Mr. Wickhamwassoperfectlysatisfiedwiththisconversationthatheneveragaindistressedhimself, orprovokedhisdearsisterElizabeth, byintroducingthesubjectofit; andshewaspleasedtofindthatshehadsaidenoughtokeephimquiet.
1
ThedayofhisandLydia's departuresooncame, andMrs. Bennetwasforcedtosubmitto a separation, which, asherhusbandbynomeansenteredintoherschemeoftheirallgoingtoNewcastle, waslikelytocontinueatleast a twelvemonth.
"Oh, lord! I don't know. Notthesetwoorthreeyears, perhaps."
4
"Writetomeveryoften, mydear."
5
"Asoftenas I can. Butyouknowmarriedwomenhavenevermuchtimeforwriting. Mysistersmaywritetome. Theywillhavenothingelsetodo."
6
Mr. Wickham's adieusweremuchmoreaffectionatethanhiswife's. Hesmiled, lookedhandsome, andsaidmanyprettythings.
7
"Heisasfine a fellow," saidMr. Bennet, assoonastheywereoutofthehouse, "asever I saw. Hesimpers, andsmirks, andmakeslovetousall. I amprodigiouslyproudofhim. I defyevenSirWilliamLucashimselftoproduce a morevaluableson-in-law."
"I sawyoulookatmeto-day, Lizzy, whenmyaunttoldusofthepresentreport; and I know I appeareddistressed. Butdon't imagineitwasfromanysillycause. I wasonlyconfusedforthemoment, because I feltthat I shouldbelookedat. I doassureyouthatthenewsdoesnotaffectmeeitherwithpleasureorpain. I amgladofonething, thathecomesalone; becauseweshallseethelessofhim. Notthat I amafraidofmyself, but I dreadotherpeople's remarks."
"Yetitishard," shesometimesthought, "thatthispoormancannotcometo a housewhichhehaslegallyhired, withoutraisingallthisspeculation! I willleavehimtohimself."
"No, no. Youforcedmeintovisitinghimlastyear, andpromised, if I wenttoseehim, heshouldmarryoneofmydaughters. Butitendedinnothing, and I willnotbesenton a fool's errandagain."
"'Tisanetiquette I despise," saidhe. "Ifhewantsoursociety, lethimseekit. Heknowswherewelive. I willnotspendmyhoursinrunningaftermyneighbourseverytimetheygoawayandcomebackagain."
25
"Well, all I knowis, thatitwillbeabominablyrudeifyoudonotwaitonhim. But, however, thatshan't preventmyaskinghimtodinehere, I amdetermined. WemusthaveMrs. LongandtheGouldingssoon. Thatwillmakethirteenwithourselves, sotherewillbejustroomattableforhim."
"I begintobesorrythathecomesatall," saidJanetohersister. "Itwouldbenothing; I couldseehimwithperfectindifference, but I canhardlybeartohearitthusperpetuallytalkedof. Mymothermeanswell; butshedoesnotknow, noonecanknow, howmuch I sufferfromwhatshesays. Happyshall I be, whenhisstayatNetherfieldisover!"
28
"I wish I couldsayanythingtocomfortyou," repliedElizabeth; "butitiswhollyoutofmypower. Youmustfeelit; andtheusualsatisfactionofpreachingpatienceto a suffererisdeniedme, becauseyouhavealwayssomuch."
"Thereis a gentlemanwithhim, mamma," saidKitty; "whocanitbe?"
32
"Someacquaintanceorother, mydear, I suppose; I amsure I donotknow."
33
"La!" repliedKitty, "itlooksjustlikethatmanthatusedtobewithhimbefore. Mr. what's-his-name. Thattall, proudman."
34
"Goodgracious! Mr. Darcy!—andsoitdoes, I vow. Well, anyfriendofMr. Bingley's willalwaysbewelcomehere, tobesure; butelse I mustsaythat I hatetheverysightofhim."
Thecolourwhichhadbeendrivenfromherface, returnedforhalf a minutewithanadditionalglow, and a smileofdelightaddedlustretohereyes, asshethoughtforthatspaceoftimethathisaffectionandwishesmuststillbeunshaken. Butshewouldnotbesecure.
Bingley, shehadlikewiseseenforaninstant, andinthatshortperiodsawhimlookingbothpleasedandembarrassed. HewasreceivedbyMrs. Bennetwith a degreeofcivilitywhichmadehertwodaughtersashamed, especiallywhencontrastedwiththecoldandceremoniouspolitenessofhercurtseyandaddresstohisfriend.
41
Elizabeth, particularly, whoknewthathermotherowedtothelatterthepreservationofherfavouritedaughterfromirremediableinfamy, washurtanddistressedto a mostpainfuldegreeby a distinctionsoillapplied.
"Itis a longtime, Mr. Bingley, sinceyouwentaway," saidMrs. Bennet.
47
Hereadilyagreedtoit.
48
"I begantobeafraidyouwouldnevercomebackagain. PeopledidsayyoumeanttoquittheplaceentirelyatMichaelmas; but, however, I hopeitisnottrue. A greatmanychangeshavehappenedintheneighbourhood, sinceyouwentaway. MissLucasismarriedandsettled. Andoneofmyowndaughters. I supposeyouhaveheardofit; indeed, youmusthaveseenitinthepapers. ItwasinTheTimesandTheCourier, I know; thoughitwasnotputinasitoughttobe. Itwasonlysaid, 'Lately, GeorgeWickham, Esq. toMissLydiaBennet,' withouttherebeing a syllablesaidofherfather, ortheplacewhereshelived, oranything. ItwasmybrotherGardiner's drawinguptoo, and I wonderhowhecametomakesuchanawkwardbusinessofit. Didyouseeit?"
"Itis a delightfulthing, tobesure, tohave a daughterwellmarried," continuedhermother, "butatthesametime, Mr. Bingley, itisveryhardtohavehertakensuch a wayfromme. TheyaregonedowntoNewcastle, a placequitenorthward, itseems, andtheretheyaretostay I donotknowhowlong. Hisregimentisthere; for I supposeyouhaveheardofhisleavingthe ——shire, andofhisbeinggoneintotheregulars. ThankHeaven! hehassomefriends, thoughperhapsnotsomanyashedeserves."
51
Elizabeth, whoknewthistobelevelledatMr. Darcy, wasinsuchmiseryofshame, thatshecouldhardlykeepherseat. Itdrewfromher, however, theexertionofspeaking, whichnothingelsehadsoeffectuallydonebefore; andsheaskedBingleywhetherhemeanttomakeanystayinthecountryatpresent. A fewweeks, hebelieved.
52
"Whenyouhavekilledallyourownbirds, Mr. Bingley," saidhermother, "I begyouwillcomehere, andshootasmanyasyoupleaseonMr. Bennet's manor. I amsurehewillbevastlyhappytoobligeyou, andwillsaveallthebestofthecoviesforyou."
Whenthegentlemenrosetogoaway, Mrs. Bennetwasmindfulofherintendedcivility, andtheywereinvitedandengagedtodineatLongbournin a fewdaystime.
57
"Youarequite a visitinmydebt, Mr. Bingley," sheadded, "forwhenyouwenttotownlastwinter, youpromisedtotake a familydinnerwithus, assoonasyoureturned. I havenotforgot, yousee; and I assureyou, I wasverymuchdisappointedthatyoudidnotcomebackandkeepyourengagement."
58
Bingleylooked a littlesillyatthisreflection, andsaidsomethingofhisconcernathavingbeenpreventedbybusiness. Theythenwentaway.