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Chapter　XII　of　Volume　II　（Chap。　35）
　ELIZABETH　awoke　the　next　morning　to　the　same　thoughts　and　meditations　which　had　at　length　closed　her　eyes。　She　could　not　yet　recover　from　the　surprise　of　what　had　happened；　it　was　impossible　to　think　of　any　thing　else；　and；　totally　indisposed　for　employment；　she　resolved　soon　after　breakfast　to　indulge　herself　in　air　and　exercise。　She　was　proceeding　directly　to　her　favourite　walk；　when　the　recollection　of　Mr。　Darcy's　sometimes　coming　there　stopped　her；　and　instead　of　entering　the　park；　she　turned　up　the　lane　which　led　her　farther　from　the　turnpike　road。　The　park　paling　was　still　the　boundary　on　one　side；　and　she　soon　passed　one　of　the　gates　into　the　ground。
After　walking　two　or　three　times　along　that　part　of　the　lane；　she　was　tempted；　by　the　pleasantness　of　the　morning；　to　stop　at　the　gates　and　look　into　the　park。　The　five　weeks　which　she　had　now　passed　in　Kent　had　made　a　great　difference　in　the　country；　and　every　day　was　adding　to　the　verdure　of　the　early　trees。　She　was　on　the　point　of　continuing　her　walk；　when　she　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　gentleman　within　the　sort　of　grove　which　edged　the　park；　he　was　moving　that　way；　and　fearful　of　its　being　Mr。　Darcy；　she　was　directly　retreating。　But　the　person　who　advanced　was　now　near　enough　to　see　her；　and　stepping　forward　with　eagerness；　pronounced　her　name。　She　had　turned　away；　but　on　hearing　herself　called；　though　in　a　voice　which　proved　it　to　be　Mr。　Darcy；　she　moved　again　towards　the　gate。　He　had　by　that　time　reached　it　also；　and　holding　out　a　letter；　which　she　instinctively　took；　said　with　a　look　of　haughty　composure；　‘‘I　have　been　walking　in　the　grove　some　time　in　the　hope　of　meeting　you。　Will　you　do　me　the　honour　of　reading　that　letter？''　　And　then；　with　a　slight　bow；　turned　again　into　the　plantation；　and　was　soon　out　of　sight。
With　no　expectation　of　pleasure；　but　with　the　strongest　curiosity；　Elizabeth　opened　the　letter；　and；　to　her　still　increasing　wonder；　perceived　an　envelope　containing　two　sheets　of　letter　paper；　written　quite　through；　in　a　very　close　hand。　　The　envelope　itself　was　likewise　full。　　Pursuing　her　way　along　the　lane；　she　then　began　it。　It　was　dated　from　Rosings；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　was　as　follows：　
‘‘Be　not　alarmed；　Madam；　on　receiving　this　letter；　by　the　apprehension　of　its　containing　any　repetition　of　those　sentiments；　or　renewal　of　those　offers；　which　were　last　night　so　disgusting　to　you。　I　write　without　any　intention　of　paining　you；　or　humbling　myself；　by　dwelling　on　wishes；　which；　for　the　happiness　of　both；　cannot　be　too　soon　forgotten；　and　the　effort　which　the　formation　and　the　perusal　of　this　letter　must　occasion　should　have　been　spared；　had　not　my　character　required　it　to　be　written　and　read。　You　must；　therefore；　pardon　the　freedom　with　which　I　demand　your　attention；　your　feelings；　I　know；　will　bestow　it　unwillingly；　but　I　demand　it　of　your　justice。
