Afterthefirstfortnightorthreeweeksofherabsence,health,goodhumour,andcheerfulnessbegantoreappearatLongbourn.Everythingworeahappieraspect.Thefamilieswhohadbeenintownforthewintercamebackagain,andsummerfineryandsummerengagementsarose.Mrs.Bennetwasrestoredtoherusualquerulousserenity;and,bythemiddleofJune,KittywassomuchrecoveredastobeabletoenterMerytonwithouttears;aneventofsuchhappypromiseastomakeElizabethhopethatbythefollowingChristmasshemightbesotolerablyreasonableasnottomentionanofficeraboveonceaday,unless,bysomecruelandmaliciousarrangementattheWarOffice,anotherregimentshouldbequarteredinMeryton.
Thetimefixedforthebeginningoftheirnortherntourwasnowfastapproaching,andafortnightonlywaswantingofit,whenaletterarrivedfromMrs.Gardiner,whichatoncedelayeditscommencementandcurtaileditsextent.Mr.GardinerwouldbepreventedbybusinessfromsettingouttillafortnightlaterinJuly,andmustbeinLondonagainwithinamonth,andasthatlefttooshortaperiodforthemtogosofar,andseesomuchastheyhadproposed,oratleasttoseeitwiththeleisureandcomforttheyhadbuilton,theywereobligedtogiveuptheLakes,andsubstituteamorecontractedtour,and,accordingtothepresentplan,weretogonofarthernorthwardsthanDerbyshire.Inthatcountytherewasenoughtobeseentooccupythechiefoftheirthreeweeks;andtoMrs.Gardinerithadapeculiarlystrongattraction.Thetownwhereshehadformerlypassedsomeyearsofherlife,andwheretheywerenowtospendafewdays,wasprobablyasgreatanobjectofhercuriosityasallthecelebratedbeautiesofMatlock,Chatsworth,Dovedale,orthePeak.
Elizabethwasexcessivelydisappointed;shehadsetherheartonseeingtheLakes,andstillthoughttheremighthavebeentimeenough.Butitwasherbusinesstobesatisfied—andcertainlyhertempertobehappy;andallwassoonrightagain.
WiththementionofDerbyshirethereweremanyideasconnected.ItwasimpossibleforhertoseethewordwithoutthinkingofPemberleyanditsowner.“Butsurely,”saidshe,“Imayenterhiscountywithoutimpunity,androbitofafewpetrifiedsparswithouthisperceivingme.”
Theperiodofexpectationwasnowdoubled.Fourweeksweretopassawaybeforeheruncleandauntsarrival.Buttheydidpassaway,andMr.andMrs.Gardiner,withtheirfourchildren,didatlengthappearatLongbourn.Thechildren,twogirlsofsixandeightyearsold,andtwoyoungerboys,weretobeleftundertheparticularcareoftheircousinJane,whowasthegeneralfavourite,andwhosesteadysenseandsweetnessoftemperexactlyadaptedherforattendingtothemineveryway—teachingthem,playingwiththem,andlovingthe
TheGardinersstayedonlyonenightatLongbourn,andsetoffthenextmorningwithElizabethinpursuitofnoveltyandamusement.Oneenjoymentwascertain—thatofsuitablenessofcompanions;asuitablenesswhichcomprehendedhealthandtempertobearinconveniences—cheerfulnesstoenhanceeverypleasure—andaffectionandintelligence,whichmightsupplyitamongthemselvesifthereweredisappointmentsabroad.
ItisnottheobjectofthisworktogiveadeionofDerbyshire,norofanyoftheremarkableplacesthroughwhichtheirroutethitherlay;Oxford,Blenheim,Warwick,Kenilworth,Birmingham,etc.aresufficientlyknown.AsmallpartofDerbyshireisallthepresentconcern.TothelittletownofLambton,thesceneofMrs.Gardinersformerresidence,andwhereshehadlatelylearnedsomeacquaintancestillremained,theybenttheirsteps,afterhavingseenalltheprincipalwondersofthecountry;andwithinfivemilesofLambton,ElizabethfoundfromherauntthatPemberleywassituated.Itwasnotintheirdirectroad,normorethanamileortwooutofit.Intalkingovertheirroutetheeveningbefore,Mrs.Gardinerexpressedaninclinationtoseetheplaceagain.Mr.Gardinerdeclaredhiswillingness,andElizabethwasappliedtoforherapprobation.
“Mylove,shouldnotyouliketoseeaplaceofwhichyouhaveheardsomuch?”saidheraunt;“aplace,too,withwhichsomanyofyouracquaintancesareconnected.Wickhampassedallhisyouththere,youknow.”
Elizabethwasdistressed.ShefeltthatshehadnobusinessatPemberley,andwasobligedtoassumeadisinclinationforseeingit.Shemustownthatshewastiredofseeinggreathouses;aftergoingoversomany,shereallyhadnopleasureinfinecarpetsorsatincurtains.
Mrs.Gardinerabusedherstupidity.“Ifitweremerelyafinehouserichlyfurnished,”saidshe,“Ishouldnotcareaboutitmyself;butthegroundsaredelightful.Theyhavesomeofthefinestwoodsinthecountry.”
Elizabethsaidnomore—buthermindcouldnotacquiesce.ThepossibilityofmeetingMr.Darcy,whileviewingtheplace,instantlyoccurred.Itwouldbedreadful!Sheblushedattheveryidea,andthoughtitwouldbebettertospeakopenlytoherauntthantorunsucharisk.Butagainstthistherewereobjections;andshefinallyresolvedthatitcouldbethelastresource,ifherprivateinquiriestotheabsenceofthefamilywereunfavourablyanswered.
Accordingly,whensheretiredatnight,sheaskedthechambermaidwhetherPemberleywerenotaveryfineplace,whatwasthenameofitsproprietor,and,withnolittlealarm,whetherthefamilyweredownforthesummer?Amostwelcomenegativefollowedthelastquestion—andheralarmsnowbeingremoved,shewasatleisuretofeelagreatdealofcuriositytoseethehouseherself;andwhenthesubjectwasrevivedthenextmorning,andshewasagainappliedto,couldreadilyanswer,andwithaproperairofindifference,thatshehadnotreallyanydisliketothescheme.
ToPemberley,therefore,theyweretogo.
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