The vague and unsettled suspicions which uncertainty had produced of what Mr.Darcy might have been doing to forward her sister's match, which she had feared to encourage as an exertion of goodness too great to be probable, and at the same time dreaded to be just, from the pain of obligation, were proved beyond their greatest extent to be true! He had followed them purposely to town, he had taken on himself all the trouble and mortification attendant on such a research; in which supplication had been necessary to a woman whom he must abominate and despise, and where he was reduced to meet, frequently meet, reason with, persuade, and finally bribe, the man whom he always most wished to avoid, and whose very name it was punishment to him to pronounce.

He had done all this for a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem.

Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her.

But it was a hope shortly checked by other considerations, and she soon felt that even her vanity was insufficient, when required to depend on his affection for her--for a woman who had already refused him--as able to overcome a sentiment so natural as abhorrence against relationship with Wickham.

Brother-in-law of Wickham! Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection.