asnoobjectionwasmadetotheyoungpeople'sengagementwiththeiraunt,andallmr.collins'sscruplesofleavingmr.andmrs.bennetforasingleeveningduringhisvisitweremoststeadilyresisted,thecoachconveyedhimandhisfivecousinsatasuitablehourtomeryton;andthegirlshadthepleasureofhearing,astheyenteredthedrawing-room,thatmr.wickhamhadacceptedtheiruncle'sinvitation,andwastheninthehouse.

whenthisinformationwasgiven,andtheyhadalltakentheirseats,mr.collinswasatleisuretolookaroundhimandadmire,andhewassomuchstruckwiththesizeandfurnitureoftheapartment,thathedeclaredhemightalmosthavesupposedhimselfinthesmallsummerbreakfastparlouratrosings;acomparisonthatdidnotatfirstconveymuchgratification;butwhenmrs.philipsunderstoodfromhimwhatrosingswas,andwhowasitsproprietor,whenshehadlistenedtothedescriptionofonlyoneofladycatherine'sdrawing-rooms,andfoundthatthechimneypiecealonehadcosteighthundredpounds,shefeltalltheforceofthecompliment,andwouldhardlyhaveresentedacomparisonwiththehousekeeper'sroom.

indescribingtoherallthegrandeurofladycatherineandhermansion,withoccasionaldigressionsinpraiseofhisownhumbleabodeandtheimprovementsitwasreceiving,hewashappilyemployeduntilthegentlemenjoinedthem;andhefoundinmrs.philipsaveryattentivelistener,whoseopinionofhisconsequenceincreasedwithwhatsheheard,andwhowasresolvingtoretailitallamongherneighboursassoonasshecould.tothegirls,whocouldnotlistentotheircousin,andwhohadnothingtodobuttowishforaninstrument,andexaminetheirownindifferentimitationsofchinaonthemantlepiece,theintervalofwaitingappearedverylong.itwasoveratlasthowever.thegentlemendidapproach;andwhenmr.wickhamwalkedintotheroom,elizabethfeltthatshehadneitherbeenseeinghimbefore,northinkingofhimsince,withthesmallestdegreeofunreasonableadmiration.theofficersofthe—shirewereingeneralaverycreditable,gentlemanlikeset,andthebestofthemwereofthepresentparty;butmr.wickhamwasasfarbeyondthemallinperson,countenance,air,andwalk,astheyweresuperiortothebroad-facedstuffyunclephilips,breathingportwine,whofollowedthemintotheroom.

mr.wickhamwasthehappymantowardswhomalmosteveryfemaleeyewasturned,andelizabethwasthehappywomanbywhomhefinallyseatedhimself;andtheagreeablemannerinwhichheimmediatelyfellintoconversation,thoughitwasonlyonitsbeingawetnight,andontheprobabilityofarainyseason,madeherfeelthatthecommonest,dullest,mostthreadbaretopicmightberenderedinterestingbytheskillofthespeaker.

withsuchrivalsforthenoticeofthefair,asmr.wickhamandtheofficers,mr.collinsseemedlikelytosinkintoinsignificance;totheyoungladieshecertainlywasnothing;buthehadstillatintervalsakindlistenerinmrs.philips,andwas,byherwatchfulness,mostabundantlysuppliedwithcoffeeandmuffin.

whenthecardtableswereplaced,hehadanopportunityofobligingherinreturn,bysittingdowntowhist.

"iknowlittleofthegame,atpresent,"saidhe,"butishallbegladtoimprovemyself,forinmysituationoflife—mrs.philipswasverythankfulforhiscompliance,butcouldnotwaitforhisreason."

mr.wickhamdidnotplayatwhist,andwithreadydelightwashereceivedattheothertablebetweenelizabethandlydia.atfirstthereseemeddangeroflydia'sengrossinghimentirelyforshewasamostdeterminedtalker;butbeinglikewiseextremelyfondoflotterytickets,shesoongrewtoomuchinterestedinthegame,tooeagerinmakingbetsandexclaimingafterprizes,tohaveattentionforanyoneinparticular.allowingforthecommondemandsofthegame,mr.wickhamwasthereforeatleisuretotalktoelizabeth,andshewasverywillingtohearhim,thoughwhatshechieflywishedtohearshecouldnothopetobetold,thehistoryofhisacquaintancewithmr.darcy.shedarednotevenmentionthatgentleman.hercuriosityhoweverwasunexpectedlyrelieved.mr.wickhambeganthesubjecthimself.heinquiredhowfarnetherfieldwasfrommeryton;and,afterreceivingheranswer,askedinanhesitatingmannerhowlongmr.darcyhadbeenstayingthere.

"aboutamonth,"saidelizabeth;andthen,unwillingtoletthesubjectdrop,added,"heisamanofverylargepropertyinderbyshire,iunderstand."

"yes,"repliedwickham;—"hisestatethereisanobleone.acleartenthousandperannum.youcouldnothavemetwithapersonmorecapableofgivingyoucertaininformationonthatheadthanmyself—forihavebeenconnectedwithhisfamilyinaparticularmannerfrommyinfancy."

elizabethcouldnotbutlooksurprised.

