Chapter 162.docx
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Chapter 162.docx
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Chapter162
Chapter16
Asnoobjectionwasmadetotheyoungpeople'sengagementwiththeiraunt,andallMr.Collins'sscruplesofleavingMr.andMrs.Bennetforasingleeveningduringhisvisitweremoststeadilyresisted,thecoachconveyedhimandhisfivecousinsatasuitablehourtoMeryton;andthegirlshadthepleasureofhearing,astheyenteredthedrawing-room,thatMr.Wickhamhadacceptedtheiruncle'sinvitation,andwastheninthehouse.
Whenthisinformationwasgiven,andtheyhadalltakentheirseats,Mr.Collinswasatleisuretolookaroundhimandadmire,andhewassomuchstruckwiththesizeandfurnitureoftheapartment,thathedeclaredhemightalmosthavesupposedhimselfinthesmallsummerbreakfastparlouratRosings;acomparisonthatdidnotatfirstconveymuchgratification;butwhenMrs.philipsunderstoodfromhimwhatRosingswas,andwhowasitsproprietor,whenshehadlistenedtothedescriptionofonlyoneofLadyCatherine'sdrawing-rooms,andfoundthatthechimney-piecealonehadcosteighthundredpounds,shefeltalltheforceofthecompliment,andwouldhardlyhaveresentedacomparisonwiththehousekeeper'sroom.
IndescribingtoherallthegrandeurofLadyCatherineandhermansion,withoccasionaldigressionsinpraiseofhisownhumbleabodeandtheimprovementsitwasreceiving,hewashappilyemployeduntilthegentlemenjoinedthem;andhefoundinMrs.philipsaveryattentivelistener,whoseopinionofhisconsequenceincreasedwithwhatsheheard,andwhowasresolvingtoretailitallamongherneighboursassoonasshecould.Tothegirls,whocouldnotlistentotheircousin,andwhohadnothingtodobuttowishforaninstrument,andexaminetheirownindifferentimitationsofchinaonthemantlepiece,theintervalofwaitingappearedverylong.Itwasoveratlast,however.Thegentlemendidapproach;andwhenMr.Wickhamwalkedintotheroom,Elizabethfeltthatshehadneitherbeenseeinghimbefore,northinkingofhimsince,withthesmallestdegreeofunreasonableadmiration.Theofficersofthe-----shirewereingeneralaverycreditable,gentlemanlikeset,andthebestofthemwereofthepresentparty;butMr.Wickhamwasasfarbeyondthemallinperson,countenance,air,andwalk,astheyweresuperiortothebroad-facedstuffyunclephilips,breathingportwine,whofollowedthemintotheroom.
Mr.Wickhamwasthehappymantowardswhomalmosteveryfemaleeyewasturned,andElizabethwasthehappywomanbywhomhefinallyseatedhimself;andtheagreeablemannerinwhichheimmediatelyfellintoconversation,thoughitwasonlyonitsbeingawetnight,andontheprobabilityofarainyseason,madeherfeelthatthecommonest,dullest,mostthreadbaretopicmightberenderedinterestingbytheskillofthespeaker.
Withsuchrivalsforthenoticeofthefair,asMr.Wickhamandtheofficers,Mr.Collinsseemedlikelytosinkintoinsignificance;totheyoungladieshecertainlywasnothing;buthehadstillatintervalsakindlistenerinMrs.philips,andwas,byherwatchfulness,mostabundantlysuppliedwithcoffeeandmuffin.
Whenthecardtableswereplaced,hehadanopportunityofobligingherinreturn,bysittingdowntowhist.
"Iknowlittleofthegame,atpresent,"saidhe,"butIshallbegladtoimprovemyself,forinmysituationoflife--"Mrs.philipswasverythankfulforhiscompliance,butcouldnotwaitforhisreason.
Mr.Wickhamdidnotplayatwhist,andwithreadydelightwashereceivedattheothertablebetweenElizabethandLydia.AtfirstthereseemeddangerofLydia'sengrossinghimentirelyforshewasamostdeterminedtalker;butbeinglikewiseextremelyfondoflotterytickets,shesoongrewtoomuchinterestedinthegame,tooeagerinmakingbetsandexclaimingafterprizes,tohaveattentionforanyoneinparticular.Allowingforthecommondemandsofthegame,Mr.WickhamwasthereforeatleisuretotalktoElizabeth,andshewasverywillingtohearhim,thoughwhatshechieflywishedtohearshecouldnothopetobetold,thehistoryofhisacquaintancewithMr.Darcy.Shedarednotevenmentionthatgentleman.Hercuriosityhoweverwasunexpectedlyrelieved.Mr.Wickhambeganthesubjecthimself.HeinquiredhowfarNetherfieldwasfromMeryton;and,afterreceivingheranswer,askedinanhesitatingmannerhowlongMr.Darcyhadbeenstayingthere.
"Aboutamonth,"saidElizabeth;andthen,unwillingtoletthesubjectdrop,added,"HeisamanofverylargepropertyinDerbyshire,Iunderstand."
"Yes,"repliedWickham;--"hisestatethereisanobleone.Acleartenthousandperannum.Youcouldnothavemetwithapersonmorecapableofgivingyoucertaininformationonthatheadthanmyself--forIhavebeenconnectedwithhisfamilyinaparticularmannerfrommyinfancy."
Elizabethcouldnotbutlooksurprised.
