CHAPTER XLIX.

1TWO days after Mr. Bennet’s return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and concluding that she came to call them to their mother, went forward to meet her; but instead of the expected summons, when they approached her, she said to Miss Bennet, “I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town, so I took the liberty of coming to ask.”

2“What do you mean, Hill? 3We have heard nothing from town.”

4“Dear madam,” cried Mrs. Hill, in great astonishment, “don’t you know there is an express come for master from Mr. Gardiner? 5He has been here this half hour, and master has had a letter.”

6Away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech. 7They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast-room; from thence to the library;—their father was in neither; and they were on the point of seeking him upstairs with their mother, when they were met by the butler, who said,—

8“If you are looking for my master, ma’am, he is walking towards the little copse.”

9Upon this information, they instantly passed through the hall once more, and ran across the lawn after their father, who was deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.

10Jane, who was not so light, nor so much in the habit of running as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath, came up with him, and eagerly cried out,—

11“Oh, papa, what news? 12what news? 13have you heard from my uncle?”

14“Yes, I have had a letter from him by express.”

15“Well, and what news does it bring—good or bad?”

16“What is there of good to be expected?” said he, taking the letter from his pocket; “but perhaps you would like to read it.”

17Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand. 18Jane now came up.

19“Read it aloud,” said their father, “for I hardly know myself what it is about.”

20“Gracechurch Street, Monday, August 2.

21“My dear Brother,

22“At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction. 23Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were. 24The particulars I reserve till we meet. 25It is enough to know they are discovered: I have seen them both——”

26“Then it is as I always hoped,” cried Jane: “they are married!”

27Elizabeth read on: “I have seen them both. 28They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you are willing to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will not be long before they are. 29All that is required of you is, to assure to your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of the five thousand pounds, secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister; and, moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her, during your life, one hundred pounds per annum. 30These are conditions which, considering everything, I had no hesitation in complying with, as far as I thought myself privileged, for you. 31I shall send this by express, that no time may be lost in bringing me your answer. 32You will easily comprehend, from these particulars, that Mr. Wickham’s circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be. 33The world has been deceived in that respect; and I am happy to say, there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle on my niece, in addition to her own fortune. 34If, as I conclude will be the case, you send me full powers to act in your name throughout the whole of this business, I will immediately give directions to Haggerston for preparing a proper settlement. 35There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again; therefore stay quietly at Longbourn, and depend on my diligence and care. 36Send back your answer as soon as you can, and be careful to write explicitly. 37We have judged it best that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you will approve. 38She comes to us to-day. 39I shall write again as soon as anything more is determined on. 40Yours, etc.

41“Edw. Gardiner.”

42“Is it possible?” cried Elizabeth, when she had finished. 43“Can it be possible that he will marry her?”

44“Wickham is not so undeserving, then, as we have thought him,” said her sister. 45“My dear father, I congratulate you.”

46“And have you answered the letter?” said Elizabeth.

47“No; but it must be done soon.”

48Most earnestly did she then entreat him to lose no more time before he wrote.

49“Oh! my dear father,” she cried, “come back and write immediately. 50Consider how important every moment is in such a case.”

51“Let me write for you,” said Jane, “if you dislike the trouble yourself.”

52“I dislike it very much,” he replied; “but it must be done.”

53And so saying, he turned back with them, and walked towards the house.

54“And—may I ask?” said Elizabeth; “but the terms, I suppose, must be complied with.”

55“Complied with! 56I am only ashamed of his asking so little.”

57“And they must marry! 58Yet he is such a man.”

59“Yes, yes, they must marry. 60There is nothing else to be done. 61But there are two things that I want very much to know:—one is, how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about; and the other, how I am ever to pay him.”

62“Money! 63my uncle!” cried Jane, “what do you mean, sir?”

64“I mean that no man in his proper senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year during my life, and fifty after I am gone.”

65“That is very true,” said Elizabeth; “though it had not occurred to me before. 66His debts to be discharged, and something still to remain! 67Oh, it must be my uncle’s doings! 68Generous, good man, I am afraid he has distressed himself. 69A small sum could not do all this.”

70“No,” said her father. 71“Wickham’s a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds: I should be sorry to think so ill of him, in the very beginning of our relationship.”

72“Ten thousand pounds! 73Heaven forbid! 74How is half such a sum to be repaid?”

75Mr. Bennet made no answer; and each of them, deep in thought, continued silent till they reached the house. 76Their father then went to the library to write, and the girls walked into the breakfast-room.

77“And they are really to be married!” 78cried Elizabeth, as soon as they were by themselves. 79“How strange this is! 80and for this we are to be thankful. 81That they should marry, small as is their chance of happiness, and wretched as is his character, we are forced to rejoice! 82Oh, Lydia!”

