“Oh!Youruncle!Hekeepsaman-servant,doeshe?Iamverygladyouhavesomebodywhothinksofthesethings。Whereshallyouchangehorses?Oh!Bromley,ofcourse。IfyoumentionmynameattheBell,youwillbeattendedto。”
LadyCatherinehadmanyotherquestionstoaskrespectingtheirjourney,andasshedidnotanswerthemallherself,attentionwasnecessary,whichElizabethbelievedtobeluckyforher;or,withamindsooccupied,shemighthaveforgottenwhereshewas。Reflectionmustbereservedforsolitaryhours;whenevershewasalone,shegavewaytoitasthegreatestrelief;andnotadaywentbywithoutasolitarywalk,inwhichshemightindulgeinallthedelightofunpleasantrecollections。
Mr。Darcyslettershewasinafairwayofsoonknowingbyheart。Shestudiedeverysentence;andherfeelingstowardsitswriterwereattimeswidelydifferent。Whensherememberedthestyleofhisaddress,shewasstillfullofindignation;butwhensheconsideredhowunjustlyshehadcondemnedandupbraidedhim,herangerwasturnedagainstherself;andhisdisappointedfeelingsbecametheobjectofcompassion。Hisattachmentexcitedgratitude,hisgeneralcharacterrespect;butshecouldnotapprovehim;norcouldsheforamomentrepentherrefusal,orfeeltheslightestinclinationevertoseehimagain。Inherownpastbehaviour,therewasaconstantsourceofvexationandregret;andintheunhappydefectsofherfamily,asubjectofyetheavierchagrin。Theywerehopelessofremedy。Herfather,contentedwithlaughingatthem,wouldneverexerthimselftorestrainthewildgiddinessofhisyoungestdaughters;andhermother,withmannerssofarfromrightherself,wasentirelyinsensibleoftheevil。ElizabethhadfrequentlyunitedwithJaneinanendeavourtochecktheimprudenceofCatherineandLydia;butwhiletheyweresupportedbytheirmothersindulgence,whatchancecouldtherebeofimprovement?Catherine,weak-spirited,irritable,andcompletelyunderLydiasguidance,hadbeenalwaysaffrontedbytheiradvice;andLydia,self-willedandcareless,wouldscarcelygivethemahearing。Theywereignorant,idle,andvain。WhiletherewasanofficerinMeryton,theywouldflirtwithhim;andwhileMerytonwaswithinawalkofLongbourn,theywouldbegoingthereforever。
AnxietyonJanesbehalfwasanotherprevailingconcern;andMr。Darcysexplanation,byrestoringBingleytoallherformergoodopinion,heightenedthesenseofwhatJanehadlost。Hisaffectionwasprovedtohavebeensincere,andhisconductclearedofallblame,unlessanycouldattachtotheimplicitnessofhisconfidenceinhisfriend。Howgrievousthenwasthethoughtthat,ofasituationsodesirableineveryrespect,sorepletewithadvantage,sopromisingforhappiness,Janehadbeendeprived,bythefollyandindecorumofherownfamily!
WhentotheserecollectionswasaddedthedevelopmentofWickhamscharacter,itmaybeeasilybelievedthatthehappyspiritswhichhadseldombeendepressedbefore,werenowsomuchaffectedastomakeitalmostimpossibleforhertoappeartolerablycheerful。
TheirengagementsatRosingswereasfrequentduringthelastweekofherstayastheyhadbeenatfirst。Theverylasteveningwasspentthere;andherladyshipagaininquiredminutelyintotheparticularsoftheirjourney,gavethemdirectionsastothebestmethodofpacking,andwassourgentonthenecessityofplacinggownsintheonlyrightway,thatMariathoughtherselfobliged,onherreturn,toundoalltheworkofthemorning,andpackhertrunkafresh。
Whentheyparted,LadyCatherine,withgreatcondescension,wishedthemagoodjourney,andinvitedthemtocometoHunsfordagainnextyear;andMissdeBourghexertedherselfsofarastocurtseyandholdoutherhandtoboth。