Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got
rid of her two most deserving daughters. With what delighted pride she
afterwards visited Mrs. Bingley, and talked of Mrs. Darcy, may be guessed.
I wish I could say, for the sake of her family, that the accomplishment of
her earnest desire in the establishment of so many of her children
produced so happy an effect as to make her a sensible, amiable,
well-informed woman for the rest of her life; though perhaps it was lucky
for her husband, who might not have relished domestic felicity in so
unusual a form, that she still was occasionally nervous and invariably
silly.🔗
Mr. Bennet missed his second daughter exceedingly; his affection for her
drew him oftener from home than anything else could do. He delighted in
going to Pemberley, especially when he was least expected.🔗
Mr. Bingley and Jane remained at Netherfield only a twelvemonth. So near a
vicinity to her mother and Meryton relations was not desirable even to his
easy temper, or her affectionate heart. The darling wish of his
sisters was then gratified; he bought an estate in a neighbouring county
to Derbyshire, and Jane and Elizabeth, in addition to every other source
of happiness, were within thirty miles of each other.🔗
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 philosophy 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 as 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 hundred a year; but however, do not speak
to Mr. Darcy about it, if you had rather not.🔗
“Yours, etc.”🔗
As it happened that Elizabeth had much rather not, she endeavoured in her
answer to put an end to every entreaty and expectation of the kind. Such
relief, however, as it was in her power to afford, by the practice of
what might be called economy in her own private expences, she frequently
sent them. It had always been evident to her that such an income as
theirs, under the direction of two persons so extravagant in their wants,
and heedless of the future, must be very insufficient to their support;
and whenever they changed their quarters, either Jane or herself were
sure of being applied to for some little assistance towards discharging
their bills. Their manner of living, even when the restoration of peace
dismissed them to a home, was unsettled in the extreme. They were always
moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation, and always
spending more than they ought. His affection for her soon sunk into
indifference; hers lasted a little longer; and in spite of her youth and
her manners, she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage
had given her.🔗
Though Darcy could never receive him at Pemberley, yet, for
Elizabeth’s sake, he assisted him further in his profession. Lydia was
occasionally a visitor there, when her husband was gone to enjoy himself
in London or Bath; and with the Bingleys they both of them frequently
staid so long, that even Bingley’s good humour was overcome, and he
proceeded so far as to talk of giving them a hint to be gone.🔗
Miss Bingley was very deeply mortified by Darcy’s marriage; but as she
thought it advisable to retain the right of visiting at Pemberley, she
dropt all her resentment; was fonder than ever of Georgiana, almost as
attentive to Darcy as heretofore, and paid off every arrear of civility to
Elizabeth.🔗
Pemberley was now Georgiana’s home; and the attachment of the sisters was
exactly what Darcy had hoped to see. They were able to love each other
even as well as they intended. Georgiana had the highest opinion in the
world of Elizabeth; though at first she often listened with an
astonishment bordering on alarm at her lively, sportive, manner of talking
to her brother. He, who had always inspired in herself a respect which
almost overcame her affection, she now saw the object of open pleasantry.
Her mind received knowledge which had never before fallen in her way. By
Elizabeth’s instructions, she began to comprehend that a woman may take
liberties with her husband which a brother will not always allow in a
sister more than ten years younger than himself.🔗
Lady Catherine was extremely indignant on the marriage of her nephew; and
as she gave way to all the genuine frankness of her character in her reply
to the letter which announced its arrangement, she sent him language so
very abusive, especially of Elizabeth, that for some time all intercourse
was at an end. But at length, by Elizabeth’s persuasion, he was prevailed
on to overlook the offence, and seek a reconciliation; and, after a little
further resistance on the part of his aunt, her resentment gave way,
either to her affection for him, or her curiosity to see how his wife
conducted herself; and she condescended to wait on them at Pemberley, in
spite of that pollution which its woods had received, not merely from the
presence of such a mistress, but the visits of her uncle and aunt from the
city.🔗
With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as
well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of
the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into
Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them.🔗