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Two days after Mr. Bennet’s return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them. She said to Miss Bennet, “I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you, but there is a letter for you from Mr. Gardiner.”
The girls ran away. They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast-room; from thence to the library:
“Oh, papa, what news – what news? Have you heard from my uncle?”
“Yes I have had a letter from him.”
“Well, and what news does it bring – good or bad?”
“Read it aloud,” said their father and gave them a letter.
“Gracechurch Street, Monday, August 2.
“MY DEAR BROTHER,
“At last I have seen them both – ”
“Then it is as I always hoped,” cried Jane; “they are married!”
Elizabeth read on:
“I have seen them both. They are not married; but if you are willing to perform the engagements, I hope it will not be long before they are. Mr. Wickham’s circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be. I am happy to say there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle on my niece, in addition to her own fortune. Yours, Edw. Gardiner.”
“Is it possible?” cried Elizabeth, when she had finished. “Can it be possible that he will marry her?”
“Wickham is not so bad, then, as we thought him,” said her sister. “My dear father, I congratulate you.”
“And have you answered the letter?” cried Elizabeth.
“No; but it must be done soon.”
“Oh! my dear father,” she cried, “come back and write immediately.”
“Let me write for you,” said Jane, “if you dislike the trouble yourself.”
“I dislike it very much,” he replied; “but it must be done.”
“And they must marry!”
“Yes, yes, they must marry. There is nothing else to be done. But there are two things that I want very much to know; one is, how much money your uncle promised him; and the other, how will I give it back to him.”
“Money! My uncle!” cried Jane, “what do you mean, sir?”
“I mean, that no Wickham would marry poor Lydia.”
“That is true,” said Elizabeth; “though it had not occurred to me before. His debts to be discharged, and something still to remain! Oh! it must be my uncle’s doings! Generous, good man! A small sum could not do all this.”
“No,” said her father; “Wickham’s a fool if he takes less than ten thousand pounds.”
“Ten thousand pounds! How is such a sum to be repaid?”
Mr. Bennet made no answer, and each of them continued silent till they reached the house. Their father then went on to the library to write, and the girls walked into the breakfast-room.
“And they are really to be married!” cried Elizabeth. “How strange this is! Oh, Lydia!”
Elizabeth took the letter, and they went up stairs together. Mary and Kitty were both with Mrs. Bennet. After a slight preparation for good news, the letter was read aloud. Mrs. Bennet could hardly contain herself. As soon as Jane had read Mr. Gardiner’s letter, her joy burst forth. To know that her daughter would be married was enough.
“My dear, dear Lydia!” she cried. “This is delightful indeed! She will be married! I shall see her again! She will be married at sixteen! My good, kind brother! I knew he would manage everything! But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I will write to my sister about them directly. Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. Stay, stay, I will go myself. Ring the bell, Kitty. My dear, dear Lydia! How merry we shall be together when we meet!”
Her eldest daughter reminded her about Mr. Gardiner’s help.
“Well,” cried her mother, “it is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? Well! I am so happy! In a short time I shall have a daughter married. Mrs. Wickham! How well it sounds! And she was only sixteen last June.”
Instead of spending his whole income, Mr. Bennet had laid by an annual sum for the better provision of his children, and of his wife, if she survived him. Now he wanted to discharge the obligation as soon as he could.
When first Mr. Bennet had married, economy was useless, for, of course, they hoped to have a son. Five daughters successively entered the world, but no arrived.
Mr. Bennet had never before supposed that, Wickham could marry his daughter.
The good news spread quickly through the house. It was a fortnight since Mrs. Bennet had been downstairs; but on this happy day she again took her seat at the head of her table. But Mrs. Bennet found, with amazement and horror, that her husband would not give a guinea to buy clothes for his daughter.
Elizabeth was now most heartily sorry that she had told Mr. Darcy about her sister. She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her.
