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WITH no greater events than these in the Longbourn family, and otherwise

diversified by little beyond the walks to Meryton, sometimes dirty and

sometimes cold, did January and February pass away. March was to take

Elizabeth to Hunsford. She had not at first thought very seriously of

going thither; but Charlotte, she soon found, was depending on the plan,

and she gradually learned to consider it herself with greater pleasure

as well as greater certainty. Absence had increased her desire of seeing

Charlotte again, and weakened her disgust of Mr. Collins. There was

novelty in the scheme; and as, with such a mother and such uncompanionable

sisters, home could not be faultless, a little change was not unwelcome

for its own sake. The journey would moreover give her a peep at Jane;

and, in short, as the time drew near, she would have been very sorry

for any delay. Every thing, however, went on smoothly, and was finally

settled according to Charlotte's first sketch. She was to accompany

Sir William and his second daughter. The improvement of spending a night

in London was added in time, and the plan became perfect as plan could

be.

The only pain was in leaving her father, who would certainly miss her,

and who, when it came to the point, so little liked her going that he

told her to write to him, and almost promised to answer her letter.

.

The farewell between herself and Mr. Wickham was perfectly friendly;

on his side even more. His present pursuit could not make him forget

that Elizabeth had been the first to excite and to deserve his attention,

the first to listen and to pity, the first to be admired; and in his

manner of bidding her adieu, wishing her every enjoyment, reminding

her of what she was to expect in Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and trusting

their opinion of her -- their opinion of every body -- would always

coincide, there was a solicitude, an interest which she felt must ever

attach her to him with a most sincere regard; and she parted from him

convinced that, whether married or single, he must always be her model

of the amiable and pleasing. .

Her fellow-travellers the next day were not of a kind to make her

think him less agreeable. Sir William Lucas and his daughter Maria,

a good humoured girl, but as empty-headed as himself, had nothing to

say that could be worth hearing, and were listened to with about as

much delight as the rattle of the chaise. Elizabeth loved absurdities,

but she had known Sir William's too long. He could tell her nothing

new of the wonders of his presentation and knighthood; and his civilities

were worn out like his information. .

It was a journey of only twenty-four miles, and they began it so early

as to be in Gracechurch-street by noon. As they drove to Mr. Gardiner's

door, Jane was at a drawing-room window watching their arrival; when

they entered the passage she was there to welcome them, and Elizabeth,

looking earnestly in her face, was pleased to see it healthful and lovely

as ever. On the stairs were a troop of little boys and girls, whose

eagerness for their cousin's appearance would not allow them to wait

in the drawing-room, and whose shyness, as they had not seen her for

a twelvemonth, prevented their coming lower. All was joy and kindness.

The day passed most pleasantly away; the morning in bustle and shopping,

and the evening at one of the theatres. .

Elizabeth then contrived to sit by her aunt. Their first subject was

her sister; and she was more grieved than astonished to hear, in reply

to her minute enquiries, that though Jane always struggled to support

her spirits, there were periods of dejection. It was reasonable, however,

to hope that they would not continue long. Mrs. Gardiner gave her the

particulars also of Miss Bingley's visit in Gracechurch-street, and

repeated conversations occurring at different times between Jane and

herself, which proved that the former had, from her heart, given up

the acquaintance. .

Mrs. Gardiner then rallied her niece on Wickham's desertion, and complimented

her on bearing it so well. .

"But, my dear Elizabeth," she added, "what sort of girl is Miss

King? I should be sorry to think our friend mercenary." .

"Pray, my dear aunt, what is the difference in matrimonial affairs,

between the mercenary and the prudent motive? Where does discretion

end, and avarice begin? Last Christmas you were afraid of his marrying

me, because it would be imprudent; and now, because he is trying to

get a girl with only ten thousand pounds, you want to find out that

he is mercenary." .

"If you will only tell me what sort of girl Miss King is, I shall

know what to think." .

"She is a very good kind of girl, I believe. I know no harm of her."

.

"But he paid her not the smallest attention, till her grandfather's

death made her mistress of this fortune." .

"No -- why should he? If it was not allowable for him to gain my

affections, because I had no money, what occasion could there be for

making love to a girl whom he did not care about, and who was equally

poor?" .

"But there seems indelicacy in directing his attentions towards her,

so soon after this event." .

"A man in distressed circumstances has not time for all those elegant

decorums which other people may observe. If she does not object to it,

why should we?" .

"Her not objecting, does not justify him. It only shews her being

deficient in something herself -- sense or feeling." .

"Well," cried Elizabeth, "have it as you choose. He shall be mercenary,

and she shall be foolish." .

"No, Lizzy, that is what I do not choose. I should be sorry, you

know, to think ill of a young man who has lived so long in Derbyshire."

.

"Oh! if that is all, I have a very poor opinion of young men who

live in Derbyshire; and their intimate friends who live in Hertfordshire

are not much better. I am sick of them all. Thank Heaven! I am going

to-morrow where I shall find a man who has not one agreeable quality,

who has neither manner nor sense to recommend him. Stupid men are the

only ones worth knowing, after all." .

"Take care, Lizzy; that speech savours strongly of disappointment."

.

Before they were separated by the conclusion of the play, she had

the unexpected happiness of an invitation to accompany her uncle and

aunt in a tour of pleasure which they proposed taking in the summer.

.

"We have not quite determined how far it shall carry us," said Mrs.

Gardiner, "but perhaps to the Lakes." .

No scheme could have been more agreeable to Elizabeth, and her acceptance

of the invitation was most ready and grateful. "My dear, dear aunt,"

she rapturously cried, "what delight! what felicity! You give me fresh

life and vigour. Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are men to

rocks and mountains? Oh! what hours of transport we shall spend! And

when we do return, it shall not be like other travellers, without being

able to give one accurate idea of any thing. We will know where we have

gone -- we will recollect what we have seen. Lakes, mountains, and rivers

shall not be jumbled together in our imaginations; nor, when we attempt

to describe any particular scene, will we begin quarrelling about its

relative situation. Let our first effusions be less insupportable than

those of the generality of travellers." .

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