖ dînñrūm wz larj, fr olmst ol ɖ Lūc̣sz cem t mīt Mrīa n hír ɖ nyz; n verịs wr ɖ subjicts ɖt okpaid ɖm: Ledi Lūc̣s wz inqîrñ v Mrīa, aftr ɖ welfer n poltri v hr eldist dōtr; Msz Benit wz dubli ingejd, on wn hand c’lectñ an acǎnt v ɖ preznt faśnz fṛm Jen, hu sat sm we b’lo hr, n, on ɖ uɖr, rīteilñ ɖm ol t ɖ yungr Lūc̣sz; n Lidia, in a vôs rɖr lǎdr ɖn eni uɖr prsn’z, wz ińṃretñ ɖ verịs pleźrz v ɖ mornñ t enbdi hu wd hír hr.

“Ǒ! Mẹri,” sd ś, “I wś y hd gn wɖ s, fr w hd sć fun! Az w wnt alñ, Citi n I drù p ɖ blîndz, n pritndd ɖr wz nbdi in ɖ coć; n I śd hv gn so ol ɖ we, f Citi hd nt bn sic; n ẃn w got t ɖ Jorj, I d ʈnc w bhevd vri hansmli, fr w trītd ɖ uɖr ʈri wɖ ɖ nîsist cold lunćn in ɖ wrld, n f y wd hv gn, w wd hv trītd y tù. N ɖen ẃn w cem awe it wz sć fun! I ʈt w nvr śd hv got intu ɖ coć. I wz redi t dî v laftr. N ɖen w wr so meri ol ɖ we hom! w tōct n laft so lǎd, ɖt enbdi mt hv hŕd s ten mîlz of!”

T ɖs Mẹri vri grevli rplaid, “Far b it fṛm m, mî dir sistr, t dprīśiet sć pleźrz! Ɖe wd dǎtlis b cnjīńl wɖ ɖ jeṇraḷti v fīmel mîndz. Bt I cnfes ɖe wd hv no ćarmz fr m – I śd infiṇtli prifŕ a bc.”

Bt v ɖs ansr Lidia hŕd nt a wrd. Ś sldm lisnd t enbdi fr mor ɖn haf a minit, n nvr atndd t Mẹri at ol.

In ɖ afṭnun Lidia wz rjnt wɖ ɖ rest v ɖ grlz t wōc t Meritn, n t si hǎ evrbdi wnt on; bt Iliẓbʈ steḍli opozd ɖ scīm. It śd nt b sd ɖt ɖ Mis Benits cd nt b at hom haf a de bfr ɖe wr in psyt v ɖ ofisrz. Ɖr wz anɖr rīzn tù fr hr opziśn. Ś dredd siyñ Mr Wicm agn, n wz rzolvd t avôd it az loñ az poṣbl. Ɖ cumf̣t t hr v ɖ rejimnt’s aproćñ rmuvl wz indd bynd xpreśn. In a fortnît ɖe wr t g – n wns gn, ś hopt ɖr cd b nʈñ mor t pleg hr on hiz acǎnt.

Ś hd nt bn mni aurz at hom bfr ś faund ɖt ɖ Braitn scīm, v ẃć Lidia hd gvn ɖm a hint at ɖ ín, wz undr frīqnt dscuśn btwn hr peṛnts. Iliẓbʈ sw d’recli ɖt hr faɖr hd nt ɖ smōlist intnśn v yīldñ; bt hiz ansrz wr at ɖ sem tîm so veg n iqivcl, ɖt hr muɖr, ɖo ofn dshartnd, hd nvr yt dsperd v s’xidñ at last.

Mis Benit’s astoniśmnt wz sn lesnd bî ɖ stroñ sistrli parśiaḷti ẃć md eni adṃreśn v Iliẓbʈ apir prf̣cli naćṛl; n ol s’prîz wz śortli lost in uɖr fīlñz. Ś wz sori ɖt Mr Darsi śd hv dlivrd hiz sntimnts in a manr so litl sūtd t rec̣mnd ɖm; bt stl mor wz ś grīvd fr ɖ unhapinis ẃć hr sistr’z rfyzl mst hv gvn him.

“Hiz biyñ so śr v s’xidñ wz roñ,” sd ś, “n srtnli òt nt t hv apird; bt cnsidr hǎ mć it mst incris hiz dis’pôntmnt!”

“Indd,” rplaid Iliẓbʈ, “I am harṭli sori fr him; bt h hz uɖr fīlñz, ẃć wl probbli sn drîv awe hiz rgard fr m. Y d nt blem m, hvr, fr rfyzñ him?”

“Blem y! Ǒ, no.”

“Bt y blem m fr hvñ spocn so wormli v Wicm?”

“No – I d nt nǒ ɖt y wr roñ in seyñ ẃt y dd.”

“Bt y wl nǒ it, ẃn I tel y ẃt hapnd ɖ vri nxt de.”

