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CHAPTER XXIV . MISS BINGLEY’S letter arrived , and put an end to doubt . The very first sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London for the winter , and concluded with her brother’s regret at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country . Hope was over , entirely over ; and when Jane could attend to the rest of the letter , she found little , except the professed affection of the writer , that could give her any comfort . Miss Darcy’s praise occupied the chief of it . Her many attractions were again dwelt on ; and Caroline boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy , and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former letter . She wrote also with great pleasure of her brother’s being an inmate of Mr . Darcy’s house , and mentioned with raptures some plans of the latter with regard to new furniture . Elizabeth , to whom Jane very soon communicated the chief of all this , heard it in silent indignation . Her heart was divided between concern for her sister and resentment against all others . To Caroline’s assertion of her brother’s being partial to Miss Darcy , she paid no credit . That he was really fond of Jane , she doubted no more than she had ever done ; and much as she had always been disposed to like him , she could not think without anger , hardly without contempt , on that easiness of temper , that want of proper resolution , which now made him the slave of his designing friends , and led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations . Had his own happiness , however , been the only sacrifice , he might have been allowed to sport with it in whatever manner he thought best ; but her sister’s was involved in it , as she thought he must be sensible himself . It was a subject , in short , on which reflection would be long indulged , and must be unavailing . She could think of nothing else ; and yet , whether Bingley’s regard had really died away , or were suppressed by his friends ’ interference ; whether he had been aware of Jane’s attachment , or whether it had escaped his observation ; whichever were the case , though her opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference , her sister’s situation remained the same , her peace equally wounded . A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her feelings to Elizabeth ; but at last , on Mrs . Bennet’s leaving them together , after a longer irritation than usual about Netherfield and its master , she could not help saying , — “ O that my dear mother had more command over herself ! she can have no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him . But I will not repine . It cannot last long . He will be forgot , and we shall all be as we were before . ”
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