She retreated from the window,fearful of being seen;and as she walked up and down the room,endeavouring to compose herself, saw such looks of inquiring surprise in her uncle and aunt as made everything worse.
Miss Darcy was tall,and on a larger scale than Elizabeth;and, though little more than sixteen,her figure was formed,and her appearance womanly and graceful. She was less handsome than her brother; but there was sense and good humour in her face, and her manners were perfectly unassuming and gentle.Elizabeth, who had expected to find in her as acute and unembarrassed an observer as ever Mr. Darcy had been, was much relieved by discerning such different feelings.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner he was scarcely a less interesting personage than to herself.They had long wished to see him.The whole party before them,indeed,excited a lively attention.The suspicions which had just arisen of Mr. Darcy and their niece directed their observation towards each with an earnest though guarded inquiry;and they soon drew from those inquiries the full conviction that one of them at least knew what it was to love.Of the lady's sensations they remained a little in doubt;but that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration was evident enough.
Elizabeth, on her side, had much to do.She wanted to ascertain the feelings of each of her visitors; she wanted to compose her own,and to make herself agreeable to all;and in the latter object, where she feared most to fail, she was most sure of success,for those to whom she endeavoured to give pleasure were prepossessed in her favour. Bingley was ready,Georgiana was eager, and Darcy determined,to be pleased.