Ś ɖen spouc v ɖ letr, rpitñ ɖ hol v its contents az far az ɖe cnsrnd Jorj Wicm. Ẃt a stroc wz ɖs fr pur Jen! hu wd wilñli hv gn ʈru ɖ wrld wɖt b’livñ ɖt so mć wicidnis xistd in ɖ hol rês v man-cnd, az wz hir c’lectd in wn indivijl. Nr wz Darsi’z vindceśn, ɖo gretfl t hr fīlñz, ceṗbl v cnsolñ hr fr sć dscuṿri. Most rṇstli dd ś lebr t pruv ɖ probbiḷti v err, n sīc t clir ɖ wn wɖt involvñ ɖ uɖr.

“Ɖs wl nt d,” sd Iliẓbʈ; “y nvr wl b ebl t mc bʈ v ɖm gd fr enʈñ. Tec yr ćôs, bt y mst b saṭsfaid wɖ onli wn. Ɖr z bt sć a qontti v merit btwn ɖm; jst inuf t mc wn gd sort v man; n v lêt it hz bn śiftñ abt priti mć. Fr mî part, I am inclînd t b’liv it ol Darsi’z; bt y śl d az y ćūz.”

It wz sm tîm, hvr, bfr a smîl cd b xtortd fṛm Jen.

“I d nt nǒ ẃn I hv bn mor śoct,” sd ś. “Wicm so vri bad! It z olmst past b’lif. N pur Mr Darsi! Dir Lizi, onli cnsidr ẃt h mst hv sufrd. Sć a dis’pôntmnt! n wɖ ɖ nolij v yr il opińn, tù! n hvñ t rlet sć a ʈñ v hiz sistr! It z riyli tù dstresñ. I am śr y mst fīl it so.”

“Ǒ! no, mî rgret n cmpaśn r ol dn awe bî siyñ y so fl v bʈ. I nǒ y wl d him sć ampl justis, ɖt I am growñ evri momnt mor uncnsrnd n indifṛnt. Yr pṛfyźn mcs m sevñ; n f y l’mnt ovr him mć longr, mî hart wl b az lît az a feɖr.”

“Pur Wicm! ɖr z sć an xpreśn v gdnis in hiz cǎntinns! sć an opņis n jntlnis in hiz manr!”

“Ɖr srtnli wz sm gret msmanijmnt in ɖ edyceśn v ɖoz tū yuñ men. Wn hz got ol ɖ gdnis, n ɖ uɖr ol ɖ apiṛns v it.”

“I nvr ʈt Mr Darsi so dfiśnt in ɖ apiṛns v it az y yst t d.”

“N yt I mnt t b uncomnli clevr in tecñ so dsîdd a dslîc t him, wɖt eni rīzn. It z sć a spr t wn’z jīńs, sć an oṗnñ fr wit, t hv a dslîc v ɖt cnd. Wn me b cntińli abysiv wɖt seyñ enʈñ just; bt wn canot olwz b lafñ at a man wɖt nǎ n ɖen stumḅlñ on smʈñ witi.”

“Lizi, ẃn y frst réd ɖt letr, I am śr y cd nt trīt ɖ matr az y d nǎ.”

“Indd, I cd nt. I wz uncumf̣tbl inuf, I me se unhapi. N wɖ nwn t spīc t abt ẃt I flt, no Jen t cumf̣t m n se ɖt I hd nt bn so vri wìc n ven n nonsnsicl az I ń I hd! Ǒ! hǎ I wontd y!”

“Hǎ unforćṇt ɖt y śd hv yzd sć vri stroñ xpreśnz in spīcñ v Wicm t Mr Darsi, fr nǎ ɖe d apir hoļi undizrvd.”

“Srtnli. Bt ɖ msfortyn v spīcñ wɖ bitrnis z a most naćṛl consiqns v ɖ preɉdisz I hd bn incuṛjñ. Ɖr z wn pônt on ẃć I wont yr advîs. I wont t b tld ẃɖr I òt, or òt nt, t mc ǎr aqentnsz in jenṛl unḍstand Wicm’z caṛctr.”

Mis Benit pōzd a litl, n ɖen rplaid, “Śrli ɖr cn b no oceźn fr xpozñ him so dredf̣li. Ẃt z yr opińn?”

“Ɖt it òt nt t b atmtd. Mr Darsi hz nt oʈ̇rîzd m t mc hiz cḿṇceśn public. On ɖ contrri, evri ptiklr reḷtiv t hiz sistr wz mnt t b cept az mć az poṣbl t mslf; n f I indevr t undisiv ppl az t ɖ rest v hiz conduct, hu wl b’liv m? Ɖ jenṛl preɉdis agnst Mr Darsi z so vayḷnt, ɖt it wd b ɖ deʈ v haf ɖ gd ppl in Meritn t atmt t ples him in an emịbl lît. I am nt īql t it. Wicm wl sn b gn; n ɖrfr it wl nt sigṇfî t enwn hir ẃt h riyli z. Sm tîm hns it wl b ol faund ǎt, n ɖen w me laf at ɖer stypidti in nt nwñ it bfr. At preznt I wl se nʈñ abt it.”

