withnogreatereventsthantheseinthelongbournfamily,andotherwisepersifiedbylittlebeyondthewalkstomeryton,sometimesdirtyandsometimescold,didjanuaryandfebruarypassaway.marchwastotakeelizabethtohunsford.shehadnotatfirstthoughtveryseriouslyofgoingthither;butcharlotte,shesoonfound,wasdependingontheplan,andshegraduallylearnedtoconsideritherselfwithgreaterpleasureaswellasgreatercertainty.absencehadincreasedherdesireofseeingcharlotteagain,andweakenedherdisgustofmr.collins.therewasnoveltyinthescheme;andas,withsuchamotherandsuchuncompanionablesisters,homecouldnotbefaultless,alittlechangewasnotunwelcomeforitsownsake.thejourneywouldmoreovergiveherapeepatjane;and,inshort,asthetimedrewnear,shewouldhavebeenverysorryforanydelay.everything,however,wentonsmoothly,andwasfinallysettledaccordingtocharlotte'sfirstsketch.shewastoaccompanysirwilliamandhisseconddaughter.theimprovementofspendinganightinlondonwasaddedintime,andtheplanbecameperfectasplancouldbe.

theonlypainwasinleavingherfather,whowouldcertainlymissher,andwho,whenitcametothepoint,solittlelikedhergoingthathetoldhertowritetohim,andalmostpromisedtoanswerherletter.

thefarewellbetweenherselfandmr.wickhamwasperfectlyfriendly;onhissideevenmore.hispresentpursuitcouldnotmakehimforgetthatelizabethhadbeenthefirsttoexciteandtodeservehisattention,thefirsttolistenandtopity,thefirsttobeadmired;andinhismannerofbiddingheradieu,wishinghereveryenjoyment,remindingherofwhatshewastoexpectinladycatherinedebourgh,andtrustingtheiropinionofher—theiropinionofeverybody—wouldalwayscoincide,therewasasolicitude,aninterestwhichshefeltmusteverattachhertohimwithamostsincereregard;andshepartedfromhimconvincedthat,whethermarriedorsingle,hemustalwaysbehermodeloftheamiableandpleasing.

herfellow-travellersthenextdaywerenotofakindtomakeherthinkhimlessagreeable.sirwilliamlucasandhisdaughtermaria,agoodhumouredgirl,butasemptyheadedashimself,hadnothingtosaythatcouldbeworthhearing,andwerelistenedtowithaboutasmuchdelightastherattleofthechaise.elizabethlovedabsurdities,butshehadknownsirwilliam'stoolong.hecouldtellhernothingnewofthewondersofhispresentationandknighthood;andhiscivilitieswerewornoutlikehisinformation.

itwasajourneyofonlytwenty-fourmiles,andtheybeganitsoearlyastobeingracechurchstreetbynoon.astheydrovetomr.gardiner'sdoor,janewasatadrawingroomwindowwatchingtheirarrival;whentheyenteredthepassageshewastheretowelcomethem,andelizabeth,lookingearnestlyinherface,waspleasedtoseeithealthfulandlovelyasever.onthestairswereatroopoflittleboysandgirls,whoseeagernessfortheircousin'sappearancewouldnotallowthemtowaitinthedrawingroom,andwhoseshyness,astheyhadnotseenherforatwelvemonth,preventedtheircominglower.allwasjoyandkindness.thedaypassedmostpleasantlyaway;themorninginbustleandshopping,andtheeveningatoneofthetheatres.

elizabeththencontrivedtositbyheraunt.theirfirstsubjectwashersister;andshewasmoregrievedthanastonishedtohear,inreplytoherminuteenquiries,thatthoughjanealwaysstruggledtosupportherspirits,therewereperiodsofdejection.itwasreasonable,however,tohope,thattheywouldnotcontinuelong.mrs.gardinergavehertheparticularsalsoofmissbingley'svisitingracechurchstreet,andrepeatedconversationsoccurringatdifferenttimesbetweenjaneandherself,whichprovedthattheformerhad,fromherheart,givenuptheacquaintance.

mrs.gardinerthenralliedhernieceonwickham'sdesertion,andcomplimentedheronbearingitsowell.

"but,mydearelizabeth,"sheadded,"whatsortofgirlismissking?ishouldbesorrytothinkourfriendmercenary."

"pray,mydearaunt,whatisthedifferenceinmatrimonialaffairs,betweenthemercenaryandtheprudentmotive?wheredoesdiscretionend,andavaricebegin?lastchristmasyouwereafraidofhismarryingme,becauseitwouldbeimprudent;andnow,becauseheistryingtogetagirlwithonlytenthousandpounds,youwanttofindoutthatheismercenary."

"ifyouwillonlytellmewhatsortofgirlmisskingis,ishallknowwhattothink."

"sheisaverygoodkindofgirl,ibelieve.iknownoharmofher."

"buthepaidhernotthesmallestattention,tillhergrandfather'sdeathmadehermistressofthisfortune."

"no—whyshouldhe?ifitwasnotallowableforhimtogainmyaffections,becauseihadnomoney,whatoccasioncouldtherebeformakinglovetoagirlwhomhedidnotcareabout,andwhowasequallypoor?"

"butthereseemsindelicacyindirectinghisattentionstowardsher,sosoonafterthisevent."

"amanindistressedcircumstanceshasnottimeforallthoseelegantdecorumswhichotherpeoplemayobserve.ifshedoesnotobjecttoit,whyshouldwe?"

"hernotobjecting,doesnotjustifyhim.itonlyshewsherbeingdeficientinsomethingherself—senseorfeeling."

"well,"criedelizabeth,"haveitasyouchoose.heshallbemercenary,andsheshallbefoolish."

"no,lizzy,thatiswhatidonotchoose.ishouldbesorry,youknow,tothinkillofayoungmanwhohaslivedsolonginderbyshire."

"oh!ifthatisall,ihaveaverypooropinionofyoungmenwholiveinderbyshire;andtheirintimatefriendswholiveinhertfordshirearenotmuchbetter.iamsickofthemall.thankheaven!iamgoingtomorrowwhereishallfindamanwhohasnotoneagreeablequality,whohasneithermannernorsensetorecommendhim.stupidmenaretheonlyonesworthknowing,afterall."

"takecare,lizzy;thatspeechsavoursstronglyofdisappointment."

beforetheywereseparatedbytheconclusionoftheplay,shehadtheunexpectedhappinessofaninvitationtoaccompanyheruncleandauntinatourofpleasurewhichtheyproposedtakinginthesummer.

"wehavenotquitedeterminedhowfaritshallcarryus,"saidmrs.gardiner,"butperhapstothelakes."

noschemecouldhavebeenmoreagreeabletoelizabeth,andheracceptanceoftheinvitationwasmostreadyandgrateful."mydear,dearaunt,"sherapturouslycried,"whatdelight!whatfelicity!yougivemefreshlifeandvigour.adieutodisappointmentandspleen.whatarementorocksandmountains?oh!whathoursoftransportweshallspend!andwhenwedoreturn,itshallnotbelikeothertravellers,withoutbeingabletogiveoneaccurateideaofanything.wewillknowwherewehavegone—wewillrecollectwhatwehaveseen.lakes,mountains,andrivers,shallnotbejumbledtogetherinourimaginations;nor,whenweattempttodescribeanyparticularscene,willwebeginquarrellingaboutitsrelativesituation.letourfirsteffusionsbelessinsupportablethanthoseofthegeneralityoftravellers."