afteraweekspentinprofessionsofloveandschemesoffelicity,mr.collinswascalledfromhisamiablecharlottebythearrivalofsaturday.thepainofseparation,however,mightbealleviatedonhisside,bypreparationsforthereceptionofhisbride,ashehadreasontohopethatshortlyafterhisnextreturnintohertfordshire,thedaywouldbefixedthatwastomakehimthehappiestofmen.hetookleaveofhisrelationsatlongbournwithasmuchsolemnityasbefore;wishedhisfaircousinshealthandhappinessagain,andpromisedtheirfatheranotherletterofthanks.

onthefollowingmonday,mrs.bennethadthepleasureofreceivingherbrotherandhiswife,whocameasusualtospendthechristmasatlongbourn.mr.gardinerwasasensible,gentlemanlikeman,greatlysuperiortohissister,aswellbynatureaseducation.thenetherfieldladieswouldhavehaddifficultyinbelievingthatamanwholivedbytrade,andwithinviewofhisownwarehouses,couldhavebeensowellbredandagreeable.mrs.gardiner,whowasseveralyearsyoungerthanmrs.bennetandmrs.philips,wasanamiable,intelligent,elegantwoman,andagreatfavouritewithallherlongbournnieces.betweenthetwoeldestandherselfespecially,theresubsistedaveryparticularregard.theyhadfrequentlybeenstayingwithherintown.

thefirstpartofmrs.gardiner'sbusinessonherarrival,wastodistributeherpresentsanddescribethenewestfashions.whenthiswasdone,shehadalessactiveparttoplay.itbecameherturntolisten.mrs.bennethadmanygrievancestorelate,andmuchtocomplainof.theyhadallbeenveryill-usedsinceshelastsawhersister.twoofhergirlshadbeenonthepointofmarriage,andafteralltherewasnothinginit.

"idonotblamejane,"shecontinued,"forjanewouldhavegotmr.bingley,ifshecould.but,lizzy!oh,sister!itisveryhardtothinkthatshemighthavebeenmr.collins'swifebythistime,hadnotitbeenforherownperverseness.hemadeheranofferinthisveryroom,andsherefusedhim.theconsequenceofitis,thatladylucaswillhaveadaughtermarriedbeforeihave,andthatlongbournestateisjustasmuchentailedasever.thelucasesareveryartfulpeopleindeed,sister.theyareallforwhattheycanget.iamsorrytosayitofthem,butsoitis.itmakesmeverynervousandpoorly,tobethwartedsoinmyownfamily,andtohaveneighbourswhothinkofthemselvesbeforeanybodyelse.however,yourcomingjustatthistimeisthegreatestofcomforts,andiamverygladtohearwhatyoutellus,oflongsleeves."

mrs.gardiner,towhomthechiefofthisnewshadbeengivenbefore,inthecourseofjaneandelizabeth'scorrespondencewithher,madehersisteraslightanswer,and,incompassiontohernieces,turnedtheconversation.

whenalonewithelizabethafterwards,shespokemoreonthesubject."itseemslikelytohavebeenadesirablematchforjane,"saidshe."iamsorryitwentoff.butthesethingshappensooften!ayoungman,suchasyoudescribemr.bingley,soeasilyfallsinlovewithaprettygirlforafewweeks,andwhenaccidentseparatesthem,soeasilyforgetsher,thatthesesortofinconstanciesareveryfrequent."

"anexcellentconsolationinitsway,"saidelizabeth,"butitwillnotdoforus.wedonotsufferbyaccident.itdoesnotoftenhappenthattheinterferenceoffriendswillpersuadeayoungmanofindependentfortunetothinknomoreofagirl,whomhewasviolentlyinlovewithonlyafewdaysbefore."

"butthatexpressionof'violentlyinlove'issohackneyed,sodoubtful,soindefinite,thatitgivesmeverylittleidea.itisasoftenappliedtofeelingswhicharisefromanhalf-hour'sacquaintance,astoareal,strongattachment.pray,howviolentwasmr.bingley'slove?"

"ineversawamorepromisinginclination.hewasgrowingquiteinattentivetootherpeople,andwhollyengrossedbyher.everytimetheymet,itwasmoredecidedandremarkable.athisownballheoffendedtwoorthreeyoungladiesbynotaskingthemtodance,andispoketohimtwicemyselfwithoutreceivingananswer.couldtherebefinersymptoms?isnotgeneralincivilitytheveryessenceoflove?"

