“If you will thank me,”he replied,“let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on,I shall not attempt to deny.But your family owe me nothing.Much as I respect them,I believe I thought only of you.”
Elizabeth coloured and laughed as she replied,“Yes,you know enough of my frankness to believe me capable of that. After abusing you so abominably to your face,I could have no scruple in abusing you to all your relations.”
They walked towards the Lucases, because Kitty wished to call upon Maria; and as Elizabeth saw no occasion for making it a general concern, when Kitty left them she went boldly on with him alone. Now was the moment for her resolution to be executed,and,while her courage was high,she immediately said:“Mr. Darcy, I am a very selfish creature; and, for the sake of giving relief to my own feelings, care not how much I may be wounding yours. I can no longer help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister.Ever since I have known it,I have been most anxious to acknowledge to you how gratefully I feel it.Were it known to the rest of my family,I should not have merely my own gratitude to express.”