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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 yours, I can only say that I

am sorry. The necessity must be obeyed, and further apology would

be absurd. I had not been long in Hertfordshire before I saw, in

common with others, that Bingley preferred your elder 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.