“But you blame me for having spoken so warmly of Wickham?”“No―I do not know that you were wrong in saying what you did.”

“Lizzy,when you first read that letter,I am sure you could not treat the matter as you do now.”

“There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men.One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it.”

“This will not do,”said Elizabeth;“you never will be able to make both of them good for anything.Take your choice,but you must be satisfied with only one.There is but such a quantity of merit between them;just enough to make one good sort of man;and of late it has been shifting about pretty much.For my part, I am inclined to believe it all Mr.Darcy's;but you shall do as you choose.”

“I never thought Mr.Darcy so deficient in the appearance of it as you used to do.”

Miss Bennet's astonishment was soon lessened by the strong sisterly partiality which made any admiration of Elizabeth appear perfectly natural;and all surprise was shortly lost in other feelings. She was sorry that Mr.Darcy should have delivered his sentiments in a manner so little suited to recommend them; but still more was she grieved for the unhappiness which her sister's refusal must have given him.