Attendance, forbearance, patience with Darcy, was injury to Wickham.
My reasons forbelieving it are briefly these: It does not appear to me that my hand isunworthy your acceptance, or that the establishment I can offer wouldbe any other than highly desirable.
(Jane Austen - Pride and prejudice ) She highly approved his forbearance, and they had leisure for a fulldiscussion of it, and for all the commendation which they civillybestowed on each other, as Wickham and another officer walked back withthem to Longbourn, and during the walk he particularly attended toher.
Bennet, with more perseverance than politeness,protested he must be entirely mistaken; and Lydia, always unguarded andoften uncivil, boisterously exclaimed:"Good Lord! Sir William, how can you tell such a story? Do not you knowthat Mr. Collins wants to marry Lizzy?"Nothing less than the complaisance of a courtier could have bornewithout anger such treatment; but Sir William's good breeding carriedhim through it all; and though he begged leave to be positive as to thetruth of his information, he listened to all their impertinence with themost forbearing courtesy.
Let us hope forbetter things.
Elizabeth receivedthem with all the forbearance of civility, and, at the request of thegentlemen, remained at the instrument till her ladyship's carriage wasready to take them all home.
"I told you, the other day,of his infamous behaviour to Mr. Darcy; and you yourself, when last atLongbourn, heard in what manner he spoke of the man who had behavedwith such forbearance and liberality towards him.
She followed him withher eyes, envied everyone to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enoughto help anybody to coffee; and then was enraged against herself forbeing so silly!"A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough toexpect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex, who would notprotest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman?There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!"She was a little revived, however, by his bringing back his coffee cuphimself; and she seized the opportunity of saying:"Is your sister at Pemberley still?""Yes, she will remain there till Christmas.