Bennet planned the courses that were to do credit to herhousekeeping, when an answer arrived which deferred it all.
(Jane Austen - Pride and prejudice ) Chapter 9Elizabeth passed the chief of the night in her sister's room, and in themorning had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable answer to theinquiries which she very early received from Mr. Bingley by a housemaid,and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on hissisters.
His answer to thissudden attack was delightful to their mother's ear:"I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement; and whenyour sister is recovered, you shall, if you please, name the very day ofthe ball.
" And rising as shethus spoke, she would have quitted the room, had Mr. Collins not thusaddressed her:"When I do myself the honour of speaking to you next on the subject, Ishall hope to receive a more favourable answer than you have now givenme; though I am far from accusing you of cruelty at present, because Iknow it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man onthe first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much toencourage my suit as would be consistent with the true delicacy of thefemale character.
Jane's temper was not desponding, and she was gradually led to hope,though the diffidence of affection sometimes overcame the hope, thatBingley would return to Netherfield and answer every wish of her heart.
(Jane Austen - Pride and prejudice ) Jane had sent Caroline an early answer to her letter, and was countingthe days till she might reasonably hope to hear again.
(Jane Austen - Pride and prejudice ) The only pain was in leaving her father, who would certainly miss her,and who, when it came to the point, so little liked her going, that hetold her to write to him, and almost promised to answer her letter.
"Shall we ask him why a man of sense andeducation, and who has lived in the world, is ill qualified to recommendhimself to strangers?""I can answer your question," said Fitzwilliam, "without applying tohim.