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第113章（第1页）

Mr。Bennetmadenoanswer，andeachofthem，deepinthought，continuedsilenttilltheyreachedthehouse。Theirfatherthenwentontothelibrarytowrite，andthegirlswalkedintothebreakfast-room。

“Andtheyarereallytobemarried!”criedElizabeth，assoonastheywerebythemselves。“Howstrangethisis!Andforthiswearetobethankful。Thattheyshouldmarry，smallasistheirchanceofhappiness，andwretchedasishischaracter，weareforcedtorejoice。Oh，Lydia!”

“Icomfortmyselfwiththinking，”repliedJane，“thathecertainlywouldnotmarryLydiaifhehadnotarealregardforher。Thoughourkindunclehasdonesomethingtowardsclearinghim，Icannotbelievethattenthousandpounds，oranythinglikeit，hasbeenadvanced。Hehaschildrenofhisown，andmayhavemore。Howcouldhesparehalftenthousandpounds?”

“IfwewereeverabletolearnwhatWickhamsdebtshavebeen，”saidElizabeth，“andhowmuchissettledonhissideonoursister，weshallexactlyknowwhatMr。Gardinerhasdoneforthem，becauseWickhamhasnotsixpenceofhisown。Thekindnessofmyuncleandauntcanneverberequited。Theirtakingherhome，andaffordinghertheirpersonalprotectionandcountenance，issuchasacrificetoheradvantageasyearsofgratitudecannotenoughacknowledge。Bythistimesheisactuallywiththem!Ifsuchgoodnessdoesnotmakehermiserablenow，shewillneverdeservetobehappy!Whatameetingforher，whenshefirstseesmyaunt!”

“Wemustendeavourtoforgetallthathaspassedoneitherside，”saidJane:“Ihopeandtrusttheywillyetbehappy。Hisconsentingtomarryherisaproof，Iwillbelieve，thatheiscometoarightwayofthinking。Theirmutualaffectionwillsteadythem;andIflattermyselftheywillsettlesoquietly，andliveinsorationalamanner，asmayintimemaketheirpastimprudenceforgotten。”

“Theirconducthasbeensuch，”repliedElizabeth，“asneitheryou，norI，noranybodycaneverforget。Itisuselesstotalkofit。”

Itnowoccurredtothegirlsthattheirmotherwasinalllikelihoodperfectlyignorantofwhathadhappened。Theywenttothelibrary，therefore，andaskedtheirfatherwhetherhewouldnotwishthemtomakeitknowntoher。Hewaswritingand，withoutraisinghishead，coollyreplied:

“Justasyouplease。”

“Maywetakemyuncleslettertoreadtoher?”

“Takewhateveryoulike，andgetaway。”

Elizabethtooktheletterfromhiswriting-table，andtheywentupstairstogether。MaryandKittywerebothwithMrs。Bennet:onecommunicationwould，therefore，doforall。Afteraslightpreparationforgoodnews，theletterwasreadaloud。Mrs。Bennetcouldhardlycontainherself。AssoonasJanehadreadMr。GardinershopeofLydiasbeingsoonmarried，herjoyburstforth，andeveryfollowingsentenceaddedtoitsexuberance。Shewasnowinanirritationasviolentfromdelight，asshehadeverbeenfidgetyfromalarmandvexation。Toknowthatherdaughterwouldbemarriedwasenough。Shewasdisturbedbynofearforherfelicity，norhumbledbyanyremembranceofhermisconduct。

“Mydear，dearLydia!”shecried。“Thisisdelightfulindeed!Shewillbemarried!Ishallseeheragain!Shewillbemarriedatsixteen!Mygood，kindbrother!Iknewhowitwouldbe。Iknewhewouldmanageeverything!HowIlongtoseeher!andtoseedearWickhamtoo!Buttheclothes，theweddingclothes!IwillwritetomysisterGardineraboutthemdirectly。Lizzy，mydear，rundowntoyourfather，andaskhimhowmuchhewillgiveher。Stay，stay，Iwillgomyself。Ringthebell，Kitty，forHill。Iwillputonmythingsinamoment。Mydear，dearLydia!Howmerryweshallbetogetherwhenwemeet!”

Hereldestdaughterendeavouredtogivesomerelieftotheviolenceofthesetransports，byleadingherthoughtstotheobligationswhichMr。Gardinersbehaviourlaidthemallunder。

“Forwemustattributethishappyconclusion，”sheadded，“inagreatmeasuretohiskindness。WearepersuadedthathehaspledgedhimselftoassistMr。Wickhamwithmoney。”

“Well，”criedhermother，“itisallveryright;whoshoulddoitbutherownuncle?Ifhehadnothadafamilyofhisown，Iandmychildrenmusthavehadallhismoney，youknow;anditisthefirsttimewehaveeverhadanythingfromhim，exceptafewpresents。Well!Iamsohappy!InashorttimeIshallhaveadaughtermarried。Mrs。Wickham!Howwellitsounds!AndshewasonlysixteenlastJune。MydearJane，Iaminsuchaflutter，thatIamsureIcantwrite;soIwilldictate，andyouwriteforme。Wewillsettlewithyourfatheraboutthemoneyafterwards;butthethingsshouldbeorderedimmediately。”

Shewasthenproceedingtoalltheparticularsofcalico，muslin，andcambric，andwouldshortlyhavedictatedsomeveryplentifulorders，hadnotJane，thoughwithsomedifficulty，persuadedhertowaittillherfatherwasatleisuretobeconsulted。Onedaysdelay，sheobserved，wouldbeofsmallimportance;andhermotherwastoohappytobequitesoobstinateasusual。Otherschemes，too，cameintoherhead。

“IwillgotoMeryton，”saidshe，“assoonasIamdressed，andtellthegood，goodnewstomysisterPhilips。AndasIcomeback，IcancallonLadyLucasandMrs。Long。Kitty，rundownandorderthecarriage。Anairingwoulddomeagreatdealofgood，Iamsure。Girls，canIdoanythingforyouinMeryton?Oh!HerecomesHill!MydearHill，haveyouheardthegoodnews?MissLydiaisgoingtobemarried;andyoushallallhaveabowlofpunchtomakemerryatherwedding。”

Mrs。Hillbeganinstantlytoexpressherjoy。Elizabethreceivedhercongratulationsamongsttherest，andthen，sickofthisfolly，tookrefugeinherownroom，thatshemightthinkwithfreedom。

PoorLydiassituationmust，atbest，bebadenough;butthatitwasnoworse，shehadneedtobethankful。Shefeltitso;andthough，inlookingforward，neitherrationalhappinessnorworldlyprosperitycouldbejustlyexpectedforhersister，inlookingbacktowhattheyhadfeared，onlytwohoursago，shefeltalltheadvantagesofwhattheyhadgained。