第45章

The Gardiners staid a week at Longbourn；and what with the Philipses，the Lucases，and the officers，there was not a day without its engagement. Mrs.Bennet had so carefully provided for the entertainment of her brother and sister，that they did not oncesit down to a family dinner.When the engagement was for home，some of the officers always made part of it，of which officers Mr.Wickham was sure to be one；and on these occasions，Mrs.Gardiner，rendered suspicious by Elizabeth's warm commendation of him，narrowly observed them both.Without supposing them，from what she saw，to be very seriously in love，their preference of each other was plain enough to make her a little uneasy；and she resolved to speak to Elizabeth on the subject before she left Hertfordshire，and represent to her the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment.

To Mrs. Gardiner，Wickham had one means of affording pleasure，unconnected with his general powers.About ten or a dozen years ago，before her marriage，she had spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire，to which he belonged.They had，therefore，many acquaintance in common；and，though Wickham had been little there since the death of Darcy's father，five years before，it was yet in his power to give her fresher intelligence of her former friends，than she had been in the way of procuring.

Mrs. Gardiner had seen Pemberley，and known the late Mr.Darcy by character perfectly well.Here consequently was an inexhaustible subject of discourse.In comparing her recollection of Pemberley，with the minute deion which Wickham could give，and in bestowing her tribute of praise on the character of its late possessor，she was delighting both him and herself.On being made acquainted with the present Mr.Darcy's treatment of him，she tried to remember something of that gentleman's reputed disposition when quite a lad，which might agree with it，and was confident at last，that she recollected having heard Mr.FitzwilliamDarcy formerly spoken of as a very proud，ill-natured boy.

III

M rs. Gardiner's caution to Elizabeth was punctually and kindly given on the first favourable opportunity of speaking to her alone；after honestly telling her what she thought，she thus went on：

'You are too sensible a girl，Lizzy，to fall in love merely because you are warned against it；and，therefore，I am not afraid of speaking openly. Seriously，I would have you be on your guard.Do not involve yourself，or endeavour to involve him in an affection which the want of fortune would make so very imprudent.I have nothing to say against him；he is a most interesting young man；and if he had the fortune he ought to have，I should think you could not do better But as it is—you must not let your fancy run away with you.You have sense，and we all expect you to use it.Your father would depend on your resolution and good conduct，I am sure.You must not disappoint your father.'

'My dear aunt，this is being serious indeed.'

'Yes，and I hope to engage you to be serious likewise.'

'Well，then，you need not be under any alarm. I will take care of myself，and of Mr.Wickham too.He shall not be in love with me，if I can prevent it.'

'Elizabeth，you are not serious now.

'I beg your pardon. I will try again.At present I am not in love with Mr Wickham；no，I certainly am not.But he is，beyond all comparison，the most agreeable man I ever saw—and if he becomes really attached to me—I believe it will be better that heshould not.I see the imprudence of it.Oh！that abominable Mr.Darcy！—My father's opinion of me does me the greatest honour；and I should be miserable to forfeit it.My father，however，is partial to Mr.Wickham.In short，my dear aunt，I should be very sorry to be the means of making any of you unhappy；but since we see every day that where there is affection，young people are seldom withheld by immediate want of fortune，from entering into engagements with each other，how can I promise to be wiser than so many of my fellow creatures if I am tempted，or how am I even to know that it would be wisdom to resist？All that I can promise you，therefore，is not to be in a hurry.I will not be in a hurry to believe myself his first object.When I am in company with him，I will not be wishing.In short，I will do my best.'

'Perhaps it will be as well，if you discourage his coming here so very often. At least，you should not remind your Mother of inviting him.

'As I did the other day，'said Elizabeth，with a conscious smile；'very true，it will be wise in me to refrain from that. But do not imagine that he is always here so often.It is on your account that he has been so frequently invited this week.You know my mother's ideas as to the necessity of constant company for her friends.But really，and upon my honour，I will try to do what I think to be wisest；and now，I hope you are satisfied.'

Her aunt assured her that she was；and Elizabeth having thanked her for the kindness of her hints，they parted；a wonderful instance of advice being given on such a point，without being resented.

Mr. Collins returned into Hertfordshire soon after it had been quitted by the Gardiners and Jane；but as he took up his abodewith the Lucases，his arrival was no great inconvenience to Mrs.Bennet.His marriage was now fast approaching，and she was at length so far resigned as to think it inevitable，and even repeatedly to say in an ill-natured tone that she'wished they might be happy.'Thursday was to be the wedding day，and on Wednesday Miss Lucas paid her farewell visit；and when she rose to take leave，Elizabeth，ashamed of her mother's ungracious and reluctant good wishes，and sincerely affected herself，accompanied her out of the room.As they went down stairs together，Charlotte said，

'I shall depend on hearing from you very often，Eliza.'

'That you certainly shall.'

'And I have another favour to ask. Will you come and see me？'

'We shall often meet，I hope，in Hertfordshire.'

'I am not likely to leave Kent for some time. Promise me，therefore，to come to Hunsford.'