mr.bennethadveryoftenwished,beforethisperiodofhislife,that,insteadofspendinghiswholeincome,hehadlaidbyanannualsumforthebetterprovisionofhischildren,andofhiswife,ifshesurvivedhim.henowwisheditmorethanever.hadhedonehisdutyinthatrespect,lydianeednothavebeenindebtedtoheruncleforwhateverofhonourorcreditcouldnowbepurchasedforher.thesatisfactionofprevailingononeofthemostworthlessyoungmeningreatbritaintobeherhusbandmightthenhaverestedinitsproperplace.

hewasseriouslyconcernedthatacauseofsolittleadvantagetoanyoneshouldbeforwardedatthesoleexpenceofhisbrother-in-law,andhewasdetermined,ifpossible,tofindouttheextentofhisassistance,andtodischargetheobligationassoonashecould.

whenfirstmr.bennethadmarried,economywasheldtobeperfectlyuseless;for,ofcourse,theyweretohaveason.thissonwastojoinincuttingofftheentail,assoonasheshouldbeofage,andthewidowandyoungerchildrenwouldbythatmeansbeprovidedfor.fivedaughterssuccessivelyenteredtheworld,butyetthesonwastocome;andmrs.bennet,formanyyearsafterlydia'sbirth,hadbeencertainthathewould.thiseventhadatlastbeendespairedof,butitwasthentoolatetobesaving.mrs.bennethadnoturnforeconomy,andherhusband'sloveofindependencehadalonepreventedtheirexceedingtheirincome.

fivethousandpoundswassettledbymarriagearticlesonmrs.bennetandthechildren.butinwhatproportionsitshouldbepidedamongstthelatterdependedonthewilloftheparents.thiswasonepoint,withregardtolydiaatleast,whichwasnowtobesettled,andmr.bennetcouldhavenohesitationinaccedingtotheproposalbeforehim.intermsofgratefulacknowledgmentforthekindnessofhisbrother,thoughexpressedmostconcisely,hethendeliveredonpaperhisperfectapprobationofallthatwasdone,andhiswillingnesstofulfiltheengagementsthathadbeenmadeforhim.hehadneverbeforesupposedthat,couldwickhambeprevailedontomarryhisdaughter,itwouldbedonewithsolittleinconveniencetohimselfasbythepresentarrangement.hewouldscarcelybetenpoundsayeartheloser,bythehundredthatwastobepaidthem;for,whatwithherboardandpocketallowance,andthecontinualpresentsinmoneywhichpassedtoherthroughhermother'shands,lydia'sexpenceshadbeenverylittlewithinthatsum.

thatitwouldbedonewithsuchtriflingexertiononhisside,too,wasanotherverywelcomesurprise;forhischiefwishatpresentwastohaveaslittletroubleinthebusinessaspossible.whenthefirsttransportsofragewhichhadproducedhisactivityinseekingherwereover,henaturallyreturnedtoallhisformerindolence.hisletterwassoondispatched;forthoughdilatoryinundertakingbusiness,hewasquickinitsexecution.hebeggedtoknowfartherparticularsofwhathewasindebtedtohisbrother;butwastooangrywithlydiatosendanymessagetoher.

thegoodnewsquicklyspreadthroughthehouse;andwithproportionatespeedthroughtheneighbourhood.itwasborneinthelatterwithdecentphilosophy.tobesure,itwouldhavebeenmorefortheadvantageofconversation,hadmisslydiabennetcomeuponthetown;or,asthehappiestalternative,beensecludedfromtheworldinsomedistantfarmhouse.buttherewasmuchtobetalkedofinmarryingher;andthegood-naturedwishesforherwell-doing,whichhadproceededbeforefromallthespitefuloldladiesinmeryton,lostbutlittleoftheirspiritinthischangeofcircumstances,becausewithsuchanhusband,hermiserywasconsideredcertain.

itwasafortnightsincemrs.bennethadbeendownstairs,butonthishappydaysheagaintookherseatattheheadofhertable,andinspiritsoppressivelyhigh.nosentimentofshamegaveadamptohertriumph.themarriageofadaughter,whichhadbeenthefirstobjectofherwishessincejanewassixteen,wasnowonthepointofaccomplishment,andherthoughtsandherwordsranwhollyonthoseattendantsofelegantnuptials,finemuslins,newcarriages,andservants.shewasbusilysearchingthroughtheneighbourhoodfora"propersituation"forherdaughter,and,withoutknowingorconsideringwhattheirincomemightbe,rejectedmanyasdeficientinsizeandimportance.

