by Jane Austen
than either the gentleman or lady concerned in it deserved. But at last your uncle was forced to yield, and instead of being allowed to he of use to his niece, was forced to put up with only having the probable credit of it, which went sorely against the grain; and I really believe your letter this morning gave him great pleasure, because it required an explanation that would rob him of his borrowed feathers,27 and give the praise where it was due. But, Lizzy, this must go no farther than yourself, or Jane at most. You know pretty well, I suppose, what has been done for the young people. His debts are to be paid, amounting, I believe, to considerably more than a thousand pounds, another thousand in addition to her own settled upon her,28 and his commission purchased.29 The reason why all this was to be done by him alone, was such as I have given above. It was owing to him, to his reserve,30 and want of proper consideration31 that Wickham's character had been so misunderstood, and consequently that he had been received and noticed32 as he was. Perhaps there was some truth in this; though I doubt whether his reserve, or anybody's reserve, can be answerable for the event.33 But in spite of all this fine talking, my dear Lizzy, you may rest perfectly assured, that your uncle would never have yielded, if we had not given him credit for another interest in the affair34 When all this was resolved on, he returned again to his friends, who were still staying at Pemberley; but it was agreed that he should be in London once more when the wedding took place, and all money matters were then to receive the last finish. I believe I have now told you every thing. It is a relation.35 which you tell me is to give you great surprise; I hope at least it will not afford you any displeasure. Lydia came to us; and Wickham had constant admission to the house. He was exactly what he had been, when I knew him in Hertfordshire; but I would not tell you how little I was satisfied with her behaviour while she staid with us, if I had not perceived, by Jane's letter last Wednesday, that her conduct on coming home was exactly of a piece with it, and therefore what I now tell you, can give you no fresh pain. I talked to her repeatedly in the most serious manner, representing to her all the wickedness of what she had done, and all the unhappiness she had brought on her family. If she heard me, it
was by good luck, for I am sure she did not listen. I was sometimes quite provoked, but then I recollected my dear Elizabeth and Jane, and for their sakes had patience with her. Mr. Darcy was punctual in his return, and as Lydia informed you, attended the wedding. He dined with us the next day, and was to leave town again on Wednesday or Thursday. Will you be very angry with me, my dear Lizzy, if I take this opportunity of saying (what I was never bold enough to say before) how much I like him. His behaviour to us has, in every respect, been as pleasing as when we were in Derbyshire. His understanding36 and opinions all please me; he wants37 nothing but a little more liveliness, and that, if he marry prudently, his wife may teach him38 I thought him very sly;39—he hardly ever mentioned your name. But slyness seems the fashion. Pray forgive me, if I have been very presuming, or at least do not punish me so far, as to exclude me from P.40 I shall never be quite happy till I have been all round the park.41 A low phaeton,42 with a nice little pair of ponies, would be the very thing. But I must write no more. The children have been wanting me this half hour. Yours, very sincerely,
M. GARDINER.
The contents of this letter threw Elizabeth into a flutter of spirits, in which it was difficult to determine whether pleasure or pain bore the greatest share. The vague and unsettled suspicions which uncertainty had produced of what Mr. Darcy might have been doing to forward her sister's match, which she had feared to encourage, as an exertion of goodness too great to be probable,43 and at the same time dreaded to be just, from the pain of obligation,44 were proved beyond their greatest extent to be true! He had followed them purposely to town, he had taken on himself all the trouble and mortification attendant on such a research; in which supplication had been necessary to a woman whom he must abominate and despise, and where he was reduced to meet, frequently meet, reason with, persuade, and finally bribe, the man whom he always most wished to avoid, and whose very name it was punishment to him to pronounce. He had done all this for a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem. Her heart did whisper, that he had done it for her.45 But it was a hope shortly checked by other considerations, and she soon felt that even her vanity was insufficient, when required to depend on his affection for her, for a woman who had already refused him, as able to overcome a sentiment so natural as abhorrence against relationship with Wickham.46 Brother-in-law of Wickham! Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection. He had to be sure done much. She was ashamed to think how much. But he had given a reason for his interference, which asked no extraordinary stretch of belief. It was reasonable that he should feel he had been wrong; he had liberality,47 and he had the means of exercising it; and though she would not place herself as his principal inducement, she could, perhaps, believe, that remaining partiality for her, might assist his endeavours in a cause where her peace of mind must be materially concerned.48 It was painful, exceedingly painful, to know that they were under obligations to a person who could never receive a return. They owed the restoration of Lydia, her character,49 every thing to him. Oh! how heartily did she grieve over every ungracious sensation she had ever encouraged, every saucy speech she had ever directed towards him.50 For herself she was humbled; but she was proud of him. Proud that in a cause of compassion and honour, he had been able to get the better of himself. She read over her aunt's commendation of him again and again. It was hardly enough; but it pleased her. She was even sensible of some pleasure, though mixed with regret, on finding how steadfastly both she and her uncle had been persuaded that affection and confidence51 subsisted between Mr. Darcy and herself52
She was roused from her seat, and her reflections, by some one's approach; and before she could strike into another path, she was overtaken by Wickham.53
“I am afraid I interrupt your solitary ramble, my dear sister?” said he, as he joined her.
