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第112章（第1页）

TwodaysafterMr。Bennetsreturn，asJaneandElizabethwerewalkingtogetherintheshrubberybehindthehouse，theysawthehousekeepercomingtowardsthem，and，concludingthatshecametocallthemtotheirmother，wentforwardtomeether;but，insteadoftheexpectedsummons，whentheyapproachedher，shesaidtoMissBennet，“Ibegyourpardon，madam，forinterruptingyou，butIwasinhopesyoumighthavegotsomegoodnewsfromtown，soItookthelibertyofcomingtoask。”

“Whatdoyoumean，Hill?Wehaveheardnothingfromtown。”

“Dearmadam，”criedMrs。Hill，ingreatastonishment，“dontyouknowthereisanexpresscomeformasterfromMr。Gardiner?Hehasbeenherethishalf-hour，andmasterhashadaletter。”

Awayranthegirls，tooeagertogetintohavetimeforspeech。Theyranthroughthevestibuleintothebreakfast-room;fromthencetothelibrary;theirfatherwasinneither;andtheywereonthepointofseekinghimupstairswiththeirmother，whentheyweremetbythebutler，whosaid:

“Ifyouarelookingformymaster，maam，heiswalkingtowardsthelittlecopse。”

Uponthisinformation，theyinstantlypassedthroughthehalloncemore，andranacrossthelawnaftertheirfather，whowasdeliberatelypursuinghiswaytowardsasmallwoodononesideofthepaddock。

Jane，whowasnotsolightnorsomuchinthehabitofrunningasElizabeth，soonlaggedbehind，whilehersister，pantingforbreath，cameupwithhim，andeagerlycriedout:

“Oh，papa，whatnews—whatnews?Haveyouheardfrommyuncle?”

“YesIhavehadaletterfromhimbyexpress。”

“Well，andwhatnewsdoesitbring—goodorbad?”

“Whatisthereofgoodtobeexpected?”saidhe，takingtheletterfromhispocket。“Butperhapsyouwouldliketoreadit。”

Elizabethimpatientlycaughtitfromhishand。Janenowcameup。“Readitaloud，”saidtheirfather，“forIhardlyknowmyselfwhatitisabout。”

GracechurchStreet，Monday，August2。

“MydearBrother，

“AtlastIamabletosendyousometidingsofmyniece，andsuchas，uponthewhole，Ihopeitwillgiveyousatisfaction。SoonafteryouleftmeonSaturday，IwasfortunateenoughtofindoutinwhatpartofLondontheywere。TheparticularsIreservetillwemeet;itisenoughtoknowtheyarediscovered。Ihaveseenthemboth—”

“ThenitisasIalwayshoped，”criedJane;“theyaremarried!”

Elizabethreadon:

“Ihaveseenthemboth。Theyarenotmarried，norcanIfindtherewasanyintentionofbeingso;butifyouarewillingtoperformtheengagementswhichIhaveventuredtomakeonyourside，Ihopeitwillnotbelongbeforetheyare。Allthatisrequiredofyouis，toassuretoyourdaughter，bysettlement，herequalshareofthefivethousandpoundssecuredamongyourchildrenafterthedeceaseofyourselfandmysister;and，moreover，toenterintoanengagementofallowingher，duringyourlife，onehundredpoundsperannum。Theseareconditionswhich，consideringeverything，Ihadnohesitationincomplyingwith，asfarasIthoughtmyselfprivileged，foryou。Ishallsendthisbyexpress，thatnotimemaybelostinbringingmeyouranswer。Youwilleasilycomprehend，fromtheseparticulars，thatMr。Wickhamscircumstancesarenotsohopelessastheyaregenerallybelievedtobe。Theworldhasbeendeceivedinthatrespect;andIamhappytosaytherewillbesomelittlemoney，evenwhenallhisdebtsaredischarged，tosettleonmyniece，inadditiontoherownfortune。If，asIconcludewillbethecase，yousendmefullpowerstoactinyournamethroughoutthewholeofthisbusiness，IwillimmediatelygivedirectionstoHaggerstonforpreparingapropersettlement。Therewillnotbethesmallestoccasionforyourcomingtotownagain;thereforestayquietatLongbourn，anddependonmydiligenceandcare。Sendbackyouranswerasfastasyoucan，andbecarefultowriteexplicitly。Wehavejudgeditbestthatmynieceshouldbemarriedfromthishouse，ofwhichIhopeyouwillapprove。Shecomestousto-day。Ishallwriteagainassoonasanythingmoreisdeterminedon。Yours，etc。，

“EDW。GARDINER。”

“Isitpossible?”criedElizabeth，whenshehadfinished。“Canitbepossiblethathewillmarryher?”

“Wickhamisnotsoundeserving，then，aswethoughthim，”saidhersister。“Mydearfather，Icongratulateyou。”

“Andhaveyouansweredtheletter?”criedElizabeth。

“No;butitmustbedonesoon。”

Mostearnestlydidshethenentreatyhimtolosenomoretimebeforehewrote。

“Oh!mydearfather，”shecried，“comebackandwriteimmediately。Considerhowimportanteverymomentisinsuchacase。”

“Letmewriteforyou，”saidJane，“ifyoudislikethetroubleyourself。”

“Idislikeitverymuch，”hereplied;“butitmustbedone。”

Andsosaying，heturnedbackwiththem，andwalkedtowardsthehouse。

“AndmayIask—”saidElizabeth;“buttheterms，Isuppose，mustbecompliedwith。”

“Compliedwith!Iamonlyashamedofhisaskingsolittle。”

“Andtheymustmarry!Yetheissuchaman!”

“Yes，yes，theymustmarry。Thereisnothingelsetobedone。ButtherearetwothingsthatIwantverymuchtoknow;oneis，howmuchmoneyyourunclehaslaiddowntobringitabout;andtheother，howamIevertopayhim。”

“Money!Myuncle!”criedJane，“whatdoyoumean，sir?”

“Imean，thatnomaninhispropersenseswouldmarryLydiaonsoslightatemptationasonehundredayearduringmylife，andfiftyafterIamgone。”

“Thatisverytrue，”saidElizabeth;“thoughithadnotoccurredtomebefore。Hisdebtstobedischarged，andsomethingstilltoremain!Oh!itmustbemyunclesdoings!Generous，goodman，Iamafraidhehasdistressedhimself。Asmallsumcouldnotdoallthis。”

“No，”saidherfather;“Wickhamsafoolifhetakesherwithafarthinglessthantenthousandpounds。Ishouldbesorrytothinksoillofhim，intheverybeginningofourrelationship。”

“Tenthousandpounds!Heavenforbid!Howishalfsuchasumtoberepaid?”