第112章

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    Two days after Mr.Bennet's return,as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house,they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and, concluding that she came to call them to their mother, went forward to meet her; but, instead of the expected summons, when they approached her, she said to Miss Bennet,“I beg your pardon,madam,for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town,so I took the liberty of coming to ask.”

    “What do you mean,Hill?We have heard nothing from town.”

    “Dear madam,”cried Mrs. Hill, in great astonishment,“don't you know there is an express come for master from Mr.Gardiner? He has been here this half-hour,and master has had a letter.”

    Away ran the girls,too eager to get in to have time for speech. They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast-room; from thence to the library;their father was in neither;and they were on the point of seeking him upstairs with their mother,when they were met by the butler,who said:

    “If you are looking for my master,ma'am,he is walking towards the little copse.”

    Upon this information,they instantly passed through the hall once more, and ran across the lawn after their father, who was deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.

    Jane,who was not so light nor so much in the habit of running as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath,came up with him,and eagerly cried out:

    “Oh, papa, what news—what news? Have you heard from my uncle?”

    “Yes I have had a letter from him by express.”

    “Well,and what news does it bring—good or bad?”

    “What is there of good to be expected?”said he, taking the letter from his pocket.“But perhaps you would like to read it.”

    Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand.Jane now came up.“Read it aloud,”said their father,“for I hardly know myself what it is about.”

    Gracechurch Street,Monday,August 2.

    “My dear Brother,

    “At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as,upon the whole,I hope it will give you satisfaction.Soon after you left me on Saturday,I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were.The particulars I reserve till we meet;it is enough to know they are discovered.I have seen them both—”

    “Then it is as I always hoped,”cried Jane;“they are married!”

    Elizabeth read on:

    “I have seen them both.They are not married,nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you are willing to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side,I hope it will not be long before they are.All that is required of you is,to assure to your daughter,by settlement,her equal share of the five thousand pounds secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister;and,moreover,to enter into an engagement of allowing her,during your life,one hundred pounds per annum.These are conditions which,considering everything, I had no hesitation in complying with,as far as I thought myself privileged, for you. I shall send this by express, that no time may be lost in bringing me your answer. You will easily comprehend, from these particulars, that Mr. Wickham's circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be.The world has been deceived in that respect;and I am happy to say there will be some little money,even when all his debts are discharged,to settle on my niece,in addition to her own fortune.If,as I conclude will be the case,you send me full powers to act in your name throughout the whole of this business,I will immediately give directions to Haggerston for preparing a proper settlement.There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again;therefore stay quiet at Longbourn,and depend on my diligence and care.Send back your answer as fast as you can, and be careful to write explicitly.We have judged it best that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you will approve.She comes to us to-day.I shall write again as soon as anything more is determined on.Yours,etc.,

    “EDW.GARDINER.”

    “Is it possible?”cried Elizabeth,when she had finished.“Can it be possible that he will marry her?”

    “Wickham is not so undeserving,then,as we thought him,”said her sister.“My dear father,I congratulate you.”

    “And have you answered the letter?”cried Elizabeth.

    “No;but it must be done soon.”

    Most earnestly did she then entreaty him to lose no more time before he wrote.

    “Oh!my dear father,”she cried,“come back and write immediately. Consider how important every moment is in such a case.”

    “Let me write for you,”said Jane,“if you dislike the trouble yourself.”

    “I dislike it very much,”he replied;“but it must be done.”

    And so saying,he turned back with them,and walked towards the house.

    “And may I ask—”said Elizabeth;“but the terms, I suppose, must be complied with.”

    “Complied with!I am only ashamed of his asking so little.”

    “And they must marry!Yet he is such a man!”

    “Yes,yes,they must marry.There is nothing else to be done.But there are two things that I want very much to know;one is,how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about;and the other,how am I ever to pay him.”

    “Money!My uncle!”cried Jane,“what do you mean,sir?”

    “I mean,that no man in his proper senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year during my life,and fifty after I am gone.”

    “That is very true,”said Elizabeth;“though it had not occurred to me before.His debts to be discharged,and something still to remain!Oh!it must be my uncle's doings!Generous,good man,I am afraid he has distressed himself.A small sum could not do all this.”

    “No,”said her father;“Wickham's a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds.I should be sorry to think so ill of him,in the very beginning of our relationship.”

    “Ten thousand pounds!Heaven forbid!How is half such a sum to be repaid?”