Pride and Prejudice

CHAPTER L.

Mr. Bennet acceded to the proposal and wrote a brief letter of grateful acknowledgment, agreeing to everything, though too angry with Lydia to send her any message. The good news spread through house and neighbourhood. Mrs. Bennet, not having been downstairs for a fortnight, took her seat at the head of her table in oppressively high spirits. Her thoughts ran on fine muslins, new carriages, and servants. She searched for a proper house, rejecting Haye Park, the great house at Stoke, Ashworth, and Purvis Lodge. Her husband told her they should never have admittance into one house in the neighbourhood: “I will not encourage the imprudence of either by receiving them at Longbourn.” With horror she found he would not advance a guinea to buy clothes for his daughter.

Elizabeth was heartily sorry she had made Mr. Darcy acquainted with their fears. Of his secrecy she had no doubt; but no one’s knowledge of a sister’s frailty would have mortified her more. She could not suppose Mr. Darcy would connect himself with a family allied to the man he so justly scorned. The wish of procuring her regard could not survive such a blow. She was humbled and grieved.

Mr. Gardiner wrote that Wickham had resolved on quitting the militia for the Regulars, with the promise of an ensigncy in a regiment quartered in the north. Lydia was desirous of seeing them all before she left the south. Jane and Elizabeth urged their father to receive the couple at Longbourn after the ceremony, and prevailed.

CHAPTER LI.

The wedding-day arrived. The carriage was sent to meet the couple, who were to return by dinnertime. The family assembled in the breakfast-room. Mrs. Bennet smiled as the carriage drove up; her husband looked impenetrably grave. Lydia’s voice was heard; she ran into the room. Mrs. Bennet embraced her, welcomed Wickham with affectionate smiles, and wished them both joy. Mr. Bennet’s reception was scarcely cordial. Lydia was Lydia still—untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless. Wickham’s pleasing manners, had his character and marriage been what they ought, would have delighted them all.

Lydia talked of nothing but her good fortune. “Only think of its being three months since I went away… I had no more idea of being married till I came back again; though I thought it would be very good fun if I was.” She had overtaken William Goulding in his curricle to show her ring. Elizabeth could bear no more and ran from the room. Lydia told Jane, “Ah, Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman.”

One morning Lydia turned to Elizabeth: “Lizzy, I never gave you an account of my wedding. Are not you curious?” “No, really; I think there cannot be too little said on the subject.” Undeterred, Lydia described the ceremony at St. Clement’s, her uncle’s preaching, her terror, her longing to know whether Wickham would be married in his blue coat. “However, if my uncle had been prevented, the wedding need not have been put off, for Mr. Darcy might have done as well.” “Mr. Darcy!” repeated Elizabeth. Lydia clapped her hand to her mouth: “Oh, yes! he was to come there with Wickham. But gracious me! I quite forgot! I promised them so faithfully!” Jane said she would ask no questions if it was a secret. Elizabeth, burning with curiosity, was forced to run away.

To live in ignorance was impossible. Mr. Darcy had been at her sister’s wedding! She wrote to her aunt, begging an explanation compatible with the secrecy intended: “Pray write instantly, and let me understand it—unless it is, for very cogent reasons, to remain in the secrecy which Lydia seems to think necessary.”

CHAPTER LII.

Elizabeth hurried into the little copse, sat down, and prepared to be happy; the length of the letter convinced her it did not contain a denial.

Mrs. Gardiner, writing from Gracechurch Street on September 6th, confessed herself surprised but proceeded to be explicit. The very day after her coming home from Longbourn, Mr. Darcy had called on Mr. Gardiner and been shut up with him for several hours. He had left Derbyshire only one day after the Gardiners and come to town to hunt for the pair. His professed motive was the conviction that, owing to himself, Wickham’s worthlessness had not been so well known as to make it impossible for any young woman of character to love or confide in him. He generously imputed the whole to his mistaken pride and called it his duty to step forward and remedy an evil he had brought on. There was also, Mrs. Gardiner hinted, another motive she would not name.

Darcy had a clue the Gardiners did not: a Mrs. Younge, formerly Miss Darcy’s governess, dismissed on some cause of disapprobation, who had taken a large house in Edward Street and let lodgings. She was intimately acquainted with Wickham and for a price gave his direction. Darcy saw Wickham repeatedly and insisted on seeing Lydia once. His first object had been to persuade her to return to her friends; she was absolutely resolved on remaining. It only remained to secure and expedite a marriage, which Darcy easily learnt had never been Wickham’s design. Wickham confessed he was obliged to leave the regiment on account of debts of honour, scrupled not to lay the ill consequences on Lydia’s folly, and meant to resign his commission. He had nothing to live on but cherished the hope of making his fortune by marriage in some other country. He was not, however, proof against the temptation of immediate relief; after several meetings he was reduced to be reasonable. Everything being settled between them, Darcy’s next step was to make Mr. Gardiner acquainted with it. Mr. Bennet was then about to quit town; Darcy did not judge him a proper person to consult.

The express was sent to Longbourn on Monday. Darcy was obstinate; nothing was to be done that he did not do himself, though Mr. Gardiner would most readily have settled the whole. The debts amounted to considerably more than a thousand pounds; another thousand, in addition to Lydia’s own, was to be settled on her; and his commission was to be purchased. Darcy returned to Pemberley but agreed to be in London for the wedding. He was punctual, and as Lydia informed Elizabeth, attended the wedding. He dined with the Gardiners the next day, and was to leave town on Wednesday or Thursday.

Mrs. Gardiner confessed she liked him; his behaviour was as pleasing as in Derbyshire, his understanding pleased her, he wanted only a little more liveliness. She thought him very sly; he hardly ever mentioned Elizabeth’s name.