“Well,mydear,”saidhe,whensheceasedspeaking,“Ihavenomoretosay。Ifthisbethecase,hedeservesyou。Icouldnothavepartedwithyou,myLizzy,toanyonelessworthy。”
Tocompletethefavourableimpression,shethentoldhimwhatMr。DarcyhadvoluntarilydoneforLydia。Heheardherwithastonishment。
“Thisisaneveningofwonders,indeed!Andso,Darcydideverything;madeupthematch,gavethemoney,paidthefellowsdebts,andgothimhiscommission!Somuchthebetter。Itwillsavemeaworldoftroubleandeconomy。Haditbeenyourunclesdoing,Imustandwouldhavepaidhim;buttheseviolentyoungloverscarryeverythingtheirownway。Ishalloffertopayhimto-morrow;hewillrantandstormabouthisloveforyou,andtherewillbeanendofthematter。”
Hethenrecollectedherembarrassmentafewdaysbefore,onhisreadingMr。Collinssletter;andafterlaughingathersometime,allowedheratlasttogo—saying,asshequittedtheroom,“IfanyyoungmencomeforMaryorKitty,sendthemin,forIamquiteatleisure。”
Elizabethsmindwasnowrelievedfromaveryheavyweight;and,afterhalfanhoursquietreflectioninherownroom,shewasabletojointheotherswithtolerablecomposure。Everythingwastoorecentforgaiety,buttheeveningpassedtranquillyaway;therewasnolongeranythingmaterialtobedreaded,andthecomfortofeaseandfamiliaritywouldcomeintime。
Whenhermotherwentuptoherdressing-roomatnight,shefollowedher,andmadetheimportantcommunication。Itseffectwasmostextraordinary;foronfirsthearingit,Mrs。Bennetsatquitestill,andunabletoutterasyllable。Norwasitundermany,manyminutesthatshecouldcomprehendwhatsheheard;thoughnotingeneralbackwardtocreditwhatwasfortheadvantageofherfamily,orthatcameintheshapeofalovertoanyofthem。Shebeganatlengthtorecover,tofidgetaboutinherchair,getup,sitdownagain,wonder,andblessherself。
“Goodgracious!Lordblessme!onlythink!dearme!Mr。Darcy!Whowouldhavethoughtit!Andisitreallytrue?Oh!mysweetestLizzy!howrichandhowgreatyouwillbe!Whatpin-money,whatjewels,whatcarriagesyouwillhave!Janesisnothingtoit—nothingatall。Iamsopleased—sohappy。Suchacharmingman!—sohandsome!sotall!—Oh,mydearLizzy!prayapologiseformyhavingdislikedhimsomuchbefore。Ihopehewilloverlookit。Dear,dearLizzy。Ahouseintown!Everythingthatischarming!Threedaughtersmarried!Tenthousandayear!Oh,Lord!Whatwillbecomeofme。Ishallgodistracted。”
Thiswasenoughtoprovethatherapprobationneednotbedoubted;andElizabeth,rejoicingthatsuchaneffusionwasheardonlybyherself,soonwentaway。Butbeforeshehadbeenthreeminutesinherownroom,hermotherfollowedher。
“Mydearestchild,”shecried,“Icanthinkofnothingelse!Tenthousandayear,andverylikelymore!TisasgoodasaLord!Andaspeciallicence。Youmustandshallbemarriedbyaspeciallicence。Butmydearestlove,tellmewhatdishMr。Darcyisparticularlyfondof,thatImayhaveitto-morrow。”
Thiswasasadomenofwhathermothersbehaviourtothegentlemanhimselfmightbe;andElizabethfoundthat,thoughinthecertainpossessionofhiswarmestaffection,andsecureofherrelationsconsent,therewasstillsomethingtobewishedfor。Butthemorrowpassedoffmuchbetterthansheexpected;forMrs。Bennetluckilystoodinsuchaweofherintendedson-in-lawthatsheventurednottospeaktohim,unlessitwasinherpowertoofferhimanyattention,ormarkherdeferenceforhisopinion。
Elizabethhadthesatisfactionofseeingherfathertakingpainstogetacquaintedwithhim;andMr。Bennetsoonassuredherthathewasrisingeveryhourinhisesteem。
“Iadmireallmythreesons-in-lawhighly,”saidhe。“Wickham,perhaps,ismyfavourite;butIthinkIshalllikeyourhusbandquiteaswellasJanes。”