Mr. Gardiner soon wrote again to his brother. The principal purport of his letter was to inform him that Mr. Wickham decided to quit the place and go to the North.
Mr. Bennet and his daughters saw all the advantages of Wickham’s removal. Jane and Elizabeth wanted to see the couple at Longbourn, as soon as they were married. And their mother was satisfied that she would be able to show her married daughter in the neighbourhood before she was banished to the North. When Mr. Bennet wrote again to his brother, therefore, he sent his permission for them to come; and it was settled, that as soon as the ceremony was over, they should proceed to Longbourn.
They came. The family were assembled in the breakfast room to receive them. Smiles decked the face of Mrs. Bennet as the carriage drove up to the door; her husband looked impenetrably grave; her daughters, alarmed, anxious, uneasy.
Lydia’s voice was heard in the vestibule; she ran into the room. Her mother stepped forwards, embraced her, and gave her hand, with an affectionate smile, to Wickham, who followed his lady; and wished them both joy and love.
Their reception from Mr. Bennet was not so cordial. He scarcely opened his lips. Elizabeth was disgusted, and even Miss Bennet was shocked. Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless. She turned from sister to sister, demanding their congratulations; and when they all sat down, looked eagerly round the room with a laugh.
The bride and her mother began to talk to each other. Wickham, who sat near Elizabeth, began inquiring after his acquaintance in that neighbourhood. They seemed each of them to have the happiest memories in the world. Nothing of the past was recollected with pain.
“Only think of three months,” cried Lydia, “since I went away; and yet so many things happened.”
Her father lifted up his eyes. Jane was distressed. Elizabeth looked expressively at Lydia; but she, who never heard nor saw anything, gaily continued, “Oh! mamma, do the people here know I am married today? I was afraid they might not.”
Elizabeth could not hear it longer. She got up, and ran out of the room. Lydia wanted to see Mrs. Phillips, the Lucases, and all their other neighbours; she went after dinner to show her ring.
“Well, mamma,” said she, when they were all returned to the breakfast room, “and what do you think of my husband? Is not he a charming man? I am sure my sisters must all envy me. They must all go to Brighton. That is the place to get husbands. What a pity it is, mamma, we did not all go.”
“Very true.”
“You and papa, and my sisters, must come and see us. We shall be at Newcastle all the winter, and I dare say there will be some balls, and I will take care to get good partners for them all.”
“I thank you,” said Elizabeth; “but I do not like your way of getting husbands.”
Lydia was exceedingly fond of her husband. He was her dear Wickham; he did everything best in the world; and she was sure he would kill more birds on the first of September, than anybody else in the country.
One morning, soon after their arrival, as she was sitting with her two elder sisters, she said to Elizabeth:
“Lizzy, I never told you about my wedding. Are you not curious to hear?”
“Not really,” replied Elizabeth.
“You are so strange! But I must tell you. We were married, you know, at St. Clement’s. Well, Monday morning came, and I was in such a hurry! I was so afraid, you know, that something would happen to put it off. And there was my aunt, all the time I was dressing. Well, I was so frightened I did not know what to do, for my uncle went away. But, luckily, he came back again in ten minutes, and then Mr. Darcy was in time.”
“Mr. Darcy!” repeated Elizabeth, in utter amazement.
“Oh, yes! – he came there with Wickham, you know. But gracious me! I quite forgot! I must not say a word about it. I promised them so faithfully! What will Wickham say? It is a secret!”
“If it is a secret,” said Jane, “You may trust us, we will tell nobody.”
“Oh! certainly,” said Elizabeth, though burning with curiosity; “we will ask you no questions.”
“Thank you,” said Lydia, “for if you did, I should certainly tell you all, and then Wickham would be angry.”
Elizabeth stood up and left. Mr. Darcy had been at her sister’s wedding! But why? She took a sheet of paper and wrote a short letter to her aunt, to request an explanation of what Lydia had said.
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