Chapter-19
The day of Mr. Wickham’s and Lydia’s departure soon came.
“Oh, my dear Lydia,” cried Mrs. Bennet, “when shall we meet again?”
“Oh Lord, I don’t know. Not for two or three years, perhaps.”
“Write to me very often, my dear.”
“As often as I can. But you know married women have never much time for writing. My sisters may write to me. They will have nothing else to do.”
Mr. Wickham said goodbye more affectionately than his wife. He smiled, looked handsome, and said many pretty things.
“He is as fine a fellow,” said Mr. Bennet, as soon as they were out of the house, “as I ever saw. He simpers and smirks and makes love to us all. I am tremendously proud of him. Even Sir William Lucas himself does not have a more valuable son-in-law.”
The loss of her daughter made Mrs. Bennet very dull indeed. But this condition was soon relieved by some news. The housekeeper at Netherfield had received orders to prepare for the arrival of her master, who was coming down for several weeks. Mrs. Bennet was quite excited. She looked at Jane and smiled and shook her head.
“Well, well, and so Mr. Bingley is coming down, sister,” she said to Mrs. Philips, “Not that I care. I am sure I never want to see him again. However, he is very welcome to come to Netherfield if he likes. And who knows what may happen? But that means nothing to us. Is it quite certain he is coming?”
Jane had not been able to hear the news without blushing, although she said to Elizabeth that she felt neither pleasure nor pain. As the day of his arrival drew near, however, she said to her sister, “I begin to be sorry that he comes at all. I cannot bear to hear it talked about all the time. My mother does not know how much I suffer from what she says. I shall be happy when his stay at Netherfield is over.”
The subject which had been argued between their parents about a year ago was now raised again.
“As soon as Mr. Bingley comes, my dear,” said Mrs. Bennet, “you will visit him, of course.”
“No, no. You forced me to visit him last year and promised that if I went to see him he would marry one of my daughters. But nothing happened and I will not be sent on a fool’s errand again. If he wants our company he can ask for it. He knows where we live.”
Mr. Bingley arrived. And on the third day after his arrival Mrs. Bennet saw him enter the garden and ride towards the house. Her daughters were eagerly called to share her joy. Jane stayed firmly at the table, but Elizabeth, to satisfy her mother, went to the window. She looked, she saw Mr. Darcy with him, and sat down again by her sister.
“There is a gentleman with him, mamma,” said Kitty, “Who can it be?”
“Some friend or other, my dear. I am sure I do not know.”
“It looks like that man who used to be with him before. Mr, what’s his name? That tall, proud man.”
“Good gracious! Mr. Darcy! So it does. Well any friend of Mr. Bingley will always be welcome here, but I hate the sight of him.”
Both Jane and Elizabeth were uncomfortable. Each was sorry for the other and, of course, for themselves. The colour which had gone from Elizabeth’s face, returned for half a minute, and a smile of delight added a glow to her eyes as she thought that Mr. Darcy’s affection might still be unshaken. But she could not feel safe.
“Let me first see how he behaves,” she thought.
She sat intently at her sewing, trying to be calm. Jane looked paler than usual as Elizabeth looked anxiously at her. As the gentlemen appeared, her colour increased, yet she received them calmly, without any sign of resentment of unnecessary warmth.
Elizabeth said as little as possible and sat down again to her sewing with an eagerness which it did not often receive. She had dared only one glance at Darcy. He looked serious as usual.
Bingley looked both pleased and embarrassed. He was received by Mrs. Bennet with warmth which made her two daughters ashamed, especially in contrast to her cold courtesy to his friend. Elizabeth, particularly, who knew that her mother owed to Darcy the rescue of her favourite daughter, was painfully embarrassed.
Darcy, after asking her how Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were, said almost nothing. He looked at Jane as often as at herself; and frequently at nothing but the ground. More thoughtfulness, and less desire to please, was clearly shown. She was disappointed, and angry with herself for being so.
“It is a long time, Mr. Bingley, since you went away,” said Mrs. Bennet, “A great many changes have happened in the neighbourhood. Miss Lucas is married. And one of my own daughters. I suppose you have heard of it; indeed you must have seen it in the newspapers.”
Bingley replied that he had and made his congratulations. Elizabeth dared not lift up her eyes. How Mr. Darcy looked, therefore, she could not know.
“It is a delightful thing to have a daughter well married,” continued her mother, “but it is very sad to have her taken away from me. They are gone to New Castle and I do not know how long they will stay there. I suppose you have heard that he has joined the Army.”
