Austen Said:

The satisfaction of prevailing on one of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be her husband might then have rested in its proper place.

He had never before supposed that, could Wickham be prevailed on to marry his daughter, it would be done with so little inconvenience to himself as by the present arrangement. He would scarcely be ten pounds a year the loser by the hundred that was to be paid them; for, what with her board and pocket allowance, and the continual presents in money which passed to her through her mother's hands, Lydia's expenses had been very little within that sum.

“Mrs. Bennet, before you take any or all of these houses for your son and daughter, let us come to a right understanding. Into one house in this neighbourhood they shall never have admittance. I will not encourage the impudence of either, by receiving them at Longbourn.”

her husband would not advance a guinea to buy clothes for his daughter.

she should receive from him no mark of affection whatever on the occasion.

assurance of his eagerness to promote the welfare of any of his family;

entreaties that the subject might never be mentioned to him again. The principal purport of his letter was to inform them that Mr. Wickham had resolved on quitting the militia .

“It was greatly my wish that he should do so,”

“as soon as his marriage was fixed on. And I think you will agree with me, in considering the removal from that corps as highly advisable, both on his account and my niece's. It is Mr. Wickham's intention to go into the regulars; and among his former friends, there are still some who are able and willing to assist him in the army. He has the promise of an ensigncy in General ——'s regiment, now quartered in the North. It is an advantage to have it so far from this part of the kingdom. He promises fairly; and I hope among different people, where they may each have a character to preserve, they will both be more prudent. I have written to Colonel Forster, to inform him of our present arrangements, and to request that he will satisfy the various creditors of Mr. Wickham in and near Brighton, with assurances of speedy payment, for which I have pledged myself. And will you give yourself the trouble of carrying similar assurances to his creditors in Meryton, of whom I shall subjoin a list according to his information? He has given in all his debts; I hope at least he has not deceived us. Haggerston has our directions, and all will be completed in a week. They will then join his regiment, unless they are first invited to Longbourn; and I understand from Mrs. Gardiner, that my niece is very desirous of seeing you all before she leaves the South. She is well, and begs to be dutifully remembered to you and her mother. — Yours, etc.

“E. Gardiner.”

“I am afraid I interrupt your solitary ramble, my dear sister?”

“I should be sorry indeed, if it were. We were always good friends; and now we are better.”

“I do not know. Mrs. Bennet and Lydia are going in the carriage to Meryton. And so, my dear sister,

I find,

from our uncle and aunt,

that

“I almost envy you the pleasure, and yet I believe it would be too much for me, or else I could take it in my way to Newcastle. And you saw the old housekeeper, I suppose? Poor Reynolds, she was always very fond of me. But of course she did not mention my name to you.”

“And what did she say?”

“Certainly,”

“I was surprised to see Darcy in town last month. We passed each other several times. I wonder what he can be doing there.”

“Undoubtedly. Did you see him while you were at Lambton? I thought I understood from the Gardiners that you had.”

“And do you like her?”

“I have heard,

indeed,

that

When I last saw her, she was not very promising. I am very glad you liked her. I hope she will turn out well.”

“Did you go by the village of Kympton?”

“I mention it, because it is the living which I ought to have had. A most delightful place! — Excellent Parsonage House! It would have suited me in every respect.”

“Exceedingly well. I should have considered it as part of my duty, and the exertion would soon have been nothing. One ought not to repine — but, to be sure, it would have been such a thing for me! The quiet, the retirement of such a life would have answered all my ideas of happiness! But it was not to be. Did you ever hear Darcy mention the circumstance, when you were in Kent?”

“You have. Yes, there was something in that; I told you so from the first, you may remember.”

“You did! and it was not wholly without foundation. You may remember what I told you on that point, when first we talked of it.”

his dear sister Elizabeth,

“He is as fine a fellow,”

He simpers, and smirks, and makes love to us all. I am prodigiously proud of him. I defy even Sir William Lucas himself to produce a more valuable son-in-law.”

“No, no. You forced me into visiting him last year, and promised, if I went to see him, he should marry one of my daughters. But it ended in nothing, and I will not be sent on a fool's errand again.”

“'Tis an etiquette I despise,”

"If he wants our society, let him seek it. He knows where we live. I will not spend my hours in running after my neighbours every time they go away and come back again.”

how Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner did,

he did,

A few weeks,

as handsome as she had been last year; as good natured, and as unaffected, though not quite so chatty.

something of his concern

at having been prevented by business.

“Yes, she will remain there till Christmas.”

“Mrs. Annesley is with her. The others have been gone on to Scarborough, these three weeks.”

engaged elsewhere.

He should be particularly happy at any time, etc. etc.; and if she would give him leave, would take an early opportunity of waiting on them.

Yes, he had no engagement at all for to-morrow;

“Where is your sister?”

the good wishes and affection of a sister.