“Y r qt rît. T hv hiz errz md public mt ruin him fr evr. H z nǎ, phps, sori fr ẃt h hz dn, n añśs t riistabliś a caṛctr. W mst nt mc him despṛt.”

Ɖ tymult v Iliẓbʈ’s mînd wz aleid bî ɖs convseśn. Ś hd got rid v tū v ɖ sīcrits ẃć hd weid on hr fr a fortnît, n wz srtn v a wilñ lisnr in Jen, ẃnvr ś mt wś t tōc agn v îɖr. Bt ɖr wz stl smʈñ lrcñ bhnd, v ẃć prūdns fbad ɖ dscloźr. Ś derd nt rlet ɖ uɖr haf v Mr Darsi’z letr, nr xplen t hr sistr hǎ snsirli ś hd bn valyd bî hr frend. Hir wz nolij in ẃć nwn cd ptec; n ś wz snṣbl ɖt nʈñ les ɖn a prfict unḍstandñ btwn ɖ partiz cd jusṭfî hr in ʈrowñ of ɖs last incumbṛns v misṭri. “N ɖen,” sd ś, “f ɖt vri improbbl ivnt śd evr tec ples, I śl mirli b ebl t tel ẃt Bñli me tel in a mć mor agriybl manr himslf. Ɖ liḅti v cḿṇceśn canot b mîn tl it hz lost ol its valy!”

Ś wz nǎ, on biyñ setld at hom, at leźr t obzrv ɖ riyl stet v hr sistr’z spirits. Jen wz nt hapi. Ś stl ćeriśt a vri tndr afx́n fr Bñli. Hvñ nvr īvn fansid hrslf in luv bfr, hr rgard hd ol ɖ wormʈ v frst ataćmnt, n, fṛm hr ej n disṗziśn, gretr stedinis ɖn most frst ataćmnts ofn bost; n so frvntli dd ś valy hiz rmembṛns, n prifŕ him t evri uɖr man, ɖt ol hr gd sns, n ol hr atnśn t ɖ fīlñz v hr frendz, wr reqzit t ćec ɖ induljns v ɖoz rgrets ẃć mst hv bn injurịs t hr ǒn hlʈ n ɖer tranqiḷti.

“Wel, Lizi,” sd Msz Benit wn de, “ẃt z yr opińn nǎ v ɖs sad biznis v Jen’z? Fr mî part, I am dtrmind nvr t spīc v it agn t enbdi. I tld mî sistr Filips so ɖ uɖr de. Bt I canot fînd ǎt ɖt Jen sw enʈñ v him in Lundn. Wel, h z a vri undizrvñ yuñ man – n I d nt s’poz ɖr’z ɖ līst ćans in ɖ wrld v hr evr gtñ him nǎ. Ɖr z no tōc v hiz cmñ t Neɖ̇fīld agn in ɖ sumr; n I hv inqîrd v evrbdi, tù, hu z lîcli t nǒ.”

“I d nt b’liv h wl evr liv at Neɖ̇fīld eni mor.”

“Ǒ wel! it z jst az h ćuzz. Nbdi wonts him t cm. Ɖo I śl olwz se h yzd mî dōtr xtrimli il; n f I wz hr, I wd nt hv pt p wɖ it. Wel, mî cumf̣t z, I am śr Jen wl dî v a brocn hart; n ɖen h wl b sori fr ẃt h hz dn.”

Bt az Iliẓbʈ cd nt rsiv cumf̣t fṛm eni sć xpcteśn, ś md no ansr.

“Wel, Lizi,” cntinyd hr muɖr, sn aftwdz, “n so ɖ Colinzz liv vri cumf̣tbl, d ɖe? Wel, wel, I onli hop it wl last. N ẃt sort v tebl d ɖe cīp? Śarlót z an xḷnt manijr, I der se. F ś z haf az śarp az hr muɖr, ś z sevñ inuf. Ɖr z nʈñ xtraṿgnt in ɖer hǎscīpñ, I der se.”

“No, nʈñ at ol.”

“A gret dīl v gd manijmnt, dpnd upn it. Yes, yes, ɖe wl tec cer nt t ǎtrun ɖer incm. Ɖe wl nvr b dstrest fr muni. Wel, mć gd me it d ɖm! N so, I s’poz, ɖe ofn tōc v hvñ Loñbōrn ẃn yr faɖr z ded. Ɖe lc upn it az qt ɖer ǒn, I der se, ẃnvr ɖt hapnz.”

“It wz a subjict ẃć ɖe cd nt mnśn bfr m.”

“No; it wd hv bn strenj f ɖe hd; bt I mc no dǎt ɖe ofn tōc v it btwn ɖmslvz. Wel, f ɖe cn b īzi wɖ an istet ɖt z nt lwf̣li ɖer ǒn, so mć ɖ betr. I śd b aśemd v hvñ wn ɖt wz onli inteild on m.”