uncommonly clever in taking so decided a dislike to
him, without any reason. It is such a spur to one's genius, such an opening for
wit to have a dislike of that kind. One may be continually abusive without
saying any thing just; but one cannot be always laughing at a man without now
and then stumbling on something witty.«
    »Lizzy, when you first read that letter, I am sure you could not treat the
matter as you do now.«
    »Indeed I could not. I was uncomfortable enough. I was very uncomfortable, I
may say unhappy. And with no one to speak to, of what I felt, no Jane to comfort
me and say that I had not been so very weak and vain and nonsensical as I knew I
had! Oh! how I wanted you!«
    »How unfortunate that you should have used such very strong expressions in
speaking of Wickham to Mr. Darcy, for now they do appear wholly undeserved.«
    »Certainly. But the misfortune of speaking with bitterness, is a most
natural consequence of the prejudices I had been encouraging. There is one
point, on which I want your advice. I want to be told whether I ought, or ought
not to make our acquaintance in general understand Wickham's character.«
    Miss Bennet paused a little and then replied, »Surely there can be no
occasion for exposing him so dreadfully. What is your own opinion?«
    »That it ought not to be attempted. Mr. Darcy has not authorised me to make
his communication public. On the contrary every particular relative to his
sister, was meant to be kept as much as possible to myself; and if I endeavour
to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct, who will believe me? The
general prejudice against Mr. Darcy is so violent, that it would be the death of
half the good people in Meryton, to attempt to place him in an amiable light. I
am not equal to it. Wickham will soon be gone; and therefore it will not signify
to anybody here, what he really is. Sometime hence it will be all found out, and
then we may laugh at their stupidity in not knowing it before. At present I will
say nothing about it.«
    »You are quite right. To have his errors made public might ruin him for
ever. He is now perhaps sorry for what he has done, and anxious to re-establish
a character. We must not make him desperate.«
    The tumult of Elizabeth's mind was allayed by this conversation.