第88章[第3页/共4页]

“Yes, very different. But I think Mr. Darcy improves upon acquaintance.”

“Nearly three weeks.”

“When I said that he improved on acquaintance,I did not mean that his mind or his manners were in a state of improvement, but that, from knowing him better, his disposition was better understood.”

He looked surprised,displeased,alarmed;but with a moment's recollection and a returning smile,replied,that he had formerly seen him often;and,after observing that he was a very gentlemanlike man,asked her how she had liked him.Her answer was warmly in his favour.With an air of indifference,he soon afterwards added:

Elizabeth could not repress a smile at this, but she answered only by a slight inclination of the head.She saw that he wanted to engage her on the old subject of his grievances,and she was in no humour to indulge him.The rest of the evening passed with the appearance, on his side, of usual cheerfulness, but with no further attempt to distinguish