Page:Jane Austen (Sarah Fanny Malden 1889).djvu/111

 Was there no good in your affectionate behaviour to Jane, while she was ill at Netherfield?'

Dearest Jane! who could have done less for her? But make a virtue of it by all means. My good qualities are under your protection, and you are to exaggerate them as much as possible; and in return it belongs to me to find occasions for teasing and quarrelling with you as often as may be; and I shall begin directly, by asking you what made you so unwilling to come to the point at last? What made you so shy of me when you first called, and afterwards dined here? Why, especially when you called, did you look as if you did not care about me?'

Because you were grave and silent, and gave me no encouragement.'

But I was embarrassed.'

And so was I.'

You might have talked to me more when you came to dinner.'

A man who had felt less might.'

How unlucky that you should have a reasonable answer to give, and that I should be so reasonable as to admit it! But I wonder how long you would have gone on if you had been left to yourself. I wonder when you would have spoken if I had not asked you! My resolution of thanking you for your kindness to Lydia had certainly great effect—too much, I am afraid; for what becomes of the moral if our comfort springs from a breach of promise? for I ought not to have mentioned the subject. This will never do.'

You need not distress yourself. The moral will be perfectly fair I am not indebted for my present happiness to your eager desire of expressing your gratitude. I was not in a humour to wait for any