TwodaysafterMr.Bennetsreturn,asJaneandElizabethwerewalkingtogetherintheshrubberybehindthehouse,theysawthehousekeepercomingtowardsthem,and,concludingthatshecametocallthemtotheirmother,wentforwardtomeether;but,insteadoftheexpectedsummons,whentheyapproachedher,shesaidtoMissBennet,“Ibegyourpardon,madam,forinterruptingyou,butIwasinhopesyoumighthavegotsomegoodnewsfromtown,soItookthelibertyofcomingtoask.”
“Whatdoyoumean,Hill?Wehaveheardnothingfromtown.”
“Dearmadam,”criedMrs.Hill,ingreatastonishment,“dontyouknowthereisanexpresscomeformasterfromMr.Gardiner?Hehasbeenherethishalf-hour,andmasterhashadaletter.”
Awayranthegirls,tooeagertogetintohavetimeforspeech.Theyranthroughthevestibuleintothebreakfast-room;fromthencetothelibrary;theirfatherwasinneither;andtheywereonthepointofseekinghimupstairswiththeirmother,whentheyweremetbythebutler,whosaid:
“Ifyouarelookingformymaster,maam,heiswalkingtowardsthelittlecopse.”
Uponthisinformation,theyinstantlypassedthroughthehalloncemore,andranacrossthelawnaftertheirfather,whowasdeliberatelypursuinghiswaytowardsasmallwoodononesideofthepaddock.
Jane,whowasnotsolightnorsomuchinthehabitofrunningasElizabeth,soonlaggedbehind,whilehersister,pantingforbreath,cameupwithhim,andeagerlycriedout:
“Oh,papa,whatnews—whatnews?Haveyouheardfrommyuncle?”
“YesIhavehadaletterfromhimbyexpress.”
“Well,andwhatnewsdoesitbring—goodorbad?”
“Whatisthereofgoodtobeexpected?”saidhe,takingtheletterfromhispocket.“Butperhapsyouwouldliketoreadit.”
Elizabethimpatientlycaughtitfromhishand.Janenowcameup.“Readitaloud,”saidtheirfather,“forIhardlyknowmyselfwhatitisabout.”
GracechurchStreet,Monday,August2.
“MydearBrother,
“AtlastIamabletosendyousometidingsofmyniece,andsuchas,uponthewhole,Ihopeitwillgiveyousatisfaction.SoonafteryouleftmeonSaturday,IwasfortunateenoughtofindoutinwhatpartofLondontheywere.TheparticularsIreservetillwemeet;itisenoughtoknowtheyarediscovered.Ihaveseenthemboth—”
“ThenitisasIalwayshoped,”criedJane;“theyaremarried!”
Elizabethreadon:
“Ihaveseenthemboth.Theyarenotmarried,norcanIfindtherewasanyintentionofbeingso;butifyouarewillingtoperformtheengagementswhichIhaveventuredtomakeonyourside,Ihopeitwillnotbelongbeforetheyare.Allthatisrequiredofyouis,toassuretoyourdaughter,bysettlement,herequalshareofthefivethousandpoundssecuredamongyourchildrenafterthedeceaseofyourselfandmysister;and,moreover,toenterintoanengagementofallowingher,duringyourlife,onehundredpoundsperannuTheseareconditionswhich,consideringeverything,Ihadnohesitationincomplyingwith,asfarasIthoughtmyselfprivileged,foryou.Ishallsendthisbyexpress,thatnotimemaybelostinbringingmeyouranswer.Youwilleasilycomprehend,fromtheseparticulars,thatMr.Wickhamscircumstancesarenotsohopelessastheyaregenerallybelievedtobe.Theworldhasbeendeceivedinthatrespect;andIamhappytosaytherewillbesomelittlemoney,evenwhenallhisdebtsaredischarged,tosettleonmyniece,inadditiontoherownfortune.If,asIconcludewillbethecase,yousendmefullpowerstoactinyournamethroughoutthewholeofthisbusiness,IwillimmediatelygivedirectionstoHaggerstonforpreparingapropersettlement.Therewillnotbethesmallestoccasionforyourcomingtotownagain;thereforestayquietatLongbourn,anddependonmydiligenceandcare.Sendbackyouranswerasfastasyoucan,andbecarefultowriteexplicitly.Wehavejudgeditbestthatmynieceshouldbemarriedfromthishouse,ofwhichIhopeyouwillapprove.Shecomestousto-day.Ishallwriteagainassoonasanythingmoreisdeterminedon.Yours,etc.,
“EDW.GARDINER.”
“Isitpossible?”criedElizabeth,whenshehadfinished.“Canitbepossiblethathewillmarryher?”
“Wickhamisnotsoundeserving,then,aswethoughthim,”saidhersister.“Mydearfather,Icongratulateyou.”
“Andhaveyouansweredtheletter?”criedElizabeth.
“No;butitmustbedonesoon.”
Mostearnestlydidshethenentreatyhimtolosenomoretimebeforehewrote.
“Oh!mydearfather,”shecried,“comebackandwriteimmediately.Considerhowimportanteverymomentisinsuchacase.”
“Letmewriteforyou,”saidJane,“ifyoudislikethetroubleyourself.”
“Idislikeitverymuch,”hereplied;“butitmustbedone.”
Andsosaying,heturnedbackwiththem,andwalkedtowardsthehouse.
“AndmayIask—”saidElizabeth;“buttheterms,Isuppose,mustbecompliedwith.”
“Compliedwith!Iamonlyashamedofhisaskingsolittle.”
“Andtheymustmarry!Yetheissuchaman!”
“Yes,yes,theymustmarry.Thereisnothingelsetobedone.ButtherearetwothingsthatIwantverymuchtoknow;oneis,howmuchmoneyyourunclehaslaiddowntobringitabout;andtheother,howamIevertopayhi”
“Money!Myuncle!”criedJane,“whatdoyoumean,sir?”
“Imean,thatnomaninhispropersenseswouldmarryLydiaonsoslightatemptationasonehundredayearduringmylife,andfiftyafterIamgone.”
“Thatisverytrue,”saidElizabeth;“thoughithadnotoccurredtomebefore.Hisdebtstobedischarged,andsomethingstilltoremain!Oh!itmustbemyunclesdoings!Generous,goodman,Iamafraidhehasdistressedhimself.Asmallsumcouldnotdoallthis.”
“No,”saidherfather;“Wickhamsafoolifhetakesherwithafarthinglessthantenthousandpounds.Ishouldbesorrytothinksoillofhim,intheverybeginningofourrelationship.”
“Tenthousandpounds!Heavenforbid!Howishalfsuchasumtoberepaid?”
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