PRIDE & PREJUDICE: JANE AUSTEN: CHAPTER FIFTY TWO

Elizabeth very soon received an answer to her letter.  She hurried into a little copse, where she could read it in seclusion without interruption.

"Gracechurch Street, September 6.

"My dear niece,

I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it, as I forsee a little writing will not comprise what I have to tell you.  I am surprised by your application, I did not expect it from you.  Don't think me angry, I only meant to let you know that I had not imagined such an inquiry on your side.  Your uncle is as much surprised as I am.  Nothing but the belief of your being a party concerned would have allowed him to act as he has done.  But if you are really innocent and ignorant, I must be more explicit.

"On the very day of my coming home from Longbourn, your uncle had a most unexpected visitor.  Mr Darcy called, and was shut up with him for several hours.  It was all over before I arrived; so my curiosity was not at all raked as your's seems to have been.  He came to tell Mr Gardiner that he had found out where your sister and Mr Wickham were, and that he had seen and talked with them both, Wickham repeatedly, Lydia once.  From what I can collect, he left Derbyshire only one day after ourselves, and came to town with the resolution for hunting them.  The motive professed was his conviction of its being owing to himself that Wickham's worthlessness had not been so well known as to make it impossible for any young woman of character to love or confide in him.  He generously imputed the whole to his mistaken pride, and confessed that he had before thought it beneath him to lay his private actions open to the world.  His character was to speak for itself.  He called it, therefore, his duty to step forward, and endeavour to remedy an evil which had been brought on by himself.  If he had another motive, I am sure, it would never disgrace him.  He had been some days in town, before he was able to discover them; but he had something to direct his search, which was more than we had; and the consciousness of this was another reason for his resolving to follow us.

"There is a lady, it seems, a Mrs Younge, who was some time ago governess to Miss Darcy, and was dismissed from her charge on some cause of disapprobation, though he did not say what.  She then took a large house in Edward-street, and has since maintained herself by letting lodges. Mrs Younge was, he knew, intimately acquainted with Wickham, and he went to her for intelligence of him as soon as he got to town.  But it was two or three days before he could get from her what he wanted.  She would not betray her trust, I suppose, without bribery and corruption, for she really did know where her friend was to be found.  Wickham indeed had gone to her on their first arrival in London, and had she been able to receive them into her house, they would have taken up their abode with her.  Mr Darcy procured the whereabouts of them.  He met Wickham, and insisted on seeing Lydia.  He persuaded her to quit her present disgraceful situation and return to her friends as soon as they could be prevailed upon to receive her, offering his assistance, as far as it would go.  But he found Lydia absolutely resolved on remaining where she was.  She cared for none of her friends; she wanted no help of his; she would not hear of leaving Wickham.  She was sure they would be married some time or other, and it did not signify when.  It only remained, Darcy thought, to secure and expedite marriage, which he understood, was never a design of Wickham; who was obliged to leave the regiment, on account of some pressing debts.  He meant to resign his commission immediately; and as to his future situation he could conjecture very little.  He must go somewhere, but where he did not know, and he knew he should have nothing to live on.

"Mr Darcy had asked him why he had not married your sister at once.  Though Mr Bennet was not imagined to be very rich, he would have been able to do something for him, and his situation must have been benifited by marriage.  But he found, in reply to this question, that Wickham still cherished the hope of more effectually making his fortune by marrige in some other country.  Under such circumstances.

"They met several times, for there was much to be discussed.  Wickham, of course, wanted more than he could get, but at length was reduced to be reasonable.

"Everything being settled between them, Mr Darcy looked for your uncle; but your father was still with him, but would quit the town next morning.  He did not judge your father to be proper person to consult with; so he waited for the departure of your father.  

"On Saturday Darcy came again, your father was gone, your uncle at home, and they had a great deal of talk together.

"They met again on Sunday, and then I saw him too.  It was not all settled before Monday: as soon as it was, the express was sent off to Longbourn.  But our visitor was very obstinate.  I fancy, Lizzy, that obstinacy is the real defect of his character.  He has been accused of many faults at different times, but this is the true one. Nothing was to be done that he did not do himself; though I am sure your uncle would most readily have settled the whole.

"They have battled it together for a long time, which was more than the gentleman or lady concerned it deserved.  But at last your uncle was forced to yield, and instead of being allowed to be of use to his niece, was forced to put up with only having the credit of it, which went sorely against the grain, and I really believe your letter this morning gave him great pleasure, because it required an explanation that would rob him of his borrowed feathers, and give the praise where it was due.  But Lizzy, this must go no farther than yourself, or Jane at most.

"You know pretty, well what has been done for the young people.  His debts are to be paid, amounting, I believe, to considerably more than one thousand pounds, another thousand in addition to her own settled upon her, and his commission purchased.  The reason why all this was to be done by him alone, was such as I have given above.  It was owing to him, to his reserve and want of proper consideration, that Mr Wickham's character has been misunderstood, and consequently that he had been received and noticed as he was.  Perhaps there was some truth in this; though I doubt whether his reserve can be answerable for the event.  But in spite of all these fine talking, my dear Lizzy, you may rest perfectly assured that your uncle would never have yielded, if we have not given credit for another interest in the affair.

"When all this was reserved on, he returned again to his friends who were still staying at Pemberly; but it was agreed that he should be in London once more when the wedding took place, and all money matters were then to receive the last finish.