83“I comfort myself with thinking,” replied Jane, “that he certainly would not marry Lydia, if he had not a real regard for her. 84Though our kind uncle has done something towards clearing him, I cannot believe that ten thousand pounds, or anything like it, has been advanced. 85He has children of his own, and may have more. 86How could he spare half ten thousand pounds?”

87“If we are ever able to learn what Wickham’s debts have been,” said Elizabeth, “and how much is settled on his side on our sister, we shall exactly know what Mr. Gardiner has done for them, because Wickham has not sixpence of his own. 88The kindness of my uncle and aunt can never be requited. 89Their taking her home, and affording her their personal protection and countenance, is such a sacrifice to her advantage as years of gratitude cannot enough acknowledge. 90By this time she is actually with them! 91If such goodness does not make her miserable now, she will never deserve to be happy! 92What a meeting for her, when she first sees my aunt!”

93“We must endeavour to forget all that has passed on either side,” said Jane: “I hope and trust they will yet be happy. 94His consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that he is come to a right way of thinking. 95Their mutual affection will steady them; and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly, and live in so rational a manner, as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten.”

96“Their conduct has been such,” replied Elizabeth, “as neither you, nor I, nor anybody, can ever forget. 97It is useless to talk of it.”

98It now occurred to the girls that their mother was in all likelihood perfectly ignorant of what had happened. 99They went to the library, therefore, and asked their father whether he would not wish them to make it known to her. 100He was writing, and, without raising his head, coolly replied,—

101“Just as you please.”

102“May we take my uncle’s letter to read to her?”

103“Take whatever you like, and get away.”

104Elizabeth took the letter from his writing-table, and they went upstairs together. 105Mary and Kitty were both with Mrs. Bennet: one communication would, therefore, do for all. 106After a slight preparation for good news, the letter was read aloud. 107Mrs. Bennet could hardly contain herself. 108As soon as Jane had read Mr. Gardiner’s hope of Lydia’s being soon married, her joy burst forth, and every following sentence added to its exuberance. 109She was now in an irritation as violent from delight as she had ever been fidgety from alarm and vexation. 110To know that her daughter would be married was enough. 111She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct.

112“My dear, dear Lydia!” 113she cried: “this is delightful indeed! 114She will be married! 115I shall see her again! 116She will be married at sixteen! 117My good, kind brother! 118I knew how it would be—I knew he would manage everything. 119How I long to see her! 120and to see dear Wickham too! 121But the clothes, the wedding clothes! 122I will write to my sister Gardiner about them directly. 123Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. 124Stay, stay, I will go myself. 125Ring the bell, Kitty, for Hill. 126I will put on my things in a moment. 127My dear, dear Lydia! 128How merry we shall be together when we meet!”

129Her eldest daughter endeavoured to give some relief to the violence of these transports, by leading her thoughts to the obligations which Mr. Gardiner’s behaviour laid them all under.

130“For we must attribute this happy conclusion,” she added, “in a great measure to his kindness. 131We are persuaded that he has pledged himself to assist Mr. Wickham with money.”

132“Well,” cried her mother, “it is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? 133If he had not had a family of his own, I and my children must have had all his money, you know; and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him except a few presents. 134Well! 135I am so happy. 136In a short time, I shall have a daughter married. 137Mrs. Wickham! 138How well it sounds! 139And she was only sixteen last June. 140My dear Jane, I am in such a flutter, that I am sure I can’t write; so I will dictate, and you write for me. 141We will settle with your father about the money afterwards; but the things should be ordered immediately.”

142She was then proceeding to all the particulars of calico, muslin, and cambric, and would shortly have dictated some very plentiful orders, had not Jane, though with some difficulty, persuaded her to wait till her father was at leisure to be consulted. 143One day’s delay, she observed, would be of small importance; and her mother was too happy to be quite so obstinate as usual. 144Other schemes, too, came into her head.

145“I will go to Meryton,” said she, “as soon as I am dressed, and tell the good, good news to my sister Philips. 146And as I come back, I can call on Lady Lucas and Mrs. Long. 147Kitty, run down and order the carriage. 148An airing would do me a great deal of good, I am sure. 149Girls, can I do anything for you in Meryton? 150Oh! 151here comes Hill. 152My dear Hill, have you heard the good news? 153Miss Lydia is going to be married; and you shall all have a bowl of punch to make merry at her wedding.”

154Mrs. Hill began instantly to express her joy. 155Elizabeth received her congratulations amongst the rest, and then, sick of this folly, took refuge in her own room, that she might think with freedom. 156Poor Lydia’s situation must, at best, be bad enough; but that it was no worse, she had need to be thankful. 157She felt it so; and though, in looking forward, neither rational happiness, nor worldly prosperity could be justly expected for her sister, in looking back to what they had feared, only two hours ago, she felt all the advantages of what they had gained.