"oh,yes!—ofthatkindoflovewhichisupposehimtohavefelt.poorjane!iamsorryforher,because,withherdisposition,shemaynotgetoveritimmediately.ithadbetterhavehappenedtoyou,lizzy;youwouldhavelaughedyourselfoutofitsooner.butdoyouthinkshewouldbeprevailedontogobackwithus?changeofscenemightbeofservice—andperhapsalittlerelieffromhome,maybeasusefulasanything."

elizabethwasexceedinglypleasedwiththisproposal,andfeltpersuadedofhersister'sreadyacquiescence.

"ihope,"addedmrs.gardiner,"thatnoconsiderationwithregardtothisyoungmanwillinfluenceher.weliveinsodifferentapartoftown,allourconnectionsaresodifferent,and,asyouwellknow,wegooutsolittle,thatitisveryimprobabletheyshouldmeetatall,unlesshereallycomestoseeher."

"andthatisquiteimpossible;forheisnowinthecustodyofhisfriend,andmr.darcywouldnomoresufferhimtocallonjaneinsuchapartoflondon—!mydearaunt,howcouldyouthinkofit?mr.darcymayperhapshaveheardofsuchaplaceasgracechurchstreet,buthewouldhardlythinkamonth'sablutionenoughtocleansehimfromitsimpurities,wereheoncetoenterit;anddependuponit,mr.bingleyneverstirswithouthim."

"somuchthebetter.ihopetheywillnotmeetatall.butdoesnotjanecorrespondwiththesister?shewillnotbeabletohelpcalling."

"shewilldroptheacquaintanceentirely."

butinspiteofthecertaintyinwhichelizabethaffectedtoplacethispoint,aswellasthestillmoreinterestingoneofbingley'sbeingwithheldfromseeingjane,shefeltasolicitudeonthesubjectwhichconvincedher,onexamination,thatshedidnotconsideritentirelyhopeless.itwaspossible,andsometimesshethoughtitprobable,thathisaffectionmightbereanimated,andtheinfluenceofhisfriendssuccessfullycombatedbythemorenaturalinfluenceofjane'sattractions.

missbennetacceptedheraunt'sinvitationwithpleasure;andthebingleyswerenootherwiseinherthoughtsatthetime,thanasshehopedthat,bycaroline'snotlivinginthesamehousewithherbrother,shemightoccasionallyspendamorningwithher,withoutanydangerofseeinghim.

thegardinersstaidaweekatlongbourn;andwhatwiththephilipses,thelucases,andtheofficers,therewasnotadaywithoutitsengagement.mrs.bennethadsocarefullyprovidedfortheentertainmentofherbrotherandsister,thattheydidnotoncesitdowntoafamilydinner.whentheengagementwasforhome,someoftheofficersalwaysmadepartofit,ofwhichofficersmr.wickhamwassuretobeone;andontheseoccasions,mrs.gardiner,renderedsuspiciousbyelizabeth'swarmcommendationofhim,narrowlyobservedthemboth.withoutsupposingthem,fromwhatshesaw,tobeveryseriouslyinlove,theirpreferenceofeachotherwasplainenoughtomakeheralittleuneasy;andsheresolvedtospeaktoelizabethonthesubjectbeforeshelefthertfordshire,andrepresenttohertheimprudenceofencouragingsuchanattachment.

tomrs.gardiner,wickhamhadonemeansofaffordingpleasure,unconnectedwithhisgeneralpowers.abouttenoradozenyearsago,beforehermarriage,shehadspentaconsiderabletimeinthatverypartofderbyshiretowhichhebelonged.theyhad,therefore,manyacquaintanceincommon;and,thoughwickhamhadbeenlittletheresincethedeathofdarcy'sfather,fiveyearsbefore,itwasyetinhispowertogiveherfresherintelligenceofherformerfriends,thanshehadbeeninthewayofprocuring.

mrs.gardinerhadseenpemberley,andknownthelatemr.darcybycharacterperfectlywell.here,consequently,wasaninexhaustiblesubjectofdiscourse.incomparingherrecollectionofpemberleywiththeminutedescriptionwhichwickhamcouldgive,andinbestowinghertributeofpraiseonthecharacterofitslatepossessor,shewasdelightingbothhimandherself.onbeingmadeacquaintedwiththepresentmr.darcy'streatmentofhim,shetriedtoremembersomethingofthatgentleman'sreputeddisposition,whenquitealad,whichmightagreewithit,andwasconfidentatlastthatsherecollectedhavingheardmr.fitzwilliamdarcyformerlyspokenofasaveryproud,ill-naturedboy.