{{prxprp026.jpg}} || 26 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

'But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, I am sure.

They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are not they''

'They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can

get them.*

'But if you have got them to-day,' said Elizabeth, 'my mother's

purpose will be answered.'

She did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that

the horses were engaged; Jane was therefore obliged to go on

horseback, and her mother attended her to the door with many

cheerful prognostics of a bad day. Her hopes were answered;

Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters

were uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain

continued the whole evening without intermission; Jane certainly

could not come back.

'This was a lucky idea of mine, indeed!' said Mrs. Bennet

more than once, as if the credit of making it rain were all her

own. -- Till the next morning, however, she was not aware of

all the felicity of her contrivance. Breakfast was scarcely over

when a servant from Netherfield brought the following note

for Elizabeth:

> 'My dearest Lizzy,

> 'I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is to be

> imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will

> not hear of my returning home till I am better. They insist also on

> my seeing Mr. Jones -- therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear

> of his having been to me -- and excepting a sorctbroat and headache

> there is not much the matter with me. -- Yours, etc.'

"Well, my dear,' said Mr. Bennet, when Elizabeth had read

the note aloud, 'if your daughter should have a dangerous fit of

illness, if she should die, it would be a comfort to know that

it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders.'

'Oh! I am not at all afraid of her dying. People do not die

of little trifling colds. She will be taken good care of. As long

as she stays there, it is all very well. I would go and see her if

I could have the carriage.'

Elizabeth, feeling really anxious, was determined to go to

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