AI Classic Books

60438.

60439.

60440.

60441.

60442.

60443.

60444.

60445.

"I beg your pardon. I will try again. At present I am not in love with Mr. Wickham; no, I certainly am not. But he is, beyond all comparison, the most agreeable man I ever saw--and if he becomes really attached to me--I believe it will be better that he should not. I see the imprudence of it. Oh,  that  abominable Mr. Darcy! My father’s opinion of me does me the greatest honour; and I should be miserable to forfeit it. My father, however, is partial to Mr. Wickham. In short, my dear aunt, I should be very sorry to be the means of making any of you unhappy; but since we see, every day, that where there is affection young people are seldom withheld, by immediate want of fortune, from entering into engagements with each other, how can I promise to be wiser than so many of my fellow-creatures, if I am tempted, or how am I even to know that it would be wiser to resist? All that I can promise you, therefore, is not to be in a hurry. I will not be in a hurry to believe myself his first object. When I am in company with him, I will not be wishing. In short, I will do my best."

60446.

60447.

60448.

60449.

60450.

60451.

60452.

60453.

60454.

60455.

60456.

60457.

60458.

60459.

60460.

60461.

60462.

60463.

The wedding took place: the bride and bridegroom set off for Kent from the church door, and everybody had as much to say or to hear on the subject as usual. Elizabeth soon heard from her friend, and their correspondence was as regular and frequent as it ever had been: that it should be equally unreserved was impossible. Elizabeth could never address her without feeling that all the comfort of intimacy was over; and, though determined not to slacken as a correspondent, it was for the sake of what had been rather than what was. Charlotte’s first letters were received with a good deal of eagerness: there could not but be curiosity to know how she would speak of her new home, how she would like Lady Catherine, and how happy she would dare pronounce herself to be; though, when the letters were read, Elizabeth felt that Charlotte expressed herself on every point exactly as she might have foreseen. She wrote cheerfully, seemed surrounded with comforts, and mentioned nothing which she could not praise. The house, furniture, neighbourhood, and roads, were all to her taste, and Lady Catherine’s behaviour was most friendly and obliging. It was Mr. Collins’s picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened; and Elizabeth perceived that she must wait for her own visit there, to know the rest.

60464.

60465.

60466.

60467.

60468.

60469.

60470.

60471.

60472.

60473.

60474.

60475.

"My dearest Lizzy will, I am sure, be incapable of triumphing in      her better judgment, at my expense, when I confess myself to have      been entirely deceived in Miss Bingley’s regard for me. But, my      dear sister, though the event has proved you right, do not think me      obstinate if I still assert that, considering what her behaviour      was, my confidence was as natural as your suspicion. I do not at      all comprehend her reason for wishing to be intimate with me; but,      if the same circumstances were to happen again, I am sure I should      be deceived again. Caroline did not return my visit till yesterday;      and not a note, not a line, did I receive in the meantime. When she      did come, it was very evident that she had no pleasure in it; she      made a slight, formal apology for not calling before, said not a      word of wishing to see me again, and was, in every respect, so      altered a creature, that when she went away I was perfectly      resolved to continue the acquaintance no longer. I pity, though I      cannot help blaming, her. She was very wrong in singling me out as      she did; I can safely say, that every advance to intimacy began on      her side. But I pity her, because she must feel that she has been      acting wrong, and because I am very sure that anxiety for her      brother is the cause of it. I need not explain myself farther; and      though  we  know this anxiety to be quite needless, yet if she      feels it, it will easily account for her behaviour to me; and so      deservedly dear as he is to his sister, whatever anxiety she may      feel on his behalf is natural and amiable. I cannot but wonder,      however, at her having any such fears now, because if he had at all      cared about me, we must have met long, long ago. He knows of my      being in town, I am certain, from something she said herself; and      yet it would seem, by her manner of talking, as if she wanted to      persuade herself that he is really partial to Miss Darcy. I cannot      understand it. If I were not afraid of judging harshly, I should be      almost tempted to say, that there is a strong appearance of      duplicity in all this. I will endeavour to banish every painful      thought, and think only of what will make me happy, your affection,      and the invariable kindness of my dear uncle and aunt. Let me hear      from you very soon. Miss Bingley said something of his never      returning to Netherfield again, of giving up the house, but not      with any certainty. We had better not mention it. I am extremely      glad that you have such pleasant accounts from our friends at      Hunsford. Pray go to see them, with Sir William and Maria. I am      sure you will be very comfortable there.

60476.

60477.

60478.

Mrs. Gardiner about this time reminded Elizabeth of her promise concerning that gentleman, and required information; and Elizabeth had such to send as might rather give contentment to her aunt than to herself. His apparent partiality had subsided, his attentions were over, he was the admirer of some one else. Elizabeth was watchful enough to see it all, but she could see it and write of it without material pain. Her heart had been but slightly touched, and her vanity was satisfied with believing that  she  would have been his only choice, had fortune permitted it. The sudden acquisition of ten thousand pounds was the most remarkable charm of the young lady to whom he was now rendering himself agreeable; but Elizabeth, less clear-sighted perhaps in this case than in Charlotte’s, did not quarrel with him for his wish of independence. Nothing, on the contrary, could be more natural; and, while able to suppose that it cost him a few struggles to relinquish her, she was ready to allow it a wise and desirable measure for both, and could very sincerely wish him happy.

60479.

60480.