“You certainly do,” she replied with a smile; “but it does not follow that the interruption must be unwelcome.”
“I should be sorry indeed, if it were. We were always good friends; and now we are better.”
“True. Are the others coming out?”54
“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 you have actually seen Pemberley.”55
She replied in the affirmative.
“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.56 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.”
“Yes, she did.”
“And what did she say?”
“That you were gone into the army, and she was afraid had—not turned out well.57 At such a distance as that, you know, things are strangely misrepresented.”
“Certainly,” he replied, biting his lips. Elizabeth hoped she had silenced him; but he soon afterwards said,
“I was surprised to see Darcy58 in town59 last month. We passed each other several times. I wonder what he can be doing there.”
“Perhaps preparing for his marriage with Miss De Bourgh,” said Elizabeth. “It must be something particular,60 to take him there at this time of year.”
“Undoubtedly. Did you see him while you were at Lambton? I thought I understood from the Gardiners that you had.”
“Yes; he introduced us to his sister.”
“And do you like her?”
“Very much.”
“I have heard, indeed, that she is uncommonly improved within this year or two. When I last saw her, she was not very promising. I am very glad you liked her. I hope she will turn out well.”
“I dare say she will; she has got over the most trying age.”61
“Did you go by the village of Kympton?”
“I do not recollect that we
did.”
“I mention it, because it is the living62 which I ought to have had. A most delightful place! —Excellent Parsonage House!63 It would have suited me in every respect.”
“How should you have liked making sermons?”
“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 retirement64 of such a life, would have answered all my ideas of happiness!65 But it was not to be. Did you ever hear Darcy mention the circumstance, when you were in Kent?”
“I have heard from authority, which I thought as good, that it was left you conditionally only, and at the will of the present patron.”
“You have. Yes, there was something in that; I told you so from the first, you may remember.”
“I did hear, too, that there was a time, when sermon-making was not so palatable to you as it seems to be at present; that you actually declared your resolution of never taking orders,66 and that the business had been compromised67 accordingly.”
“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.”
They were now almost at the door of the house, for she had walked fast to get rid of him; and unwilling for her sister's sake, to provoke him, she only said in reply, with a good-humoured smile,
“Come, Mr. Wickham, we are brother and sister, you know. Do not let us quarrel about the past. In future, I hope we shall be always of one mind.”
She held out her hand; he kissed it with affectionate gallantry, though he hardly knew how to look, and they entered the house.68
1. This would be within a few days of Elizabeth's having written, for mail service between London and nearby places like Hertfordshire was fast.
2. application: request, appeal (for information).
3. impertinence: interference, intrusiveness. The impertinence would come from referring to something about which Elizabeth would like to pretend ignorance.
4. Mrs. Gardiner's point is that she and her husband thought that Elizabeth, thanks to her ties of affection with Darcy, already knew about his role in the whole affair. Furthermore, if they had not believed her to be involved, they would not have allowed Darcy to interfere as he did, for it would not be right to allow a stranger to involve himself in a family matter, especially since the stranger's involvement cost him a lot of money. Thus the Gardiners' observation of Darcy's preference for Elizabeth at Pemberley, along with their uncertainty about the exact relationship between the two lovers, has facilitated Darcy's attempt to help Elizabeth and her family.
5. This would have been eight days after Elizabeth and the Gardiners left Lambton, and Darcy learned about Lydia and Wickham (see chronology, p. 718).
6. collect: gather.
7. Darcy blames himself for keeping Wickham's attempted elopement with Miss Darcy a secret from the world. Had he revealed it, Wickham would have found it difficult, if not impossible, to be accepted socially and to have gained the trust of any respectable woman (i.e., “of character”); thus he would not have been in a position to seduce Lydia.
