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1"I dislike it very much," he replied; "but it must be done." And so saying, he turned back with them, and walked towards
2the house. "And--may I ask?" said Elizabeth; "but the terms, I suppose, must be complied with." "Complied with! I am
3only ashamed of his asking so little." "And they must marry! Yet he is such a man." "Yes, yes, they must marry. There is
4nothing else to be done. But there are two things that I want very much to know:--one is, how much money your uncle has
5laid down to bring it about; and the other, how I am ever to pay him." "Money! my uncle!" cried Jane, "what do you mean,
6sir?" "I mean that no man in his proper senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year during
7my life, and fifty after I am gone." "That is very true," said Elizabeth; "though it had not occurred to me before. His
8debts to be discharged, and something still to remain! Oh, it must be my uncle's doings! Generous, good man, I am afraid
9he has distressed himself. A small sum could not do all this." "No," said her father. "Wickham's a fool if he takes her
10with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds: I should be sorry to think so ill of him, in the very beginning of our
11relationship." "Ten thousand pounds! Heaven forbid! How is half such a sum to be repaid?" Mr. Bennet made no answer; and
12each of them, deep in thought, continued silent till they reached the house. Their father then went to the library to
13write, and the girls walked into the breakfast-room. "And they are really to be married!" cried Elizabeth, as soon as
14they were by themselves. "How strange this is! and for this we are to be thankful. That they should marry, small as is
15their chance of happiness, and wretched as is his character, we are forced to rejoice! Oh, Lydia!" "I comfort myself
16with thinking," replied Jane, "that he certainly would not marry Lydia, if he had not a real regard for her. Though our
17kind uncle has done something towards clearing him, I cannot believe that ten thousand pounds, or anything like it, has
18been advanced. He has children of his own, and may have more. How could he spare half ten thousand pounds?" "If we are
19ever able to learn what Wickham's debts have been," said Elizabeth, "and how much is settled on his side on our sister,
20we shall exactly know what Mr. Gardiner has done for them, because Wickham has not sixpence of his own. The kindness of
21my uncle and aunt can never be requited. Their taking her home, and affording her their personal protection and
22countenance, is such a sacrifice to her advantage as years of gratitude cannot enough acknowledge. By this time she is
23actually with them! If such goodness does not make her miserable now, she will never deserve to be happy! What a meeting
24for her, when she first sees my aunt!" "We must endeavour to forget all that has passed on either side," said Jane: "I
25hope and trust they will yet be happy. His consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that he is come to a
26right way of thinking. Their mutual affection will steady them; and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly, and
27live in so rational a manner, as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten." "Their conduct has been such,"
28replied Elizabeth, "as neither you, nor I, nor anybody, can ever forget. It is useless to talk of it." It now occurred
29to the girls that their mother was in all likelihood perfectly ignorant of what had happened. They went to the library,
30therefore, and asked their father whether he would not wish them to make it known to her. He was writing, and, without
31raising his head, coolly replied,-- "Just as you please." "May we take my uncle's letter to read to her?" "Take whatever
32you like, and get away." Elizabeth took the letter from his writing-table, and they went upstairs together. Mary and
33Kitty were both with Mrs. Bennet: one communication would, therefore, do for all. After a slight preparation for good
34news, the letter was read aloud. Mrs. Bennet could hardly contain herself. As soon as Jane had read Mr. Gardiner's hope
35of Lydia's being soon married, her joy burst forth, and every following sentence added to its exuberance. She was now in
36an irritation as violent from delight as she had ever been fidgety from alarm and vexation. To know that her daughter
37would be married was enough. She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her
38misconduct. "My dear, dear Lydia!" she cried: "this is delightful indeed! She will be married! I shall see her again!
39She will be married at sixteen! My good, kind brother! I knew how it would be--I knew he would manage everything. How I
40long to see her! and to see dear Wickham too! But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I will write to my sister Gardiner
41about them directly. Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. Stay, stay, I will
42go myself. Ring the bell, Kitty, for Hill. I will put on my things in a moment. My dear, dear Lydia! How merry we shall
43be together when we meet!" Her eldest daughter endeavoured to give some relief to the violence of these transports, by
44leading her thoughts to the obligations which Mr. Gardiner's behaviour laid them all under. "For we must attribute this
45happy conclusion," she added, "in a great measure to his kindness. We are persuaded that he has pledged himself to
46assist Mr. Wickham with money." "Well," cried her mother, "it is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? If
47he had not had a family of his own, I and my children must have had all his money, you know; and it is the first time we
48have ever had anything from him except a few presents. Well! I am so happy. In a short time, I shall have a daughter
49married. Mrs. Wickham! How well it sounds! And she was only sixteen last June. My dear Jane, I am in such a flutter,
50that I am sure I can't write; so I will dictate, and you write for me. We will settle with your father about the money
51afterwards; but the things should be ordered immediately." She was then proceeding to all the particulars of calico,
52muslin, and cambric, and would shortly have dictated some very plentiful orders, had not Jane, though with some
53difficulty, persuaded her to wait till her father was at leisure to be consulted. One day's delay, she observed, would
54be of small importance; and her mother was too happy to be quite so obstinate as usual. Other schemes, too, came into
55her head. "I will go to Meryton," said she, "as soon as I am dressed, and tell the good, good news to my sister Philips.
56And as I come back, I can call on Lady Lucas and Mrs. Long. Kitty, run down and order the carriage. An airing would do
57me a great deal of good, I am sure. Girls, can I do anything for you in Meryton? Oh! here comes Hill. My dear Hill, have
58you heard the good news? Miss Lydia is going to be married; and you shall all have a bowl of punch to make merry at her
59wedding." Mrs. Hill began instantly to express her joy. Elizabeth received her congratulations amongst the rest, and
60then, sick of this folly, took refuge in her own room, that she might think with freedom. Poor Lydia's situation must,
61at best, be bad enough; but that it was no worse, she had need to be thankful. She felt it so; and though, in looking
62forward, neither rational happiness, nor worldly prosperity could be justly expected for her sister, in looking back to
63what they had feared, only two hours ago, she felt all the advantages of what they had gained. [Illustration: "The
64spiteful old ladies" [Copyright 1894 by George Allen.]] CHAPTER L. [Illustration] Mr. Bennet had very often wished,
65before this period of his life, that, instead of spending his whole income, he had laid by an annual sum, for the better
66provision of his children, and of his wife, if she survived him. He now wished it more than ever. Had he done his duty
67in that respect, Lydia need not have been indebted to her uncle for whatever of honour or credit could now be purchased
68for her. The satisfaction of prevailing on one of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be her husband might
69then have rested in its proper place.
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