Chapter 49

Two days after Mr. Bennet’s return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery
behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and, concluding that she came to call them to their
mother, went forward to meet her; but, instead of the expected summons, when they approached her, she said to Miss
Bennet, “I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town,
so I took the liberty of coming to ask.”

“What do you mean, Hill? We have heard nothing from town.”

“Dear madam,” cried Mrs. Hill, in great astonishment, “don’t you know there is an express come for master from Mr.
Gardiner? He has been here this half-hour, and master has had a letter.”

Away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech. They ran through the vestibule into the
breakfast-room; from thence to the library; their father was in neither; and they were on the point of seeking him
upstairs with their mother, when they were met by the butler, who said:

“If you are looking for my master, ma’am, he is walking towards the little copse.”

Upon this information, they instantly passed through the hall once more, and ran across the lawn after their father,
who was deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.

“Read it aloud,” said their father, “for I hardly know myself what it is about”
 

Jane, who was not so light nor so much in the habit of running as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister,
panting for breath, came up with him, and eagerly cried out:

“Oh, papa, what news — what news? Have you heard from my uncle?”

“Yes I have had a letter from him by express.”

“Well, and what news does it bring — good or bad?”

“What is there of good to be expected?” said he, taking the letter from his pocket. “But perhaps you would like to
read it.”

Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand. Jane now came up.

“Read it aloud,” said their father, “for I hardly know myself what it is about.”

“Gracechurch Street, Monday, August 2.

“My Dear Brother,

“At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope it will give you
satisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were.
The particulars I reserve till we meet; it is enough to know they are discovered. I have seen them both —”

“Then it is as I always hoped,” cried Jane; “they are married!”

Elizabeth read on:

“I have seen them both. They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you are
willing to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will not be long before they
are. All that is required of you is, to assure to your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of the five thousand
pounds secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister; and, moreover, to enter into an
engagement of allowing her, during your life, one hundred pounds per annum. These are conditions which, considering
everything, I had no hesitation in complying with, as far as I thought myself privileged, for you. I shall send this by
express, that no time may be lost in bringing me your answer. You will easily comprehend, from these particulars, that
Mr. Wickham’s circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be. The world has been deceived in that
respect; and I am happy to say there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle on my
niece, in addition to her own fortune. If, as I conclude will be the case, you send me full powers to act in your name
throughout the whole of this business, I will immediately give directions to Haggerston for preparing a proper
settlement. There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again; therefore stay quiet at Longbourn, and
depend on my diligence and care. Send back your answer as fast as you can, and be careful to write explicitly. We have
judged it best that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you will approve. She comes to us to-day.
I shall write again as soon as anything more is determined on. Yours, etc.,

“Edw. Gardiner.”

“Is it possible?” cried Elizabeth, when she had finished. “Can it be possible that he will marry her?”

“Wickham is not so undeserving, then, as we thought him,” said her sister. “My dear father, I congratulate you.”

“And have you answered the letter?” cried Elizabeth.

“No; but it must be done soon.”

Most earnestly did she then entreaty him to lose no more time before he wrote.

“Oh! my dear father,” she cried, “come back and write immediately. Consider how important every moment is in such a
case.”

“Let me write for you,” said Jane, “if you dislike the trouble yourself.”

“I dislike it very much,” he replied; “but it must be done.”

And so saying, he turned back with them, and walked towards the house.

“And may I ask —” said Elizabeth; “but the terms, I suppose, must be complied with.”

“Complied with! I am only ashamed of his asking so little.”

“And they must marry! Yet he is such a man!”

“Yes, yes, they must marry. There is nothing else to be done. But there are two things that I want very much to know;
one is, how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about; and the other, how am I ever to pay him.”

“Money! My uncle!” cried Jane, “what do you mean, sir?”

“I mean, that no man in his senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year during my life,
and fifty after I am gone.”