8. That is, Darcy had disdained justifying himself on specific matters, trusting that the general soundness of his character and reputation would suffice to make people always think well of him.
9. The other motive she suspects, but that Darcy has not admitted, is his love for Elizabeth and desire to spare her the shame and misery of Lydia's ruin. He also could be wishing to preserve the respectability of her family, in case she eventually did change her mind and prove willing to marry him.
10. Hence Darcy has not told the Gardiners about his sister's misadventure; despite reproaching himself for being unwilling to reveal his secrets, he retains the same reserve and love of privacy. Similarly, in his insistence on doing everything himself (which Mrs. Gardiner mentions shortly), Darcy shows his usual imperiousness. This is a point often seen in Jane Austen: as much as she celebrates those like Darcy or Elizabeth who can change in some respects, she never imagines anyone altering their underlying personalities.
11. Edward-Street: it is not clear what street this means, for there were, according to a map of 1813, eight different Edward Streets in the greater London area (all of them were small, and none still bears the same name at present). Some were in prominent and fashionable areas; others were in poor or obscure areas on the outskirts of the city. One of the former is mentioned in Jane Austen's unfinished novel Lady Susan, in which a very wealthy couple live on an Edward Street (the most likely candidate is the present Langham Place, next to Cavendish Square). It is doubtful if Mrs. Younge, a disgraced former governess reduced to renting rooms, is meant to be inhabiting the same street. It is possible that Jane Austen had no specific street in mind.
12. This is probably the best way to make a living she could find. She would have been dismissed from Darcy's employment without a character reference, because of her dishonest collusion with Wickham, and this would make it very hard for her to find further employment as a governess.
13. Since Wickham seems to have no family, or close friends, Mrs. Younge may be the only person who could possibly help him.
14. direction: address.
15. ——street: this street is probably not specified because it is an insignifiant one in an obscure corner of London.
16. debts of honour: gambling debts; see p. 541, note 20.
17. scrupled not: did not hesitate.
18. Wickham's willingness to lay all the blame on Lydia reveals the true extent of his tenderness toward her.
19. his commission: his commission in the militia.
20. Wickham displays again his thoughtlessness and lack of planning. In contrast to many novelists, Jane Austen has not endowed her villain with any extraordinary cleverness or foresight or determination; instead, she has made him a man characterized by weakness as much as anything.
21. other country: most likely another part of England, not another nation.
22. That is, his need for immediate assistance would make it possible to tempt him to follow a course besides the pursuit of a more advantageous marriage in a different locale.
23. As shown below, Darcy ends up paying much less than the ten thousand pounds estimated by Mr. Bennet. That figure was probably always an exaggeration, a product of Mr. Bennet's frustration with the whole affair. Darcy would also have means peculiar to himself of reducing Wickham's demands; in particular, he could threaten Wickham with public exposure of some of his other misdeeds, such as his attempt to seduce Miss Darcy. Of course, it could not be known if Darcy would ever carry out such a threat, but the possibility would have to influence Wickham's calculations, for exposure ofthat nature would make it difficult for Wickham to pursue a different marriage, or even to advance in a new career. Darcy could also hold out the threat of using his powerful connections and influence to Wickham's detriment.
24. The total interval from Darcy's arrival until his first visit to the Gardiners was probably four days (see chronology, p. 718). This indicates Darcy's determination to settle the business quickly, for during that time he had both to locate Wickham and to negotiate a difficult agreement with him.
25. Darcy probably anticipated more potential opposition from Mr. Bennet to the interference of an outsider such as Darcy. Darcy also may have wished, by keeping Mr. Bennet in the dark, to prevent Elizabeth from learning of his role in the matter (for his possible reasons for this, see p. 665, note 2).
26. express: express message or messenger.
27. borrowed feathers: assumed glory or credit; something showing you off to advantage that is not yours.
28. “Her” is emphasized because settling the money specifically on Lydia means that Wickham will only have use of it as long as they are married.
29. In the more desirable regular army, unlike in the militia, a commission to be an officer had to be purchased. The official rate for Wickham's ens
ign commission at the time was 400 pounds, but the actual price could have been higher, for the scarcity of commissions created an active private market in which those already possessing commissions would sell them for more than the official rate. The whole system, which caused wealth often to be of greater weight than merit in determining army personnel and rank, was frequently denounced by reformers, and was eventually changed later in the century. At this time, however, it was accepted as normal, and no shame would have attached to anyone involved in it.