Chapter 25

by Jane Austen

　　After a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity,Mr. Collins was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrivalof Saturday. The pain of separation, however, might bealleviated on his side, by preparations for the reception of hisbride; as he had reason to hope, that shortly after his return intoHertfordshire, the day would be fixed that was to make him thehappiest of men. He took leave of his relations at Longbournwith as much solemnity as before; wished his fair cousins healthand happiness again, and promised their father another letter ofthanks.On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure ofreceiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spendthe Christmas at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible,gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister, as well bynature as education. The Netherfield ladies would have haddifficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and withinview of his own warehouses, could have been so well-bred andagreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger thanMrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips, was an amiable, intelligent,elegant woman, and a great favourite with all her Longbournnieces. Between the two eldest and herself especially, theresubsisted a particular regard. They had frequently been stayingwith her in town.The first part of Mrs. Gardiner's business on her arrival was todistribute her presents and describe the newest fashions. Whenthis was done she had a less active part to play. It became herturn to listen. Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, andmuch to complain of. They had all been very ill-used since shelast saw her sister. Two of her girls had been upon the point ofmarriage, and after all there was nothing in it."I do not blame Jane," she continued, "for Jane would have gotMr. Bingley if she could. But Lizzy! Oh, sister! It is very hardto think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time,had it not been for her own perverseness. He made her an offerin this very room, and she refused him. The consequence of it is,that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I have, andthat the Longbourn estate is just as much entailed as ever. TheLucases are very artful people indeed, sister. They are all forwhat they can get. I am sorry to say it of them, but so it is. Itmakes me very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted so in my ownfamily, and to have neighbours who think of themselves beforeanybody else. However, your coming just at this time is thegreatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you tell us,of long sleeves."Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the chief of this news had been givenbefore, in the course of Jane and Elizabeth's correspondencewith her, made her sister a slight answer, and, in compassion toher nieces, turned the conversation.When alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke more on thesubject. "It seems likely to have been a desirable match forJane," said she. "I am sorry it went off. But these things happenso often! A young man, such as you describe Mr. Bingley, soeasily falls in love with a pretty girl for a few weeks, and whenaccident separates them, so easily forgets her, that these sort ofinconsistencies are very frequent.""An excellent consolation in its way," said Elizabeth, "but it willnot do for us. We do not suffer by accident. It does not oftenhappen that the interference of friends will persuade a youngman of independent fortune to think no more of a girl whom hewas violently in love with only a few days before.""But that expression of 'violently in love' is so hackneyed, sodoubtful, so indefinite, that it gives me very little idea. It is asoften applied to feelings which arise from a half-hour'sacquaintance, as to a real, strong attachment. Pray, howviolent was Mr. Bingley's love?""I never saw a more promising inclination; he was growing quiteinattentive to other people, and wholly engrossed by her. Everytime they met, it was more decided and remarkable. At his ownball he offended two or three young ladies, by not asking themto dance; and I spoke to him twice myself, without receiving ananswer. Could there be finer symptoms? Is not general incivilitythe very essence of love?""Oh, yes! of that kind of love which I suppose him to have felt.Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition, shemay not get over it immediately. It had better have happened toyou, Lizzy; you would have laughed yourself out of it sooner.But do you think she would be prevailed upon to go back withus? Change of scene might be of service-- and perhaps a littlerelief from home may be as useful as anything."Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal, and feltpersuaded of her sister's ready acquiescence."I hope," added Mrs. Gardiner, "that no consideration withregard to this young man will influence her. We live in sodifferent a part of town, all our connections are so different, and,as you well know, we go out so little, that it is very improbablethat they should meet at all, unless he really comes to see her.""And that is quite impossible; for he is now in the custody ofhis friend, and Mr. Darcy would no more suffer him to call onJane in such a part of London! My dear aunt, how could youthink of it? Mr. Darcy may perhaps have heard of such aplace as Gracechurch Street, but he would hardly think amonth's ablution enough to cleanse him from its impurities, werehe once to enter it; and depend upon it, Mr. Bingley never stirswithout him.""So much the better. I hope they will not meet at all. But doesnot Jane correspond with his sister? She will not be able tohelp calling.""She will drop the acquaintance entirely."But in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected to placethis point, as well as the still more interesting one of Bingley'sbeing withheld from seeing Jane, she felt a solicitude on thesubject which convinced her, on examination, that she did notconsider it entirely hopeless. It was possible, and sometimes shethought it probable, that his affection might be reanimated, andthe influence of his friends successfully combated by the morenatural influence of Jane's attractions.Miss Bennet accepted her aunt's invitation with pleasure; andthe Bingleys were no otherwise in her thoughts at the same time,than as she hoped by Caroline's not living in the same housewith her brother, she might occasionally spend a morning withher, without any danger of seeing him.The Gardiners stayed a week at Longbourn; and what with thePhillipses, the Lucases, and the officers, there was not a daywithout its engagement. Mrs. Bennet had so carefully providedfor the entertainment of her brother and sister, that they did notonce sit down to a family dinner. When the engagement was forhome, some of the officers always made part of it-- of whichofficers Mr. Wickham was sure to be one; and on theseoccasion, Mrs. Gardiner, rendered suspicious by Elizabeth'swarm commendation, narrowly observed them both. Withoutsupposing them, from what she saw, to be very seriously in love,their preference of each other was plain enough to make her alittle uneasy; and she resolved to speak to Elizabeth on thesubject before she left Hertfordshire, and represent to her theimprudence of encouraging such an attachment.To Mrs. Gardiner, Wickham had one means of affordingpleasure, unconnected with his general powers. About ten or adozen years ago, before her marriage, she had spent aconsiderable time in that very part of Derbyshire to which hebelonged. They had, therefore, many acquaintances in common;and though Wickham had been little there since the death ofDarcy's father, it was yet in his power to give her fresherintelligence of her former friends than she had been in the way ofprocuring.Mrs. Gardiner had seen Pemberly, and known the late Mr. Darcyby character perfectly well. Here consequently was aninexhaustible subject of discourse. In comparing her recollectionof Pemberly with the minute description which Wickham couldgive, and in bestowing her tribute of praise on the character ofits late possessor, she was delighting both him and herself. Onbeing made acquainted with the present Mr. Darcy's treatmentof him, she tried to remember some of that gentleman's reputeddisposition when quite a lad which might agree with it, and wasconfident at last that she recollected having heard Mr.Fitzwilliam Darcy formerly spoken of as a very proud, ill-naturedboy.