“And if I had not a letter to write myself,I might sit by you and admire the evenness of your writing,as another young lady once did.But I have an aunt,too,who must not be longer neglected.”

“For the liveliness of your mind,I did.”

Elizabeth's spirits soon rising to playfulness again,she wanted Mr.Darcy to account for his having ever fallen in love with her.“How could you begin?”said she.“I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?”

“Shall you ever have courage to announce to Lady Catherine what is to befall her?”

“I am more likely to want more time than courage,Elizabeth. But it ought to be done,and if you will give me a sheet of paper,it shall be done directly.”

“My beauty you had early withstood,and as for my manners―my behaviour to you was at least always bordering on the uncivil,and I never spoke to you without rather wishing to give you pain than not.Now be sincere;did you admire me for my impertinence?”

“I cannot fix on the hour,or the spot,or the look,or the words, which laid the foundation.It is too long ago.I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”