第113章[第1頁/共6頁]

Her eldest daughter endeavoured to give some relief to the violence of these transports, by leading her thoughts to the obligations which Mr.Gardiner's behaviour laid them all under.

“For we must attribute this happy conclusion,”she added,“in a great measure to his kindness.We are persuaded that he has pledged himself to assist Mr.Wickham with money.”

She was then proceeding to all the particulars of calico,muslin, and cambric,and would shortly have dictated some very plentiful orders, had not Jane, though with some difficulty, persuaded her to wait till her father was at leisure to be consulted. One day's delay,she observed,would be of small importance;and her mother was too happy to be quite so obstinate as usual. Other schemes,too,came into her head.

Poor Lydia's situation must, at best, be bad enough; but that it was no worse,she had need to be thankful.She felt it so;and though,in looking forward,neither rational happiness nor worldly prosperity could be justly expected for her sister, in looking back to what they had feared,only two hours ago,she felt all the advantages of what they had gained.

Elizabeth took the letter from his writing-table, and they went upstairs together. Mary and Kitty were both with Mrs. Bennet:one communication would,therefore,do for all.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 hope of Lydia's being soon married,her joy burst forth,and every following sentence added to its exuberance.She was now in an irritation as violent from delight,as she had ever been fidgety from alarm and vexation.To know that her daughter would be married was enough.She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity,nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct.