Elizabeth was forced to go.
A few days after this visit,Mr.Bingley called again,and alone. His friend had left him that morning for London, but was to return home in ten days time.He sat with them above an hour, and was in remarkably good spirits. Mrs. Bennet invited him to dine with them; but, with many expressions of concern, he confessed himself engaged elsewhere.
“Oh!hang Kitty!what has she to do with it?Come be quick,be quick!Where is your sash,my dear?”
“We will be down as soon as we can,”said Jane;“but I dare say Kitty is forwarder than either of us,for she went upstairs half an hour ago.”
Jane could have no reserves from Elizabeth,where confidence would give pleasure;and instantly embracing her,acknowledged, with the liveliest emotion,that she was the happiest creature in the world.
But when her mother was gone,Jane would not be prevailed on to go down without one of her sisters.
“We may as well leave them by themselves you know;”said her mother, as soon as she was in the hall.“Kitty and I are going upstairs to sit in my dressing-room.”
The same anxiety to get them by themselves was visible again in the evening.After tea, Mr. Bennet retired to the library, as was his custom,and Mary went up stairs to her instrument.Two obstacles of the five being thus removed,Mrs.Bennet sat looking and winking at Elizabeth and Catherine for a considerable time, without making any impression on them. Elizabeth would not observe her;and when at last Kitty did,she very innocently said,“What is the matter mamma?What do you keep winking at me for?What am I to do?”