Miss Bingley’s letter arrived, and put an end to doubt. The very first sentence said that all settled in London for the winter, and concluded that her brother was regretting because he did not have time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country.
Hope was over, entirely over. Miss Darcy’s praise occupied the main part of the letter.
Elizabeth’s heart was divided between concern for her sister, and resentment against all others. To Caroline’s assertion of her brother’s affection to Miss Darcy she paid no attention. That he was really fond of Jane, she doubted no more.
A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her feelings to Elizabeth:
“Oh, I wish my dear mother had more command over herself! She can have no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on Mr. Bingley. But I hope it cannot last long. He will be forgotten, and we shall all be as we were before.”
Elizabeth looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude, but said nothing.
“You do not believe me,” cried Jane, slightly colouring; “indeed, you have no reason. He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance, but that is all. Thank God! I have not that pain.”
“My dear Jane!” exclaimed Elizabeth, “you are too good. Your sweetness and disinterestedness are really angelic; I do not know what to say to you. His sisters influence him.”
“I cannot believe it,” replied Jane; “Why should they try to influence him? They can only wish his happiness; and if he is attached to me, no other woman can secure it. Beyond a doubt, they do wish him to choose Miss Darcy. If they believed him attached to me, they would not try to part us; if he were so, they could not succeed. Let me take everything in the best light, in the light in which it may be understood.”
From this time Mr. Bingley’s name was scarcely ever mentioned between them.
Mrs. Bennet still continued to wonder. Elizabeth tried to convince her of what she did not believe herself, that his attentions to Jane had been merely the effect of a common and transient liking. Mrs. Bennet’s best comfort was that Mr. Bingley must come again in the summer.
Mr. Wickham’s society dispelled the gloom of the Longbourn family. They saw him often, and to his other recommendations was now added that of general unreserve. What Elizabeth had already heard, his claims on Mr. Darcy, and all that he had suffered from him, was now openly acknowledged; and everybody was pleased to know how much they had always disliked Mr. Darcy before they had known anything.
Miss Bennet was the only person who could admit there might be any excuse for Mr. Darcy, unknown to the society of Hertfordshire – but by everybody else Mr. Darcy was condemned as the worst of men.
Chapter 25
On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend the Christmas at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger than Mrs. Bennet, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman, and a great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces. The two eldest had frequently been staying with her in town.
Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, and much to complain of. Two of her girls had been upon the point of marriage, and after all there was nothing in it.
“I do not blame Jane,” she continued, “But Lizzy! Oh, sister! It is very hard to think that she might have been Mr. Collins’s wife by this time. Just think: Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I have. The Lucases are very artful people indeed, sister. It makes me very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted so in my own family, and to have neighbours who think of themselves before anybody else.”
Mrs. Gardiner, to whom this news had been given before, in the course of Jane and Elizabeth’s correspondence with her, made her sister a slight answer, and, in compassion to her nieces, turned the conversation.
When alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke more on the subject. “These things happen so often! A young man, such as you describe Mr. Bingley, so easily falls in love with a pretty girl for a few weeks, and when accident separates them, so easily forgets her. Say, how violent was Mr. Bingley’s love?”
“I never saw a more promising inclination. Every time they met, it was more decided and remarkable. At his own ball he offended two or three young ladies, by not asking them to dance; and I spoke to him twice myself, without receiving an answer.”
“Oh, yes! Poor Jane! I am sorry for her. But do you think she would join us to go back with us? Changes may help her – and perhaps a little relief from home may be useful.”
Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal.
“I hope,” added Mrs. Gardiner, “that she will not connect this journey with this young man. We live in a different part of town, all our connections are so different, and, as you well know, we go out so little, that it is very improbable that they should meet at all, unless he really comes to see her.”
“And that is quite impossible, Mr. Darcy would not let him go alone! My dear aunt, how could you think of it? Mr. Bingley never moves without him.”
“I hope they will not meet at all.”
Miss Bennet accepted her aunt’s invitation with pleasure.
Chapter 26
Mrs. Gardiner decided to talk to Elizabeth about Mr. Wickham.
“Elizabeth, are you in love with him?”
“Oh, do not be afraid, he shall not be in love with me, if I can prevent it.”
“Elizabeth, you are not serious now.”
“I beg your pardon. 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. Oh! that abominable Mr. Darcy! My father, however, is partial to Mr. Wickham. In short, my dear aunt, all that I can promise you, therefore, is not to be in a hurry. In short, I will do my best.”
Charlotte and Mr. Collins got married. The wedding took place; and the bride and bridegroom went to Kent from the church door. Elizabeth soon heard from her friend; and their correspondence was as regular and frequent as it had ever been. Elizabeth felt that Charlotte wrote cheerfully, seemed surrounded with comforts. The house, furniture, neighbourhood, and roads, were all to her taste, and Lady Catherine’s behaviour was most friendly.
Chapter 27
January and February passed away. In March Elizabeth decided to visit Hunsford. She had not at first thought very seriously of going there; but Charlotte insisted. Absence had increased her desire of seeing Charlotte again, and weakened her disgust of Mr. Collins. Moreover, the journey would give her an opportunity to see Jane.
The farewell between herself and Mr. Wickham was perfectly friendly. She left him convinced that, whether married or single, he must always be her model of the amiable and pleasing.
Sir William Lucas and Charlotte’s sister Maria were also going to visit her.
It was a journey of only twenty-four miles, and they began it so early as to be in Gracechurch Street by noon. As they drove to Mr. Gardiner’s door, Jane was at a drawing-room window watching their arrival. Elizabeth was pleased to see her healthful and lovely as ever.
The day passed most pleasantly away; the morning in shopping, and the evening at one of the theatres.
Elizabeth received an invitation to accompany her uncle and aunt in a tour which they proposed taking in the summer.
“We have not determined how far it shall carry us,” said Mrs. Gardiner, “but, perhaps,