"haye-parkmightdo,"saidshe,"ifthegouldingswouldquitit,orthegreathouseatstoke,ifthedrawing-roomwerelarger;butashworthistoofaroff!icouldnotbeartohavehertenmilesfromme;andasforpurvislodge,theatticsaredreadful."

herhusbandallowedhertotalkonwithoutinterruptionwhiletheservantsremained.butwhentheyhadwithdrawn,hesaidtoher,"mrs.bennet,beforeyoutakeanyorallofthesehousesforyoursonanddaughter,letuscometoarightunderstanding.intoonehouseinthisneighbourhood,theyshallneverhaveadmittance.iwillnotencouragetheimpudenceofeitherbyreceivingthematlongbourn."

alongdisputefollowedthisdeclaration,butmr.bennetwasfirm;itsoonledtoanother,andmrs.bennetfound,withamazementandhorror,thatherhusbandwouldnotadvanceaguineatobuyclothesforhisdaughter.heprotestedthatsheshouldreceivefromhimnomarkofaffectionwhateverontheoccasion.mrs.bennetcouldhardlycomprehendit.thathisangercouldbecarriedtosuchapointofinconceivableresentment,astorefusehisdaughteraprivilegewithoutwhichhermarriagewouldscarcelyseemvalid,exceededallthatshecouldbelievepossible.shewasmorealivetothedisgracewhichthewantofnewclothesmustreflectonherdaughter'snuptials,thantoanysenseofshameatherelopingandlivingwithwickhamafortnightbeforetheytookplace.

elizabethwasnowmostheartilysorrythatshehad,fromthedistressofthemoment,beenledtomakemr.darcyacquaintedwiththeirfearsforhersister;forsincehermarriagewouldsoshortlygivetheproperterminationtotheelopement,theymighthopetoconcealitsunfavourablebeginningfromallthosewhowerenotimmediatelyonthespot.

shehadnofearofitsspreadingfartherthroughhismeans.therewerefewpeopleonwhosesecrecyshewouldhavemoreconfidentlydepended;butatthesametime,therewasnoonewhoseknowledgeofasister'sfrailtywouldhavemortifiedhersomuch.not,however,fromanyfearofdisadvantagefromitinpiduallytoherself;foratanyrate,thereseemedagulfimpassablebetweenthem.hadlydia'smarriagebeenconcludedonthemosthonourableterms,itwasnottobesupposedthatmr.darcywouldconnecthimselfwithafamilywhere,toeveryotherobjectionwouldnowbeaddedanallianceandrelationshipofthenearestkindwiththemanwhomhesojustlyscorned.

fromsuchaconnectionshecouldnotwonderthatheshouldshrink.thewishofprocuringherregard,whichshehadassuredherselfofhisfeelinginderbyshire,couldnotinrationalexpectationsurvivesuchablowasthis.shewashumbled,shewasgrieved;sherepented,thoughshehardlyknewofwhat.shebecamejealousofhisesteem,whenshecouldnolongerhopetobebenefitedbyit.shewantedtohearofhim,whenthereseemedtheleastchanceofgainingintelligence.shewasconvincedthatshecouldhavebeenhappywithhim,whenitwasnolongerlikelytheyshouldmeet.

whatatriumphforhim,assheoftenthought,couldheknowthattheproposalswhichshehadproudlyspurnedonlyfourmonthsago,wouldnowhavebeengladlyandgratefullyreceived!hewasasgenerous,shedoubtednot,asthemostgenerousofhissex.butwhilehewasmortal,theremustbeatriumph.

shebegannowtocomprehendthathewasexactlythemanwho,indispositionandtalents,wouldmostsuither.hisunderstandingandtemper,thoughunlikeherown,wouldhaveansweredallherwishes.itwasanunionthatmusthavebeentotheadvantageofboth;byhereaseandliveliness,hismindmighthavebeensoftened,hismannersimproved,andfromhisjudgment,information,andknowledgeoftheworld,shemusthavereceivedbenefitofgreaterimportance.