Two　offences　of　a　very　different　nature；　and　by　no　means　of　equal　magnitude；　you　last　night　laid　to　my　charge。　The　first　mentioned　was；　that；　regardless　of　the　sentiments　of　either；　I　had　detached　Mr。　Bingley　from　your　sister；　　and　the　other；　that　I　had；　in　defiance　of　various　claims；　in　defiance　of　honour　and　humanity；　ruined　the　immediate　prosperity；　and　blasted　the　prospects　of　Mr。　Wickham。　　Wilfully　and　wantonly　to　have　thrown　off　the　companion　of　my　youth；　the　acknowledged　favourite　of　my　father；　a　young　man　who　had　scarcely　any　other　dependence　than　on　our　patronage；　and　who　had　been　brought　up　to　expect　its　exertion；　would　be　a　depravity　to　which　the　separation　of　two　young　persons；　whose　affection　could　be　the　growth　of　only　a　few　weeks；　could　bear　no　comparison。　　But　from　the　severity　of　that　blame　which　was　last　night　so　liberally　bestowed；　respecting　each　circumstance；　I　shall　hope　to　be　in　future　secured；　when　the　following　account　of　my　actions　and　their　motives　has　been　read。　　If；　in　the　explanation　of　them　which　is　due　to　myself；　I　am　under　the　necessity　of　relating　feelings　which　may　be　offensive　to　your's；　I　can　only　say　that　I　am　sorry。　　The　necessity　must　be　obeyed　　and　farther　apology　would　be　absurd。　　I　had　not　been　long　in　Hertfordshire；　before　I　saw；　in　common　with　others；　that　Bingley　preferred　your　eldest　sister　to　any　other　young　woman　in　the　country。　　But　it　was　not　till　the　evening　of　the　dance　at　Netherfield　that　I　had　any　apprehension　of　his　feeling　a　serious　attachment。　　I　had　often　seen　him　in　love　before。　　At　that　ball；　while　I　had　the　honour　of　dancing　with　you；　I　was　first　made　acquainted；　by　Sir　William　Lucas's　accidental　information；　that　Bingley's　attentions　to　your　sister　had　given　rise　to　a　general　expectation　of　their　marriage。　He　spoke　of　it　as　a　certain　event；　of　which　the　time　alone　could　be　undecided。　From　that　moment　I　observed　my　friend's　behaviour　attentively；　and　I　could　then　perceive　that　his　partiality　for　Miss　Bennet　was　beyond　what　I　had　ever　witnessed　in　him。　Your　sister　I　also　watched。　　Her　look　and　manners　were　open；　cheerful；　and　engaging　as　ever；　but　without　any　symptom　of　peculiar　regard；　and　I　remained　convinced　from　the　evening's　scrutiny；　that　though　she　received　his　attentions　with　pleasure；　she　did　not　invite　them　by　any　participation　of　sentiment。　　If　you　have　not　been　mistaken　here；　I　must　have　been　in　an　error。　Your　superior　knowledge　of　your　sister　must　make　the　latter　probable。　　If　it　be　so；　if　I　have　been　misled　by　such　error；　to　inflict　pain　on　her；　your　resentment　has　not　been　unreasonable。　But　I　shall　not　scruple　to　assert　that　the　serenity　of　your　sister's　countenance　and　air　was　such　as　might　have　given　the　most　acute　observer　a　conviction　that；　however　amiable　her　temper；　her　heart　was　not　likely　to　be　easily　touched。　　That　I　was　desirous　of　believing　her　indifferent　is　certain；　　but　I　will　venture　to　say　that　my　investigations　and　decisions　are　not　usually　influenced　by　my　hopes　or　fears。　　I　did　not　believe　her　to　be　indifferent　because　I　wished　it；　　I　believed　it　on　impartial　conviction；　as　truly　as　I　wished　it　in　reason。　　My　objections　to　the　marriage　were　not　merely　those　which　I　last　night　acknowledged　to　have　required　the　utmost　force　of　passion　to　put　aside　in　my　own　case；　the　want　of　connection　could　not　be　so　great　an　evil　to　my　friend　as　to　me。　　But　there　were　other　causes　of　repugnance；　　causes　which；　though　still　existing；　and　existing　to　an　equal　degree　in　both　instances；　I　had　myself　endeavoured　to　forget；　because　they　were　not　immediately　before　me。　　These　causes　must　be　stated；　though　briefly。　　The　situation　of　your　mother's　family；　though　objectionable；　was　nothing　in　comparison　of　that　total　want　of　propriety　so　frequently；　so　almost　uniformly；　betrayed　by　herself；　by　your　three　younger　sisters；　and　occasionally　even　by　your　father。　　Pardon　me。　　It　pains　me　to　offend　you。　