"Youmaywellbesurprised,MissBennet,atsuchanassertion,afterseeing,asyouprobablymight,theverycoldmannerofourmeetingyesterday.--AreyoumuchacquaintedwithMr.Darcy?
"
"AsmuchasIeverwishtobe,"criedElizabethwarmly,--"Ihavespentfourdaysinthesamehousewithhim,andIthinkhimverydisagreeable."
"Ihavenorighttogivemyopinion,"saidWickham,"astohisbeingagreeableorotherwise.Iamnotqualifiedtoformone.Ihaveknownhimtoolongandtowelltobeafairjudge.Itisimpossibleformetobeimpartial.ButIbelieveyouropinionofhimwouldingeneralastonish--andperhapsyouwouldnotexpressitquitesostronglyanywhereelse.--Hereyouareinyourownfamily."
"UponmywordIsaynomoreherethanImightsayinanyhouseintheneighbourhood,exceptNetherfield.HeisnotatalllikedinHertfordshire.Everybodyisdisgustedwithhispride.Youwillnotfindhimmorefavourablyspokenofbyanyone."
"Icannotpretendtobesorry,"saidWickham,afterashortinterruption,"thatheorthatanymanshouldnotbeestimatedbeyondtheirdeserts;butwithhimIbelieveitdoesnotoftenhappen.Theworldisblindedbyhisfortuneandconsequence,orfrightenedbyhishighandimposingmanners,andseeshimonlyashechusestobeseen."
"Ishouldtakehim,evenonmyslightacquaintance,tobeanill-temperedman."Wickhamonlyshookhishead.
"Iwonder,"saidhe,atthenextopportunityofspeaking,"whetherheislikelytobeinthiscountrymuchlonger."
"Idonotatallknow;butIheardnothingofhisgoingawaywhenIwasatNetherfield.Ihopeyourplansinfavourofthe----shirewillnotbeaffectedbyhisbeingintheneighbourhood."
"Oh!
no--itisnotformetobedrivenawaybyMr.Darcy.Ifhewishestoavoidseeingme,hemustgo.Wearenotonfriendlyterms,anditalwaysgivesmepaintomeethim,butIhavenoreasonforavoidinghimbutwhatImightproclaimtoalltheworld;asenseofverygreatill-usage,andmostpainfulregretsathisbeingwhatheis.Hisfather,MissBennet,thelateMr.Darcy,wasoneofthebestmenthateverbreathed,andthetruestfriendIeverhad;andIcanneverbeincompanywiththisMr.Darcywithoutbeinggrievedtothesoulbyathousandtenderrecollections.Hisbehaviourtomyselfhasbeenscandalous;butIverilybelieveIcouldforgivehimanythingandeverything,ratherthanhisdisappointingthehopesanddisgracingthememoryofhisfather."
Elizabethfoundtheinterestofthesubjectincrease,andlistenedwithallherheart;butthedelicacyofitpreventedfartherinquiry.
Mr.Wickhambegantospeakonmoregeneraltopics,Meryton,theneighbourhood,thesociety,appearinghighlypleasedwithallthathehadyetseen,andspeakingofthelatterespecially,withgentlebutveryintelligiblegallantry.
"Itwastheprospectofconstantsociety,andgoodsociety,"headded,"whichwasmychiefinducementtoenterthe----shire.Iknewittobeamostrespectable,agreeablecorps,andmyfriendDennytemptedmefartherbyhisaccountoftheirpresentquarters,andtheverygreatattentionsandexcellentacquaintanceMerytonhadprocuredthem.Society,Iown,isnecessarytome.Ihavebeenadisappointedman,andmyspiritswillnotbearsolitude.Imusthaveemploymentandsociety.AmilitarylifeisnotwhatIwasintendedfor,butcircumstanceshavenowmadeiteligible.Thechurchoughttohavebeenmyprofession--Iwasbroughtupforthechurch,andIshouldatthistimehavebeeninpossessionofamostvaluableliving,haditpleasedthegentlemanwewerespeakingofjustnow."
"Indeed!
"
"Yes--thelateMr.Darcybequeathedmethenextpresentationofthebestlivinginhisgift.Hewasmygodfather,andexcessivelyattachedtome.Icannotdojusticetohiskindness.Hemeanttoprovideformeamply,andthoughthehaddoneit;butwhenthelivingfell,itwasgivenelsewhere."
"Goodheavens!
"criedElizabeth;"buthowcouldthatbe?
--Howcouldhiswillbedisregarded?
--Whydidnotyouseeklegalredress?
"
"Therewasjustsuchaninformalityinthetermsofthebequestastogivemenohopefromlaw.Amanofhonourcouldnothavedoubtedtheintention,butMr.Darcychosetodoubtit--ortotreatitasamerelyconditionalrecommendation,andtoassertthatIhadforfeitedallclaimtoitbyextravagance,imprudence,inshortanythingornothing.Certainitis,thatthelivingbecamevacanttwoyearsago,exactlyasIwasofanagetoholdit,andthatitwasgiventoanotherman;andnolesscertainisit,thatIcannotaccusemyselfofhavingreallydoneanythingtodeservetoloseit.Ihaveawarm,unguardedtemper,andImayperhapshavesometimesspokenmyopinionofhim,andtohim,toofreely.Icanrecallnothingworse.Butthefactis,thatweareverydifferentsortofmen,andthathehatesme."
"Thisisquiteshocking!
--He
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