{{prxprp263.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 263 ||

now, she will never deserve to be happy! What a meeting for

her, when she first sees my aunt!'

'We must endeavour to forget all that has passed on either

side,' said Jane: 'I hope and trust they will yet be happy. His

consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that he is come

to a right way of thinking. Their mutual affection will steady

them; and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly, and live in

so rational a manner, as may in time make their past imprudence

forgotten.'

'Their conduct has been such,' replied Elizabeth, 'as neither

you, nor I, nor anybody can ever forget. It is useless to talk of it.'

It now occurred to the girls that their mother was in all likeli-

hood perfectly ignorant of what had happened. They went to

the library, therefore, and asked their father, whether he would

not wish them to make it known to her. He was writing, and,

without raising his head, coolly replied,

'Just as you please.'

'May we take my uncle's letter to read to her 5*

'Take whatever you like, and get away.'

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 fidgetty 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.

'My dear, dear Lydia!' she cried: 'this is delightful indeed!

-- She will be married! -- I shall see her again! -- She will be

married at sixteen! -- My good, kind brother! -- I knew how it

would be -- I knew he would manage every thing. How I long

to see her! and to see dear Wickham too! But the clothes, the

wedding clothes! I will write to my sister Gardiner about them

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