“That is very true,” said Elizabeth; “though it had not occurred to me before. His debts to be discharged, and
something still to remain! Oh! it must be my uncle’s doings! Generous, good man, I am afraid he has distressed himself. A
small sum could not do all this.”

“No,” said her father; “Wickham’s a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds. I should be
sorry to think so ill of him, in the very beginning of our relationship.”

“Ten thousand pounds! Heaven forbid! How is half such a sum to be repaid?”

Mr. Bennet made no answer, and each of them, deep in thought, continued silent till they reached the house. Their
father then went on to the library to write, and the girls walked into the breakfast-room.

“And they are really to be married!” cried Elizabeth, as soon as they were by themselves. “How strange this is! And
for this we are to be thankful. That they should marry, small as is their chance of happiness, and wretched as
is his character, we are forced to rejoice. Oh, Lydia!”

“I comfort myself with thinking,” replied Jane, “that he certainly would not marry Lydia if he had not a real regard
for her. Though our kind uncle has done something towards clearing him, I cannot believe that ten thousand pounds, or
anything like it, has been advanced. He has children of his own, and may have more. How could he spare half ten thousand
pounds?”

“If he were ever able to learn what Wickham’s debts have been,” said Elizabeth, “and how much is settled on his side
on our sister, we shall exactly know what Mr. Gardiner has done for them, because Wickham has not sixpence of his own.
The kindness of my uncle and aunt can never be requited. Their taking her home, and affording her their personal
protection and countenance, is such a sacrifice to her advantage as years of gratitude cannot enough acknowledge. By this
time she is actually with them! If such goodness does not make her miserable 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 likelihood 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?”

“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 fidgety 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 everything! 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
directly. Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. Stay, stay, I will go myself.
Ring the bell, Kitty, for Hill. I will put on my things in a moment. My dear, dear Lydia! How merry we shall be together
when we meet!”

Her eldest daughter endeavoured to give some relief to the violence of these transports, by leading her thoughts to
the obligations which Mr. Gardiner’s behaviour laid them all under.

“For we must attribute this happy conclusion,” she added, “in a great measure to his kindness. We are persuaded that
he has pledged himself to assist Mr. Wickham with money.”

“Well,” cried her mother, “it is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? If he had not had a family of his
own, I and my children must have had all his money, you know; and it is the first time we have ever had anything from
him, except a few presents. Well! I am so happy! In a short time I shall have a daughter married. Mrs. Wickham! How well
it sounds! And she was only sixteen last June. My dear Jane, I am in such a flutter, that I am sure I can’t write; so I
will dictate, and you write for me. We will settle with your father about the money afterwards; but the things should be
ordered immediately.”

She was then proceeding to all the particulars of calico, muslin, and cambric, and would shortly have dictated some
very plentiful orders, had not Jane, though with some difficulty, persuaded her to wait till her father was at leisure to
be consulted. One day’s delay, she observed, would be of small importance; and her mother was too happy to be quite so
obstinate as usual. Other schemes, too, came into her head.

“I will go to Meryton,” said she, “as soon as I am dressed, and tell the good, good news to my sister Philips. And as
I come back, I can call on Lady Lucas and Mrs. Long. Kitty, run down and order the carriage. An airing would do me a
great deal of good, I am sure. Girls, can I do anything for you in Meryton? Oh! Here comes Hill! My dear Hill, have you
heard the good news? Miss Lydia is going to be married; and you shall all have a bowl of punch to make merry at her
wedding.”

Mrs. Hill began instantly to express her joy. Elizabeth received her congratulations amongst the rest, and then, sick
of this folly, took refuge in her own room, that she might think with freedom.

Poor Lydia’s situation must, at best, be bad enough; but that it was no worse, she had need to be thankful. She felt
it so; and though, in looking forward, neither rational happiness nor worldly prosperity could be justly expected for her
sister, in looking back to what they had feared, only two hours ago, she felt all the advantages of what they had
gained.