“Dearest Jane! who could have done less for her? But make a virtue of it by all means. My good qualities are under your protection,and you are to exaggerate them as much as possible;and,in return,it belongs to me to find occasions for teasing and quarrelling with you as often as may be;and I shall begin directly by asking you what made you so unwilling to come to the point at last?What made you so shy of me,when you first called,and afterwards dined here?Why,especially,when you called,did you look as if you did not care about me?”
“But I was embarrassed.”
“I would have thanked you before,my dear aunt,as I ought to have done,for your long,kind,satisfactory,detail of particulars;but to say the truth,I was too cross to write.You supposed more than really existed. But now suppose as much as you choose;give a loose rein to your fancy,indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford,and unless you believe me actually married,you cannot greatly err.You must write again very soon,and praise him a great deal more than you did in your last. I thank you, again and again, for not going to the Lakes. How could I be so silly as to wish it!Your idea of the ponies is delightful.We will go round the Park every day.I am the happiest creature in the world.Perhaps other people have said so before, but no one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles,I laugh.Mr.Darcy sends you all the love in the world that he can spare from me.You are all to come to Pemberley at Christmas.Yours,etc.”