ELIZABETH awoke the next morning to the same thoughts and meditations¹ which had at length closed her eyes. She could not yet recover from the surprise of what had happened; it was impossible to think of any thing else, and, totally indisposed for employment, she resolved soon after breakfast to indulge（沉溺，满足） herself in air and exercise. She was proceeding² directly to her favourite walk, when the recollection of Mr. Darcy's sometimes coming there stopped her, and instead of entering the park, she turned up the lane which led her farther from the turnpike（收费关卡） road. The park paling was still the boundary on one side, and she soon passed one of the gates into the ground.

After walking two or three times along that part of the lane, she was tempted³, by the pleasantness of the morning, to stop at the gates and look into the park. The five weeks which she had now passed in Kent had made a great difference in the country, and every day was adding to the verdure（碧绿） of the early trees. She was on the point of continuing her walk, when she caught a glimpse of a gentleman within the sort of grove⁴ which edged the park; he was moving that way; and fearful of its being Mr. Darcy, she was directly retreating. But the person who advanced was now near enough to see her, and stepping forward with eagerness, pronounced her name. She had turned away, but on hearing herself called, though in a voice which proved it to be Mr. Darcy, she moved again towards the gate. He had by that time reached it also, and holding out a letter, which she instinctively⁵ took, said with a look of haughty⁶ composure, "I have been walking in the grove some time in the hope of meeting you. Will you do me the honour of reading that letter?'' -- And then, with a slight bow, turned again into the plantation⁷, and was soon out of sight.

With no expectation of pleasure, but with the strongest curiosity, Elizabeth opened the letter, and, to her still increasing wonder, perceived an envelope containing two sheets of letter paper, written quite through, in a very close hand. -- The envelope itself was likewise full. -- Pursuing her way along the lane, she then began it. It was dated from Rosings, at eight o'clock in the morning, and was as follows: --

"Be not alarmed, Madam, on receiving this letter, by the apprehension⁸ of its containing any repetition of those sentiments, or renewal⁹ of those offers, which were last night so disgusting to you. I write without any intention of paining you, or humbling¹⁰ myself, by dwelling¹¹ on wishes, which, for the happiness of both, cannot be too soon forgotten; and the effort which the formation and the perusal¹² of this letter must occasion should have been spared, had not my character required it to be written and read. You must, therefore, pardon the freedom with which I demand your attention; your feelings, I know, will bestow¹³（使用，授予） it unwillingly¹⁴, but I demand it of your justice.

Two offences of a very different nature, and by no means of equal magnitude, you last night laid to my charge. The first mentioned was, that, regardless of the sentiments of either, I had detached Mr. Bingley from your sister; -- and the other, that I had, in defiance¹⁵ of various claims, in defiance of honour and humanity, ruined the immediate¹⁶ prosperity, and blasted the prospects¹⁷ of Mr. Wickham. -- Wilfully¹⁸ and wantonly to have thrown off the companion of my youth, the acknowledged favourite of my father, a young man who had scarcely any other dependence¹⁹ than on our patronage²⁰, and who had been brought up to expect its exertion²¹, would be a depravity to which the separation of two young persons, whose affection could be the growth of only a few weeks, could bear no comparison. -- But from the severity of that blame which was last night so liberally bestowed²², respecting each circumstance, I shall hope to be in future secured, when the following account of my actions and their motives²³ has been read. -- If, in the explanation of them which is due to myself, I am under the necessity of relating feelings which may be offensive to your's, I can only say that I am sorry. -- The necessity must be obeyed -- and farther apology would be absurd. -- I had not been long in Hertfordshire, before I saw, in common with others, that Bingley preferred your eldest²⁴ sister to any other young woman in the country. -- But it was not till the evening of the dance at Netherfield that I had any apprehension of his feeling a serious attachment²⁵. -- I had often seen him in love before. -- At that ball, while I had the honour of dancing with you, I was first made acquainted, by Sir William Lucas's accidental information, that Bingley's attentions to your sister had given rise to a general expectation of their marriage. He spoke²⁶ of it as a certain event, of which the time alone could be undecided.