
overcoming it after this explanation.«
    Mr. Darcy, who was leaning against the mantle-piece with his eyes fixed on
her face, seemed to catch her words with no less resentment than surprise. His
complexion became pale with anger, and the disturbance of his mind was visible
in every feature. He was struggling for the appearance of composure, and would
not open his lips, till he believed himself to have attained it. The pause was
to Elizabeth's feelings dreadful. At length, in a voice of forced calmness, he
said,
    »And this is all the reply which I am to have the honour of expecting! I
might, perhaps, wish to be informed why, with so little endeavour at civility, I
am thus rejected. But it is of small importance.«
    »I might as well enquire,« replied she, »why with so evident a design of
offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your
will, against your reason, and even against your character? Was not this some
excuse for incivility, if I was uncivil? But I have other provocations. You know
I have. Had not my own feelings decided against you, had they been indifferent,
or had they even been favourable, do you think that any consideration would
tempt me to accept the man, who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever,
the happiness of a most beloved sister?«
    As she pronounced these words, Mr. Darcy changed colour; but the emotion was
short, and he listened without attempting to interrupt her while she continued.
    »I have every reason in the world to think ill of you. No motive can excuse
the unjust and ungenerous part you acted there. You dare not, you cannot deny
that you have been the principal, if not the only means of dividing them from
each other, of exposing one to the censure of the world for caprice and
instability, the other to its derision for disappointed hopes, and involving
them both in misery of the acutest kind.«
    She paused, and saw with no slight indignation that he was listening with an
air which proved him wholly unmoved by any feeling of remorse. He even looked at
her with a smile of affected incredulity.
    »Can you deny that you have done it?« she repeated.
    With assumed tranquillity he then replied, »I have no wish of denying that I
did every thing in my power to separate my friend from your sister, or that I
rejoice in my success. Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself.
