mr.wickhamwassoperfectlysatisfiedwiththisconversationthatheneveragaindistressedhimself,orprovokedhisdearsisterelizabeth,byintroducingthesubjectofit;andshewaspleasedtofindthatshehadsaidenoughtokeephimquiet.

thedayofhisandlydia'sdeparturesooncame,andmrs.bennetwasforcedtosubmittoaseparation,which,asherhusbandbynomeansenteredintoherschemeoftheirallgoingtonewcastle,waslikelytocontinueatleastatwelvemonth.

"oh!mydearlydia,"shecried,"whenshallwemeetagain?"

"oh,lord!idon'tknow.notthesetwoorthreeyears,perhaps."

"writetomeveryoften,mydear."

"asoftenasican.butyouknowmarriedwomenhavenevermuchtimeforwriting.mysistersmaywritetome.theywillhavenothingelsetodo."

mr.wickham'sadieusweremuchmoreaffectionatethanhiswife's.hesmiled,lookedhandsome,andsaidmanyprettythings.

"heisasfineafellow,"saidmr.bennet,assoonastheywereoutofthehouse,"aseverisaw.hesimpers,andsmirks,andmakeslovetousall.iamprodigiouslyproudofhim.idefyevensirwilliamlucashimselftoproduceamorevaluableson-in-law."

thelossofherdaughtermademrs.bennetverydullforseveraldays.

"ioftenthink,"saidshe,"thatthereisnothingsobadaspartingwithone'sfriends.oneseemssoforlornwithoutthem."

"thisistheconsequence,yousee,madam,ofmarryingadaughter,"saidelizabeth."itmustmakeyoubettersatisfiedthatyourotherfouraresingle."

"itisnosuchthing.lydiadoesnotleavemebecausesheismarried,butonlybecauseherhusband'sregimenthappenstobesofaroff.ifthathadbeennearer,shewouldnothavegonesosoon."

butthespiritlessconditionwhichthiseventthrewherintowasshortlyrelieved,andhermindopenedagaintotheagitationofhope,byanarticleofnewswhichthenbegantobeincirculation.thehousekeeperatnetherfieldhadreceivedorderstoprepareforthearrivalofhermaster,whowascomingdowninadayortwo,toshootthereforseveralweeks.mrs.bennetwasquiteinthefidgets.shelookedatjane,andsmiledandshookherheadbyturns.

"well,well,andsomr.bingleyiscomingdown,sister,"(formrs.phillipsfirstbroughtherthenews)."well,somuchthebetter.notthaticareaboutit,though.heisnothingtous,youknow,andiamsureineverwanttoseehimagain.but,however,heisverywelcometocometonetherfield,ifhelikesit.andwhoknowswhatmayhappen?butthatisnothingtous.youknow,sister,weagreedlongagonevertomentionawordaboutit.andso,isitquitecertainheiscoming?"

"youmaydependonit,"repliedtheother,"formrs.nichollswasinmerytonlastnight;isawherpassingby,andwentoutmyselfonpurposetoknowthetruthofit;andshetoldmethatitwascertaintrue.hecomesdownonthursdayatthelatest,verylikelyonwednesday.shewasgoingtothebutcher's,shetoldme,onpurposetoorderinsomemeatonwednesday,andshehasgotthreecoupleofducksjustfittobekilled."

missbennethadnotbeenabletohearofhiscomingwithoutchangingcolour.itwasmanymonthssinceshehadmentionedhisnametoelizabeth;butnow,assoonastheywerealonetogether,shesaid,

"isawyoulookatmetoday,lizzy,whenmyaunttoldusofthepresentreport;andiknowiappeareddistressed.butdon'timagineitwasfromanysillycause.iwasonlyconfusedforthemoment,becauseifeltthatishouldbelookedat.idoassureyouthatthenewsdoesnotaffectmeeitherwithpleasureorpain.iamgladofonething,thathecomesalone;becauseweshallseethelessofhim.notthatiamafraidofmyself,butidreadotherpeople'sremarks."

elizabethdidnotknowwhattomakeofit.hadshenotseenhiminderbyshire,shemighthavesupposedhimcapableofcomingtherewithnootherviewthanwhatwasacknowledged;butshestillthoughthimpartialtojane,andshewaveredastothegreaterprobabilityofhiscomingtherewithhisfriend'spermission,orbeingboldenoughtocomewithoutit.

"yetitishard,"shesometimesthought,"thatthispoormancannotcometoahousewhichhehaslegallyhired,withoutraisingallthisspeculation!iwillleavehimtohimself."

inspiteofwhathersisterdeclared,andreallybelievedtobeherfeelingsintheexpectationofhisarrival,elizabethcouldeasilyperceivethatherspiritswereaffectedbyit.theyweremoredisturbed,moreunequal,thanshehadoftenseenthem.

thesubjectwhichhadbeensowarmlycanvassedbetweentheirparents,aboutatwelvemonthago,wasnowbroughtforwardagain.

"assoonasevermr.bingleycomes,mydear,"saidmrs.bennet,"youwillwaitonhimofcourse."

"no,no.youforcedmeintovisitinghimlastyear,andpromised,ifiwenttoseehim,heshouldmarryoneofmydaughters.butitendedinnothing,andiwillnotbesentonafool'serrandagain."

hiswiferepresentedtohimhowabsolutelynecessarysuchanattentionwouldbefromalltheneighbouringgentlemen,onhisreturningtonetherfield.

"'tisanetiquetteidespise,"saidhe."ifhewantsoursociety,lethimseekit.heknowswherewelive.iwillnotspendmyhoursinrunningaftermyneighbourseverytimetheygoawayandcomebackagain."

"well,alliknowis,thatitwillbeabominablyrudeifyoudonotwaitonhim.but,however,thatshan'tpreventmyaskinghimtodinehere,iamdetermined.wemusthavemrs.longandthegouldingssoon.thatwillmakethirteenwithourselves,sotherewillbejustroomattableforhim."

consoledbythisresolution,shewasthebetterabletobearherhusband'sincivility;thoughitwasverymortifyingtoknowthatherneighboursmightallseemr.bingley,inconsequenceofit,beforetheydid.asthedayofhisarrivaldrewnear,"ibegintobesorrythathecomesatall,"saidjanetohersister."itwouldbenothing;icouldseehimwithperfectindifference,buticanhardlybeartohearitthusperpetuallytalkedof.mymothermeanswell;butshedoesnotknow,noonecanknow,howmuchisufferfromwhatshesays.happyshallibe,whenhisstayatnetherfieldisover!"

"iwishicouldsayanythingtocomfortyou,"repliedelizabeth;"butitiswhollyoutofmypower.youmustfeelit;andtheusualsatisfactionofpreachingpatiencetoasuffererisdeniedme,becauseyouhavealwayssomuch."

mr.bingleyarrived.mrs.bennet,throughtheassistanceofservants,contrivedtohavetheearliesttidingsofit,thattheperiodofanxietyandfretfulnessonhersidemightbeaslongasitcould.shecountedthedaysthatmustintervenebeforetheirinvitationcouldbesent;hopelessofseeinghimbefore.butonthethirdmorningafterhisarrivalinhertfordshire,shesawhim,fromherdressing-roomwindow,enterthepaddockandridetowardsthehouse.

herdaughterswereeagerlycalledtopartakeofherjoy.janeresolutelykeptherplaceatthetable;butelizabeth,tosatisfyhermother,wenttothewindow—shelooked,—shesawmr.darcywithhim,andsatdownagainbyhersister.