“Thank heaven he has some friends, though not as many as he deserves.”
Elizabeth knew this remark was aimed at Mr. Darcy and she was in such misery that she could hardly sit still. Her only comfort was to see how much the beauty of her sister aroused again the admiration of her former lover. Every minute he looked more at her. He found her as beautiful as she had been last year, as good-natured and as natural.
When the gentlemen rose to go away, Mrs. Bennet invited them to dine at Longbourn in a few days. As soon as they had gone, Elizabeth walked out to recover her feelings. Mr. Darcy’s behaviour astonished and annoyed her.
Mr. Bingley came again a few days later—and was invited to dinner the following day. Mr. Darcy had returned to London for ten days.
Mrs. Bennet was determined that Jane and Mr. Bingley should be left by themselves. After tea Mr. Bennet went to the library as usual and Mary went upstairs to read. Two obstacles of the five being removed, Mrs. Bennet sat looking and winking at Elizabeth and Kitty for a long time. Suddenly she got up and, saying to Kitty, “Come here, my love, I want to speak to you,” took her out of the room. Jane looked at Elizabeth, begging her not to give in. In a few minutes, Mrs. Bennet half opened the door and called out, “Lizzy, I want to speak to you.”
Elizabeth was forced to go.
“We may as well leave them by themselves,” said her mother, “Kitty and I are going upstairs.”
Elizabeth did not try to argue with her mother, but as soon as she was out of sight she returned to the drawing room.
Mrs. Bennet’s schemes for this day were unsuccessful. Bingley was entirely charming, but not the open lover of her daughter. His ease and cheerfulness made him a welcome member of the party and he listened to the silly remarks of the mother with a calm which her daughter appreciated.
After this day Jane said no more about her indifference. Elizabeth went to bed in the happy belief that all would soon be arranged. She was fairly sure that all this must take place with the agreement of Mr. Darcy.
The next day, Mr. Bingley went shooting with Mr. Bennet and returned to dinner. In the evening, Mrs. Bennet was again at work to get everybody away from Bingley and her daughter. This time she was too clever for Elizabeth. The latter had been writing a letter in her room. Returning to the drawing room she found her sister and Bingley standing together in earnest conversation. Their faces as they turned round and moved away told everything. Not a word was said by anyone, and Elizabeth was about to go away again when Bingley, whispering a few words to Jane, ran out of the room.
Jane could have no secrets from Elizabeth. Instantly kissing her she declared joyfully that she was the happiest woman in the world.
“It is too much,” she added, “Far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh, why is everybody not so happy?”
Elizabeth’s congratulations were given with a sincerity, a warmth, a delight which words could only poorly express. Every sentence gave fresh happiness to Jane.
Bingley had gone to Mr. Bennet already and Jane now hastened away to tell her mother the good news. It was an evening of uncommon delight for them all. Jane’s happiness made her look handsomer than ever. Kitty smiled and hoped her turn was coming soon. Mrs. Bennet could not speak her approval warmly enough to satisfy herself, although she talked to Bingley of nothing else for half an hour. When Mr. Bennet joined them his voice and manner plainly showed how really happy he was.
As soon as Bingley had gone he turned to Jane and said, “Jane, I congratulate you. You will be a very happy woman.” Jane went to him instantly, kissed him, and thanked him for his goodness. “You are a good girl,” he said, “and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I am sure you will do very well together. You are very much alike. You are each so obliging that nothing will ever be decided on; so easy going that every servant will cheat you; and so generous that you will always exceed your income.”
“Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet,” cried his wife, “what are you talking about? Why has he four or five thousand pounds a year? Oh my dear, dear Jane, I am so happy! I knew how it would be. I always said it must be so. I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing. I remember as soon as ever I saw him last year I thought how likely it was that you should come together. Oh, he is the handsomest young man that ever was seen.”
Wickham and Lydia were forgotten. Jane was her favourite child. At that moment she cared for no other.
“I am certainly the most fortunate woman, that ever lived,” cried Jane to Elizabeth when they were alone, “Oh, Lizzy, if only I could see you as happy. If only there were such another man for you!”
“If you were to give me forty men like him I never could be as happy as you. Until I have your character, your goodness, I never can have your happiness. No, no, let me manage for myself, and perhaps, if I have good luck, I may meet another Mr. Collins in time.”
The situation in the Longbourn family was not long a secret. Mrs. Bennet whispered it to Mrs. Philips and she repeated it to all her neighbours in Meryton. The Bennets were soon declared to be the luckiest family in the world, though only a few weeks before they had been generally proved to be destined for misfortune.