But　amidst　your　concern　for　the　defects　of　your　nearest　relations；　and　your　displeasure　at　this　representation　of　them；　let　it　give　you　consolation　to　consider　that　to　have　conducted　yourselves　so　as　to　avoid　any　share　of　the　like　censure　is　praise　no　less　generally　bestowed　on　you　and　your　eldest　sister；　than　it　is　honourable　to　the　sense　and　disposition　of　both。　　I　will　only　say　farther　that；　from　what　passed　that　evening；　my　opinion　of　all　parties　was　confirmed；　and　every　inducement　heightened；　which　could　have　led　me　before　to　preserve　my　friend　from　what　I　esteemed　a　most　unhappy　connection。　　He　left　Netherfield　for　London；　on　the　day　following；　as　you；　I　am　certain；　remember；　with　the　design　of　soon　returning。　
The　part　which　I　acted　is　now　to　be　explained。　　His　sisters'　uneasiness　had　been　equally　excited　with　my　own；　our　coincidence　of　feeling　was　soon　discovered；　and；　alike　sensible　that　no　time　was　to　be　lost　in　detaching　their　brother；　we　shortly　resolved　on　joining　him　directly　in　London。　　We　accordingly　went　　and　there　I　readily　engaged　in　the　office　of　pointing　out　to　my　friend；　the　certain　evils　of　such　a　choice。　　I　described；　and　enforced　them　earnestly。　　But；　however　this　remonstrance　might　have　staggered　or　delayed　his　determination；　I　do　not　suppose　that　it　would　ultimately　have　prevented　the　marriage；　had　it　not　been　seconded　by　the　assurance；　which　I　hesitated　not　in　giving；　of　your　sister's　indifference。　He　had　before　believed　her　to　return　his　affection　with　sincere；　if　not　with　equal；　regard。　　But　Bingley　has　great　natural　modesty；　with　a　stronger　dependence　on　my　judgment　than　on　his　own。　　To　convince　him；　therefore；　that　he　had　deceived　himself；　was　no　very　difficult　point。　To　persuade　him　against　returning　into　Hertfordshire；　when　that　conviction　had　been　given；　was　scarcely　the　work　of　a　moment。　　I　cannot　blame　myself　for　having　done　thus　much。　There　is　but　one　part　of　my　conduct　in　the　whole　affair；　on　which　I　do　not　reflect　with　satisfaction；　it　is　that　I　condescended　to　adopt　the　measures　of　art　so　far　as　to　conceal　from　him　your　sister's　being　in　town。　I　knew　it　myself；　as　it　was　known　to　Miss　Bingley；　but　her　brother　is　even　yet　ignorant　of　it。　　That　they　might　have　met　without　ill　consequence　is；　perhaps；　probable；　　but　his　regard　did　not　appear　to　me　enough　extinguished　for　him　to　see　her　without　some　danger。　　Perhaps　this　concealment；　this　disguise；　was　beneath　me。　　It　is　done；　however；　and　it　was　done　for　the　best。　　On　this　subject　I　have　nothing　more　to　say；　no　other　apology　to　offer。　If　I　have　wounded　your　sister's　feelings；　it　was　unknowingly　done；　and　though　the　motives　which　governed　me　may　to　you　very　naturally　appear　insufficient；　I　have　not　yet　learnt　to　condemn　them。　
With　respect　to　that　other；　more　weighty　accusation；　of　having　injured　Mr。　Wickham；　I　can　only　refute　it　by　laying　before　you　the　whole　of　his　connection　with　my　family。　Of　what　he　has　particularly　accused　me；　I　am　ignorant；　but　of　the　truth　of　what　I　shall　relate；　I　can　summon　more　than　one　witness　of　undoubted　veracity。　Mr。　Wickham　is　the　son　of　a　very　respectable　man；　who　had　for　many　years　the　management　of　all　the　Pemberley　estates；　and　whose　good　conduct　in　the　discharge　of　his　trust　naturally　inclined　my　father　to　be　of　service　to　him；　and　on　George　Wickham；　who　was　his　god…son；　his　kindness　was　therefore　liberally　bestowed。　My　father　supported　him　at　school；　and　afterwards　at　Cambridge；　　mos