“We may as well leave them by themselves, you know,” said her mother as soon as she was in the hall.“Kitty and I are going upstairs to sit in my dressing-room. ”
Elizabeth made no attempt to reason with her mother,but remained quietly in the hall till she and Kitty were out of sight,then returned into the drawing-room.
Mrs. Bennet’s schemes for this day were ineffectual.Bingley was everything that was charming,except the professed lover of her daughter.His ease and cheerfulness rendered him a most agreeable addition to their evening party; and he bore with the ill-judged officiousness of the mother, and heard all her silly remarks with a forbearance and command of countenance particularly grateful to the daughter.
He scarcely needed an invitation to stay supper;and before he went away an engagement was formed,chiefly through his own and Mrs. Bennet’s means,for his coming next morning to shoot with her husband.
After this day, Jane said no more of her indifference.Not a word passed between the sisters concerning Bingley;but Elizabeth went to bed in the happy belief that all must speedily be concluded, unless Mr. Darcy returned within the stated time. Seriously, however, she felt tolerably persuaded that all this must have taken place with that gentleman’s concurrence.
Bingley was punctual to his appointment; and he and Mr.Bennet spent the morning together,as had been agreed on.The latter was much more agreeable than his companion expected.There was nothing of presumption or folly in Bingley that could provoke his ridicule, or disgust him into silence; and he was more communicative, and less eccentric, than the other had ever seen him. Bingley of course returned with him to dinner; and in the evening Mrs. Bennet’s invention was again at work to get everybody away from him and her daughter. Elizabeth, who had a letter to write, went into the breakfast-room for that purpose soon after tea; for as the others were all going to sit down to cards, she could not be wanted to counteract her mother’s schemes.
But on her returning to the drawing-room,when her letter was finished, she saw,to her infinite surprise,there was reason to fear that her mother had been too ingenious for her.On opening the door,she perceived her sister and Bingley standing together over the hearth,as if engaged in earnest conversation;and had this led to no suspicion, the faces of both,as they hastily turned round and moved away from each other,would have told it all._Their_ situation was awkward enough;but _hers_ she thought was still worse.Not a syllable was uttered by either;and Elizabeth was on the point of going away again,when Bingley, who as well as the other had sat down,suddenly rose, and,whispering a few words to her sister,ran out of the room.
Jane could have no reserves from Elizabeth,where confidence would give pleasure; and,instantly embracing her, acknowledged,with the liveliest emotion,that she was the happiest creature in the world.
“’Tis too much!” she added, “by far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh,why is not everybody as happy?”
Elizabeth’s congratulations were given with a sincerity,a warmth, a delight,which words could but poorly express.Every sentence of kindness was a fresh source of happiness to Jane.But she would not allow herself to stay with her sister,or say half that remained to be said, for the present.
“I must go instantly to my mother,” she cried.“I would not on any account trifle with her affectionate solicitude,or allow her to hear it from anyone but myself.He is gone to my father already. Oh, Lizzy,to know that what I have to relate will give such pleasure to all my dear family!how shall I bear so much happiness?”
She then hastened away to her mother,who had purposely broken up the card-party,and was sitting upstairs with Kitty.
Elizabeth, who was left by herself,now smiled at the rapidity and ease with which an affair was finally settled,that had given them so many previous months of suspense and vexation.
“And this,” said she,“is the end of all his friend’s anxious circumspection!of all his sister’s falsehood and contrivance!the happiest, wisest, and most reasonable end!”
In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley,whose conference with her father had been short and to the purpose.
“Where is your sister?” said he hastily, as he opened the door.
“With my mother upstairs. She will be down in a moment, I dare say.”
He then shut the door, and, coming up to her,claimed the good wishes and affection of a sister.Elizabeth honestly and heartily expressed her delight in the prospect of their relationship. They shook hands with great cordiality; and then, till her sister came down, she had to listen to all he had to say of his own happiness, and of Jane’s perfections; and in spite of his being a lover, Elizabeth really believed all his expectations of felicity to be rationally founded, because they had for basis the excellent understanding and super-excellent disposition of Jane, and a general similarity of feeling and taste between her and himself.
It was an evening of no common delight to them all;the satisfaction of Miss Bennet’s mind gave such a glow of sweet animation to her face, as made her look handsomer than ever. Kitty simpered and smiled, and hoped her turn was coming soon. Mrs. Bennet could not give her consent, or speak her approbation in terms warm enough to satisfy her feelings, though she talked to Bingley of nothing else, for half an hour; and when Mr. Bennet joined them at supper, his voice and manner plainly showed how really happy he was.
Not a word, however, passed his lips in allusion to it,till their visitor took his leave for the night;but as soon as he was gone,he turned to his daughter and said,--
“Jane, I congratulate you.You will be a very happy woman.”
Jane went to him instantly, kissed him,and thanked him for his goodness.
“You are a good girl,” he replied,“and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled.I have not a doubt of your doing very well together.Your tempers are by no means unlike.You are each of you so complying,that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy,that every servant will cheat you; and so generous,that you will always exceed your income.”
“I hope not so. Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in _me_.”
“Exceed their income!My dear Mr. Bennet,” cried his wife,“what are you talking of?Why, he has four or five thousand a year,and very likely more.” Then addressing her daughter,“Oh, my dear, dear Jane, I am so happy!I am sure I shan’t get a wink of sleep all night.I knew how it would be. I always said it must be so,at last. I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing!I remember, as soon as ever I saw him,when he first came into Hertfordshire last year,I thought how likely it was that you should come together.Oh, he is the handsomest young man that ever was seen!”
Wickham, Lydia, were all forgotten.Jane was beyond competition her favourite child.At that moment she cared for no other.Her younger sisters soon began to make interest with her for objects of happiness which she might in future be able to dispense.
Mary petitioned for the use of the library at Netherfield;and Kitty begged very hard for a few balls there every winter.
Bingley, from this time,was of course a daily visitor at Longbourn;coming frequently before breakfast,and always remaining till after supper;unless when some barbarous neighbour,who could not be enough detested,had given him an invitation to dinner,which he thought himself obliged to accept.