Chapter 162.docx

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