"youmaywellbesurprised,missbennet,atsuchanassertion,afterseeing,asyouprobablymight,theverycoldmannerofourmeetingyesterday.—areyoumuchacquaintedwithmr.darcy?"

"asmuchasieverwishtobe,"criedelizabethwarmly,—"ihavespentfourdaysinthesamehousewithhim,andithinkhimverydisagreeable."

"ihavenorighttogivemyopinion,"saidwickham,"astohisbeingagreeableorotherwise.iamnotqualifiedtoformone.ihaveknownhimtoolongandtowelltobeafairjudge.itisimpossibleformetobeimpartial.butibelieveyouropinionofhimwouldingeneralastonish—andperhapsyouwouldnotexpressitquitesostronglyanywhereelse.—hereyouareinyourownfamily."

"uponmywordisaynomoreherethanimightsayinanyhouseintheneighbourhood,exceptnetherfield.heisnotatalllikedinhertfordshire.everybodyisdisgustedwithhispride.youwillnotfindhimmorefavourablyspokenofbyanyone."

"icannotpretendtobesorry,"saidwickham,afterashortinterruption,"thatheorthatanymanshouldnotbeestimatedbeyondtheirdeserts;butwithhimibelieveitdoesnotoftenhappen.theworldisblindedbyhisfortuneandconsequence,orfrightenedbyhishighandimposingmanners,andseeshimonlyashechusestobeseen."

"ishouldtakehim,evenonmyslightacquaintance,tobeanill-temperedman."wickhamonlyshookhishead.

"iwonder,"saidhe,atthenextopportunityofspeaking,"whetherheislikelytobeinthiscountrymuchlonger."

"idonotatallknow;butiheardnothingofhisgoingawaywheniwasatnetherfield.ihopeyourplansinfavourofthe—shirewillnotbeaffectedbyhisbeingintheneighbourhood."

"oh!no—itisnotformetobedrivenawaybymr.darcy.ifhewishestoavoidseeingme,hemustgo.wearenotonfriendlyterms,anditalwaysgivesmepaintomeethim,butihavenoreasonforavoidinghimbutwhatimightproclaimtoalltheworld;asenseofverygreatillusage,andmostpainfulregretsathisbeingwhatheis.hisfather,missbennet,thelatemr.darcy,wasoneofthebestmenthateverbreathed,andthetruestfriendieverhad;andicanneverbeincompanywiththismr.darcywithoutbeinggrievedtothesoulbyathousandtenderrecollections.hisbehaviourtomyselfhasbeenscandalous;butiverilybelieveicouldforgivehimanythingandeverything,ratherthanhisdisappointingthehopesanddisgracingthememoryofhisfather."

elizabethfoundtheinterestofthesubjectincrease,andlistenedwithallherheart;butthedelicacyofitpreventedfartherinquiry.

mr.wickhambegantospeakonmoregeneraltopics,meryton,theneighbourhood,thesociety,appearinghighlypleasedwithallthathehadyetseen,andspeakingofthelatterespecially,withgentlebutveryintelligiblegallantry.

"itwastheprospectofconstantsociety,andgoodsociety,"headded,"whichwasmychiefinducementtoenterthe—shire.iknewittobeamostrespectable,agreeablecorps,andmyfrienddennytemptedmefartherbyhisaccountoftheirpresentquarters,andtheverygreatattentionsandexcellentacquaintancemerytonhadprocuredthem.society,iown,isnecessarytome.ihavebeenadisappointedman,andmyspiritswillnotbearsolitude.imusthaveemploymentandsociety.amilitarylifeisnotwhatiwasintendedfor,butcircumstanceshavenowmadeiteligible.thechurchoughttohavebeenmyprofession—iwasbroughtupforthechurch,andishouldatthistimehavebeeninpossessionofamostvaluableliving,haditpleasedthegentlemanwewerespeakingofjustnow."

"indeed!"

"yes—thelatemr.darcybequeathedmethenextpresentationofthebestlivinginhisgift.hewasmygodfather,andexcessivelyattachedtome.icannotdojusticetohiskindness.hemeanttoprovideformeamply,andthoughthehaddoneit;butwhenthelivingfell,itwasgivenelsewhere."

"goodheavens!"criedelizabeth;"buthowcouldthatbe?—howcouldhiswillbedisregarded?—whydidnotyouseeklegalredress?"

"therewasjustsuchaninformalityinthetermsofthebequestastogivemenohopefromlaw.amanofhonourcouldnothavedoubtedtheintention,butmr.darcychosetodoubtit—ortotreatitasamerelyconditionalrecommendation,andtoassertthatihadforfeitedallclaimtoitbyextravagance,imprudence,inshortanythingornothing.certainitis,thatthelivingbecamevacanttwoyearsago,exactlyasiwasofanagetoholdit,andthatitwasgiventoanotherman;andnolesscertainisit,thaticannotaccusemyselfofhavingreallydoneanythingtodeservetoloseit.ihaveawarm,unguardedtemper,andimayperhapshavesometimesspokenmyopinionofhim,andtohim,toofreely.icanrecallnothingworse.butthefactis,thatweareverydifferentsortofmen,andthathehatesme."

"thisisquiteshocking!—hedeservestobepubliclydisgraced."

"sometimeorotherhewillbe—butitshallnotbebyme.tillicanforgethisfather,icanneverdefyorexposehim."