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Chapter XXVII

With no greater events than these in the Longbourn

family, and otherwise diversified by little beyond

the walks to Meryton, sometimes dirty and some-

times cold, did January and February pass away. March

was to take Elizabeth to Hunsford. She had not at first

thought very seriously of going thither; but Charlotte, she

soon found, was depending on the plan, and she gradually

learned to consider it herself with greater pleasure as well

as greater certainty. Absence had increased her desire of

seeing Charlotte again, and weakened her disgust of Mr.

Collins. There was novelty in the scheme; and as, with

such a mother and such uncompanionable sisters, home

could not be faultless, a little change was not unwelcome

for its own sake. The journey would, moreover, give her a

peep at Jane; and, in short, as the time drew near, she

would have been very sorry for any delay. Everything,

however, went on smoothly, and was finally settled accord-

ing to Charlotte's first sketch. She was to accompany Sir

William and his second daughter. The improvement of

spending a night in London was added in time, and the plan

became perfect as plan could be.

The only pain was in leaving her father, who would

certainly miss her, and who, when it came to the point, so

little liked her going, that he told her to write to him, and

almost promised to answer her letter.

The farewell between herself and Mr. Wickham was

perfectly friendly; on his side even more. His present

pursuit could not make him forget that Elizabeth had been

the first to excite and to deserve his attention, the first to

listen and to pity, the first to be admired; and in his manner

of bidding her adieu, wishing her every enjoyment, remind-

ing her of what she was to expect in Lady Catherine de

Bourgh, and trusting their opinion of her -- their opinion

of everybody -- would always coincide, there was a solicitude,

an interest, which she felt must ever attach her to him

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