“When I consider,”she added in a yet more agitated voice,“that I might have prevented it!I,who knew what he was.Had I but explained some part of it only―some part of what I learnt,to my own family!Had his character been known,this could not have happened.But it is all―all too late now.”
“When my eyes were opened to his real character―Oh!had I known what I ought,what I dared to do!But I knew not―I was afraid of doing too much.Wretched,wretched mistake!”
Darcy shook his head in silent acquiescence.
As he quitted the room,Elizabeth felt how improbable it was that they should ever see each other again on such terms of cordiality as had marked their several meetings in Derbyshire;and as she threw a retrospective glance over the whole of their acquaintance, so full of contradictions and varieties, sighed at the perverseness of those feelings which would now have promoted its continuance,and would formerly have rejoiced in its termination.
He readily assured her of his secrecy;again expressed his sorrow for her distress, wished it a happier conclusion than there was at present reason to hope, and leaving his compliments for her relations,with only one serious,parting look,went away.