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- then. It is something to think of, and gives her a sort of distinction
among her companions. When is your turn to come? You will hardly bear to
be long outdone by Jane. Now is your time. Here are officers enough at
Meryton to disappoint all the young ladies in the country. Let Wickham
be your man. He is a pleasant fellow, and would jilt you creditably.”
“Thank you, sir, but a less agreeable man would satisfy me. We must not
all expect Jane’s good fortune.”
“True,” said Mr. Bennet; “but it is a comfort to think that, whatever of
that kind may befall you, you have an affectionate mother who will
always make the most of it.”
Mr. Wickham’s society was of material service in dispelling the gloom
which the late perverse occurrences had thrown on many of the Longbourn
family. They saw him often, and to his other recommendations was now
added that of general unreserve. The whole of what Elizabeth had already
heard, his claims on Mr. Darcy, and all that he had suffered from him,
was now openly acknowledged and publicly canvassed; and everybody was
pleased to think how much they had always disliked Mr. Darcy before they
had known anything of the matter.
Miss Bennet was the only creature who could suppose there might be any
extenuating circumstances in the case unknown to the society of
Hertfordshire: her mild and steady candour always pleaded for
allowances, and urged the possibility of mistakes; but by everybody else
Mr. Darcy was condemned as the worst of men.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXV.
[Illustration]
After a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity, Mr.
Collins was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrival of
Saturday. The pain of separation, however, might be alleviated on his
side by preparations for the reception of his bride, as he had reason to
hope, that shortly after his next return into Hertfordshire, the day
would be fixed that was to make him the happiest of men. He took leave
of his relations at Longbourn with as much solemnity as before; wished
his fair cousins health and happiness again, and promised their father
another letter of thanks.
On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her
brother and his wife, who came, as usual, to spend the Christmas at
Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly
superior to his sister, as well by nature as education. The Netherfield
ladies would have had difficulty in believing that a man who lived by
trade, and within view of his own warehouses, could have been so
well-bred and agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger
than Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Philips, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant
woman, and a great favourite with her Longbourn nieces. Between the two
eldest and herself especially, there subsisted a very particular regard.
They had frequently been staying with her in town.
The first part of Mrs. Gardiner’s business, on her arrival, was to
distribute her presents and describe the newest fashions. When this was
done, she had a less active part to play. It became her turn to listen.
Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, and much to complain of. They
had all been very ill-used since she last saw her sister. Two of her
girls had been on the point of marriage, and after all there was nothing
in it.
“I do not blame Jane,” she continued, “for Jane would have got Mr.
Bingley if she could. But, Lizzy! Oh, sister! it is very hard to think
that she might have been Mr. Collins’s wife by this time, had not it
been for her own perverseness. He made her an offer in this very room,
and she refused him. The consequence of it is, that Lady Lucas will have
a daughter married before I have, and that Longbourn estate is just as
much entailed as ever. The Lucases are very artful people, indeed,
sister. They are all for what they can get. I am sorry to say it of
them, but so it is. It makes me very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted
so in my own family, and to have neighbours who think of themselves
before anybody else. However, your coming just at this time is the
greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you tell us of
long sleeves.”
Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the chief of this news had been given before, in
the course of Jane and Elizabeth’s correspondence with her, made her
sister a slight answer, and, in compassion to her nieces, turned the
conversation.
When alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke more on the subject.
“It seems likely to have been a desirable match for Jane,” said she. “I
am sorry it went off. But these things happen so often! A young man,
such as you describe Mr. Bingley, so easily falls in love with a pretty
girl for a few weeks, and, when accident separates them, so easily
forgets her, that these sort of inconstancies are very frequent.”
[Illustration:
“Offended two or three young ladies”
[_Copyright 1894 by George Allen._]]
“An excellent consolation in its way,” said Elizabeth; “but it will not
do for _us_. We do not suffer by accident. It does not often happen
that the interference of friends will persuade a young man of
independent fortune to think no more of a girl whom he was violently in
love with only a few days before.”
“But that expression of ‘violently in love’ is so hackneyed, so
doubtful, so indefinite, that it gives me very little idea. It is as
often applied to feelings which arise only from a half hour’s
acquaintance, as to a real, strong attachment. Pray, how _violent was_
Mr. Bingley’s love?”
“I never saw a more promising inclination; he was growing quite
inattentive to other people, and wholly engrossed by her. Every time
they met, it was more decided and remarkable. At his own ball he
offended two or three young ladies by not asking them to dance; and I
spoke to him twice myself without receiving an answer. Could there be
finer symptoms? Is not general incivility the very essence of love?”
“Oh, yes! of that kind of love which I suppose him to have felt. Poor
Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition, she may not get
over it immediately. It had better have happened to _you_, Lizzy; you
would have laughed yourself out of it sooner. But do you think she would
be prevailed on to go back with us? Change of scene might be of
service--and perhaps a little relief from home may be as useful as
anything.”
Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal, and felt persuaded
of her sister’s ready acquiescence.
“I hope,” added Mrs. Gardiner, “that no consideration with regard to
this young man will influence her. We live in so different a part of
town, all our connections are so different, and, as you well know, we go
out so little, that it is very improbable they should meet at all,
unless he really comes to see her.”
“And _that_ is quite impossible; for he is now in the custody of his
friend, and Mr. Darcy would no more suffer him to call on Jane in such a
part of London! My dear aunt, how could you think of it? Mr. Darcy may,
perhaps, have _heard_ of such a place as Gracechurch Street, but he
would hardly think a month’s ablution enough to cleanse him from its
impurities, were he once to enter it; and, depend upon it, Mr. Bingley
never stirs without him.”
“So much the better. I hope they will not meet at all. But does not Jane
correspond with his sister? _She_ will not be able to help calling.”
“She will drop the acquaintance entirely.”
But, in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected to place this
point, as well as the still more interesting one of Bingley’s being
withheld from seeing Jane, she felt a solicitude on the subject which
convinced her, on examination, that she did not consider it entirely
hopeless.