Chapter 6

           TheladiesofLongbournsoonwaitedonthoseofNetherfield. Thevisitwassoonreturnedindueform. MissBennet’spleasingmannersgrewonthegoodwillofMrs.HurstandMissBingley;andthoughthemotherwasfoundtobeintolerable,andtheyoungersistersnotworthspeakingto,awishofbeingbetteracquaintedwiththemwasexpressedtowardsthetwoeldest. ByJane,thisattentionwasreceivedwiththegreatestpleasure,butElizabethstillsawsuperciliousnessintheirtreatmentofeverybody,hardlyexceptingevenhersister,andcouldnotlikethem;thoughtheirkindnesstoJane,suchasitwas,hadavalueasarisinginallprobabilityfromtheinfluenceoftheirbrother’sadmiration. Itwasgenerallyevidentwhenevertheymet,thathedidadmireherandtoheritwasequallyevidentthatJanewasyieldingtothepreferencewhichshehadbeguntoentertainforhimfromthefirst,andwasinawaytobeverymuchinlove; butsheconsideredwithpleasurethatitwasnotlikelytobediscoveredbytheworldingeneral,sinceJaneunited,withgreatstrengthoffeeling,acomposureoftemperandauniformcheerfulnessofmannerwhichwouldguardherfromthesuspicionsoftheimpertinent. ShementionedthistoherfriendMissLucas. 

           "Itmayperhapsbepleasant,"repliedCharlotte,"tobeabletoimposeonthepublicinsuchacase;butitissometimesadisadvantagetobesoveryguarded. Ifawomanconcealsheraffectionwiththesameskillfromtheobjectofit,shemaylosetheopportunityoffixinghim;anditwillthenbebutpoorconsolationtobelievetheworldequallyinthedark. Thereissomuchofgratitudeorvanityinalmosteveryattachment,thatitisnotsafetoleaveanytoitself. Wecanallbeginfreely—aslightpreferenceisnaturalenough; butthereareveryfewofuswhohaveheartenoughtobereallyinlovewithoutencouragement. Inninecasesoutoftenawomenhadbettershowmoreaffectionthanshefeels.