Chapter 12

IN consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote the next morning to her mother, to beg that the
carriage might be sent for them in the course of the day.  But
Mrs. Bennet, who had calculated on her daughters remaining
at Netherfield till the following Tuesday, which would
exactly finish Jane's week, could not bring herself to receive
hem with pleasure before.  Her answer, therefore, was not
propitious, at least not to Elizabeth's wishes, for she was
impatient to get home.  Mrs. Bennet sent them word that they
could not possibly have the carriage before Tuesday; and in
her postscript it was added, that if Mr. Bingley and his sister
pressed them to stay longer, she could spare them very well. --
Against staying longer, however, Elizabeth was positively
resolved -- nor did she much expect it would be asked; and
fearful, on the contrary, as being considered as intruding
themselves needlessly long, she urged Jane to borrow Mr. 
Bingley's carriage immediately, and at length it was settled
that their original design of leaving Netherfield that morning
should be mentioned, and the request made.
The communication excited many professions of concern;
and enough was said of wishing them to stay at least till the
following day to work on Jane; and till the morrow, their
going was deferred.  Miss Bingley was then sorry that she had
proposed the delay, for her jealousy and dislike of one sister
much exceeded her affection for the other.
The master of the house heard with real sorrow that they
were to go so soon, and repeatedly tried to persuade Miss
Bennet that it would not be safe for her -- that she was not
enough recovered; but Jane was firm where she felt herself
to be right.
To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence -- Elizabeth had
been at Netherfield long enough.  She attracted him more than
he liked -- and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more
teazing than usual to himself.  He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape
him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity; sensible that if such an idea had been suggested, his behaviour during the last day must have material
weight in confirming or crushing it.  Steady to his purpose, he
scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday,
and though they were at one time left by themselves for half
an hour, he adhered most conscientiously to his book, and
would not even look at her.
On Sunday, after morning service, the separation, so agreeable 
to almost all, took place.  Miss Bingley's civility to Elizabeth increased at last very rapidly, as well as her affection for
Jane; and when they parted, after assuring the latter of the
pleasure it would always give her to see her either at Longbourn 
or Netherfield, and embracing her most tenderly, she
even shook hands with the former. -- Elizabeth took leave of
the whole party in the liveliest spirits.
They were not welcomed home very cordially by their
mother.  Mrs. Bennet wondered at their coming, and thought
them very wrong to give so much trouble, and was sure Jane
would have caught cold again. -- But their father, though very
laconic in his expressions of pleasure, was really glad to see
them; he had felt their importance in the family circle.  The
evening conversation, when they were all assembled, had lost
much of its animation, and almost all its sense, by the absence
of Jane and Elizabeth.
They found Mary, as usual, deep in the study of thorough
bass and human nature; and had some new extracts to admire,
and some new observations of thread-bare morality to listen
to.  Catherine and Lydia had information for them of a different 
sort.  Much had been done, and much had been said in
the regiment since the preceding Wednesday; several of the
officers had dined lately with their uncle, a private had been
flogged, and it had actually been hinted that Colonel Forster
was going to be married.