"I believe I have now told you every thing.  It is a relation which you tell me is to give you great surprise; I hope at least it will not afford you any displeasure.  Lydia came to us; and Wickham had constant admission to the house.  He  was exactly what he had been, when I knew him at Hertfordshire; but I would not tell you how little I was satisfied with her behaviour while she stayed with us, if I had not perceived, by Jane's letter last Wednesday, that her conduct on coming home was exactly a piece with it, and therefore what I now tell you can give you no fresh pain.  I talked to her repeatedly in the most serious manner, representing to her all the wickedness of what she had done, and all the unhappiness she had brought on her family.  If she heard me, it was by good luck, but I am sure she did not listen.  I was sometimes quite provoked, but then I recollected my dear Elizabeth and Jane, and for their sake had patience with her.

"Mr Darcy was punctual in his return, and as Lydia informed you, attended the wedding.  He dined with us the next day, and was to leave town again on Wednesday or Thursday.  Will you be angry with me, my dear Lizzy, if I take this opportunity of saying (what I was never bold enough to say before) how much I like him.  His behaviour to us has, in every respect, been as pleasing as when we were in Derbyshire.  His understanding and opinions all please me, he wants nothing but a little more liveliness, and that, if he marry prudently, his wife may teach him.  I thought him very sly - he hardly ever mentioned your name.

"Pray forgive me if I have been very presuming, or at least do not punish me from P.  I shall never be quite happy till I have been all round the park.  A low phaeton, with a nice little pair of ponies would be the very thing.

"But I must write no more.  The children have been wanting me the half hour.

"Yours very sincerely, 

"M. Gardiner."

The letter threw Elizabeth into a flutter of pleasure or pain, which it was difficult to determine.  The unsettled suspicions have settled.  What might Darcy have been doing to forward her sister's match proved to be goodness; the obligation it created brought pain.  He had done all this not for Liddy; but for her.  Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her.  But it was a hope shortly checked by other considerations.  And he did this for a woman who had already refused him!  He was able to overcome a sentiment so natural as abhorrence against the relationship with Wickham.  Brother-in-law of Wickham!  Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection.  Now her family is under an obligation to a person who could never receive a return.  She read over her aunt's commendation of him again and again.  It was hardly enough; but it pleased her.

She was roused from her seat, and her reflections, by someone's approach; and before she could strike into another path, she was overtaken by Wickham.

"I am afraid I interrupt your solitary ramble, my dear sister?" said he, as he joined her.

"You certainly do," she replied with a smile, "but it does not follow that the interruption must be unwelcome."

"I should be sorry indeed, if it were.  We were always good friends; and now we are better." 

"True.  Are the others coming out?"

"I do not know.  Mrs Bennet and Lydia are going in the carriage to Meryton.  And so, my dear sister, I find from our uncle and aunt, that you have actually seen Pemberly."

She replied in the affirmative.

"I almost envy you the pleasure, and yet I believe it would be too much for me, or else I could take it in my way to Newcastle.  And you saw the old housekeeper, poor Reynolds, she was always very fond of me.  But of course she did not mention my name to you."

"Yes, she did."

"And what did she say?"

"That you were gone into the army, and she was afraid had -- not turned out well.  At such a distance as that, you know, things are strangely misrepresented."

"Certainly," he replied biting his lips.  Elizabeth hoped she has silenced him; but he soon afterwards said:

"I was surprised to see Darcy in town last month.  We passed each other several times.  I wonder what he can be doing there."

"Perhaps preparing for his marriage with Miss de Bourgh," said Elizabeth.  "It must be something particular, to take him there at this time of the year."

"Undoubtedly.  Did you see him while you were at Lambton?  I thought I understood from the Gardiners that you had."

"Yes; he introduced us to his sister." 

"And do you like her?"

"Very much."

"I have heard, indeed, that she is uncommonly improved within this year or two.  When I last saw her, she was not very promising.  I am very glad you liked her.  I hope she will turn out well."

"I dare say she will, she has got over the most trying age."

"Did you go by the village of Kympton?"

"I do not recollect that we did."

"I mention it, because it is the living which I ought to have had.  A most delightful place!  Excellent Parsonage House! It would have suited me in every respect."

"How should you have liked making sermons?"

"Exceedingly well.  I should have considered it as part of my duty, and the exertion would soon have been nothing.  One ought not to repine; but to be sure it would have been such a thing for me.  The quiet, the retirement of such a life would have answered all my ideas of happiness.  But it was not to be.  Did you ever hear Darcy mention the circumstance, when you were in Kent?"

"I have heard from authority, which I thought so good, that it was left to you conditionally only, and at the will of the present patron."

"You have.  Yes, there was something in that.  I told you so from the first, you may remember."

"I did hear, too, that there was a time, when sermon-making was not palatable to you as it seems to be at present; that you actually declared your resolution of never taking orders, and that the business had been compromised accordingly."

"You did, and it was not wholly without foundation.  You may remember what I told you on that point, when first we talked of it."

They were now almost at the door of the house, for she had walked fast to get rid of him, and unwilling for her sister's sake, to provoke him, she only said in reply, with a good-humoured smile:

"Come, Mr Wickham, we are brother and sister, you know.  Do not let us quarrel about the past.  In future we shall be always of one mind."

She held out her hand, he kissed it with affectionate gallantry, though he hardly knew how to look, and they entered the house.

THE END