Theirsistersweddingdayarrived;andJaneandElizabethfeltforherprobablymorethanshefeltforherself。Thecarriagewassenttomeetthemat—,andtheyweretoreturninitbydinner-time。TheirarrivalwasdreadedbytheelderMissBennets,andJanemoreespecially,whogaveLydiathefeelingswhichwouldhaveattendedherself,hadshebeentheculprit,andwaswretchedinthethoughtofwhathersistermustendure。
Theycame。Thefamilywereassembledinthebreakfastroomtoreceivethem。SmilesdeckedthefaceofMrs。Bennetasthecarriagedroveuptothedoor;herhusbandlookedimpenetrablygrave;herdaughters,alarmed,anxious,uneasy。
Lydiasvoicewasheardinthevestibule;thedoorwasthrownopen,andsheranintotheroom。Hermothersteppedforwards,embracedher,andwelcomedherwithrapture;gaveherhand,withanaffectionatesmile,toWickham,whofollowedhislady;andwishedthembothjoywithanalacritywhichshewednodoubtoftheirhappiness。
TheirreceptionfromMr。Bennet,towhomtheythenturned,wasnotquitesocordial。Hiscountenancerathergainedinausterity;andhescarcelyopenedhislips。Theeasyassuranceoftheyoungcouple,indeed,wasenoughtoprovokehim。
Elizabethwasdisgusted,andevenMissBennetwasshocked。LydiawasLydiastill;untamed,unabashed,wild,noisy,andfearless。Sheturnedfromsistertosister,demandingtheircongratulations;andwhenatlengththeyallsatdown,lookedeagerlyroundtheroom,tooknoticeofsomelittlealterationinit,andobserved,withalaugh,thatitwasagreatwhilesinceshehadbeenthere。
Wickhamwasnotatallmoredistressedthanherself,buthismannerswerealwayssopleasing,thathadhischaracterandhismarriagebeenexactlywhattheyought,hissmilesandhiseasyaddress,whileheclaimedtheirrelationship,wouldhavedelightedthemall。Elizabethhadnotbeforebelievedhimquiteequaltosuchassurance;butshesatdown,resolvingwithinherselftodrawnolimitsinfuturetotheimpudenceofanimpudentman。Sheblushed,andJaneblushed;butthecheeksofthetwowhocausedtheirconfusionsufferednovariationofcolour。
Therewasnowantofdiscourse。Thebrideandhermothercouldneitherofthemtalkfastenough;andWickham,whohappenedtositnearElizabeth,beganinquiringafterhisacquaintanceinthatneighbourhood,withagoodhumouredeasewhichshefeltveryunabletoequalinherreplies。Theyseemedeachofthemtohavethehappiestmemoriesintheworld。Nothingofthepastwasrecollectedwithpain;andLydialedvoluntarilytosubjectswhichhersisterswouldnothavealludedtofortheworld。
“Onlythinkofitsbeingthreemonths,”shecried,“sinceIwentaway;itseemsbutafortnightIdeclare;andyettherehavebeenthingsenoughhappenedinthetime。Goodgracious!WhenIwentaway,IamsureIhadnomoreideaofbeingmarriedtillIcamebackagain!ThoughIthoughtitwouldbeverygoodfunifIwas。”Herfatherlifteduphiseyes。Janewasdistressed。ElizabethlookedexpressivelyatLydia;butshe,whoneverheardnorsawanythingofwhichshechosetobeinsensible,gailycontinued,
“Oh!mamma,dothepeoplehereaboutsknowIammarriedto-day?Iwasafraidtheymightnot;andweovertookWilliamGouldinginhiscurricle,soIwasdeterminedheshouldknowit,andsoIletdowntheside-glassnexttohim,andtookoffmyglove,andletmyhandjustrestuponthewindowframe,sothathemightseethering,andthenIbowedandsmiledlikeanything。”
Elizabethcouldbearitnolonger。Shegotup,andranoutoftheroom;andreturnednomore,tillsheheardthempassingthroughthehalltothediningparlour。ShethenjoinedthemsoonenoughtoseeLydia,withanxiousparade,walkuptohermothersrighthand,andhearhersaytohereldestsister,
“Ah!Jane,Itakeyourplacenow,andyoumustgolower,becauseIamamarriedwoman。”
ItwasnottobesupposedthattimewouldgiveLydiathatembarrassmentfromwhichshehadbeensowhollyfreeatfirst。Hereaseandgoodspiritsincreased。ShelongedtoseeMrs。Phillips,theLucases,andalltheirotherneighbours,andtohearherselfcalled“Mrs。Wickham”byeachofthem;andinthemeantime,shewentafterdinnertoshowherring,andboastofbeingmarried,toMrs。Hillandthetwohousemaids。
“Well,mamma,”saidshe,whentheywereallreturnedtothebreakfastroom,“andwhatdoyouthinkofmyhusband?Isnotheacharmingman?Iamsuremysistersmustallenvyme。Ionlyhopetheymayhavehalfmygoodluck。TheymustallgotoBrighton。Thatistheplacetogethusbands。Whatapityitis,mamma,wedidnotallgo。”
“Verytrue;andifIhadmywill,weshould。ButmydearLydia,Idontatalllikeyourgoingsuchawayoff。Mustitbeso?”
“Oh,lord!yes;—thereisnothinginthat。Ishalllikeitofallthings。Youandpapa,andmysisters,mustcomedownandseeus。WeshallbeatNewcastleallthewinter,andIdaresaytherewillbesomeballs,andIwilltakecaretogetgoodpartnersforthemall。”
“Ishouldlikeitbeyondanything!”saidhermother。
“Andthenwhenyougoaway,youmayleaveoneortwoofmysistersbehindyou;andIdaresayIshallgethusbandsforthembeforethewinterisover。”
“Ithankyouformyshareofthefavour,”saidElizabeth;“butIdonotparticularlylikeyourwayofgettinghusbands。”