butnosuchhappymarriagecouldnowteachtheadmiringmultitudewhatconnubialfelicityreallywas.anunionofadifferenttendency,andprecludingthepossibilityoftheother,wassoontobeformedintheirfamily.

howwickhamandlydiaweretobesupportedintolerableindependence,shecouldnotimagine.buthowlittleofpermanenthappinesscouldbelongtoacouplewhowereonlybroughttogetherbecausetheirpassionswerestrongerthantheirvirtue,shecouldeasilyconjecture.

mr.gardinersoonwroteagaintohisbrother.tomr.bennet'sacknowledgmentshebrieflyreplied,withassurancesofhiseagernesstopromotethewelfareofanyofhisfamily,andconcludedwithintreatiesthatthesubjectmightneverbeamentionedtohimagain.theprincipalpurportofhisletterwastoinformthemthatmr.wickhamhadresolvedonquittingthemilitia.

"itwasgreatlymywishthatheshoulddoso,"headded,"assoonashismarriagewasfixedon.andithinkyouwillagreewithmeinconsideringaremovalfromthatcorpsashighlyadvisable,bothonhisaccountandmyniece's.itismr.wickham'sintentiontogointotheregulars;and,amonghisformerfriends,therearestillsomewhoareableandwillingtoassisthiminthearmy.hehasthepromiseofanensigncyingeneral's-regiment,nowquarteredinthenorth.itisanadvantagetohaveitsofarfromthispartofthekingdom.hepromisesfairly;and,ihope,amongdifferentpeople,wheretheymayeachhaveacharactertopreserve,theywillbothbemoreprudent.ihavewrittentocolonelforster,toinformhimofourpresentarrangements,andtorequestthathewillsatisfythevariouscreditorsofmr.wickhaminandnearbrightonwithassurancesofspeedypayment,forwhichihavepledgedmyself.andwillyougiveyourselfthetroubleofcarryingsimilarassurancestohiscreditorsinmeryton,ofwhomishallsubjoinalist,accordingtohisinformation.hehasgiveninallhisdebts;ihopeatleasthehasnotdeceivedus.haggerstonhasourdirections,andallwillbecompletedinaweek.theywillthenjoinhisregiment,unlesstheyarefirstinvitedtolongbourn;andiunderstandfrommrs.gardinerthatmynieceisverydesirousofseeingyouall,beforesheleavesthesouth.sheiswell,andbegstobedutifullyrememberedtoyouandhermother.—your's,&c.

e.gardiner."

mr.bennetandhisdaughterssawalltheadvantagesofwickham'sremovalfromthe—shireasclearlyasmr.gardinercoulddo.butmrs.bennetwasnotsowellpleasedwithit.lydia'sbeingsettledinthenorth,justwhenshehadexpectedmostpleasureandprideinhercompany—forshehadbynomeansgivenupherplanoftheirresidinginhertfordshire—wasaseveredisappointment;andbesides,itwassuchapitythatlydiashouldbetakenfromaregimentwhereshewasacquaintedwitheverybody,andhadsomanyfavourites.

"sheissofondofmrs.forster,"saidshe,"itwillbequiteshockingtosendheraway!andthereareseveraloftheyoungmen,too,thatshelikesverymuch.theofficersmaynotbesopleasantingeneral's-regiment."

hisdaughter'srequest,forsuchitmightbeconsidered,ofbeingadmittedintoherfamilyagainbeforeshesetoffforthenorth,receivedatfirstanabsolutenegative.butjaneandelizabeth,whoagreedinwishing,forthesakeoftheirsister'sfeelingsandconsequence,thatsheshouldbenoticedonhermarriagebyherparents,urgedhimsoearnestly,yetsorationallyandsomildly,toreceiveherandherhusbandatlongbournassoonastheyweremarried,thathewasprevailedontothinkastheythought,andactastheywished.andtheirmotherhadthesatisfactionofknowingthatsheshouldbeabletoshewhermarrieddaughterintheneighbourhood,beforeshewasbanishedtothenorth.whenmr.bennetwroteagaintohisbrother,therefore,hesenthispermissionforthemtocome;anditwassettledthat,assoonastheceremonywasover,theyshouldproceedtolongbourn.elizabethwassurprised,however,thatwickhamshouldconsenttosuchascheme;and,hadsheconsultedonlyherowninclination,anymeetingwithhimwouldhavebeenthelastobjectofherwishes.