पृष्ठ 386 / 817

This was spoken jestingly, but it appeared to her so just a

picture of Mr. Darcy, that she would not trust herself with an

answer; and, therefore, abruptly changing the conversation,

talked on indifferent matters till they reached the Parsonage.

There, shut into her own room, as soon as their visitor left

them, she could think without interruption of all that she had

heard. It was not to be supposed that any other people could be

meant than those with whom she was connected. There could not

exist in the world two men over whom Mr. Darcy could have such

boundless influence. That he had been concerned in the measures

taken to separate Mr. Bingley and Jane, she had never doubted;

but she had always attributed to Miss Bingley the principal

design and arrangement of them. If his own vanity, however, did

not mislead him, he was the cause--his pride and caprice were the

cause--of all that Jane had suffered, and still continued to

suffer.