{{prxprp335.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 335 ||

Kitty, to her very material advantage, spent the chief of her

time with her two elder sisters. In society so superior to what

she had generally known, her improvement was great. She was

not of so ungovernable a temper as Lydia, and, removed from

the influence of Lydia's example, she became, by proper attention

and management, less irritable, less ignorant, and less insipid.

From the further disadvantage of Lydia's society she was of course

carefully kept, and though Mrs. Wickham frequently invited her

to come and stay with her, with the promise of balls and young

men, her father would never consent to her going.

Mary was the only daughter who remained at home; and she

was necessarily drawn from the pursuit of accomplishments by

Mrs. Bennet's being quite unable to sit alone. Mary was obliged

to mix more with the world, but she could still moralize over

every morning visit; and as she was no longer mortified by

comparisons between her sisters' beauty and her own, it was

suspected by her father that she submitted to the change without

much reluctance.

As for Wickham and Lydia, their characters suffered no

revolution from the marriage of her sisters. He bore with philo-*

sophy the conviction that Elizabeth must now become acquainted

with whatever of his ingratitude and falsehood had before been

unknown to her; and, in spite of every thing, was not wholly

without hope that Darcy might yet be prevailed on to make his

fortune. The congratulatory letter which Elizabeth received from

Lydia on her marriage, explained to her that, by his wife at least,

if not by himself, such a hope was cherished. The letter was

to this effect:

'My dear Lizzy,

'I wish you joy. If you love Mr. Darcy half so well as I do my dear

"Wickham, you must be very happy. It is a great comfort to have you

so rich, and when you have nothing else to do, I hope you will think

of us. I am sure Wickham would like a place at court very much,

and I do not think we shall have quite money enough to live upon

without some help. Any place would do, of about three or four hun^

dred a year; but, however, do not speak to Mr. Darcy about it, if you

had rather not. -- Your's, etc'

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