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第140章（第1页）

“Well，mydear，”

saidhe，whensheceasedspeaking，“Ihavenomoretosay.Ifthisbethecase，hedeservesyou.Icouldnothavepartedwithyou，myLizzy，toanyonelessworthy.”

Tocompletethefavourableimpression，shethentoldhimwhatMr.DarcyhadvoluntarilydoneforLydia.Heheardherwithastonishment.

“Thisisaneveningofwonders，indeed!Andso，Darcydideverything;madeupthematch，gavethemoney，paidthefellowsdebts，andgothimhiscommission!Somuchthebetter.Itwillsavemeaworldoftroubleandeconomy.Haditbeenyourunclesdoing，Imustandwouldhavepaidhim;buttheseviolentyoungloverscarryeverythingtheirownway.Ishalloffertopayhimto-morrow;hewillrantandstormabouthisloveforyou，andtherewillbeanendofthematter.”

Hethenrecollectedherembarrassmentafewdaysbefore，onhisreadingMr.Collinssletter;andafterlaughingathersometime，allowedheratlasttogo—saying，asshequittedtheroom，“IfanyyoungmencomeforMaryorKitty，sendthemin，forIamquiteatleisure.”

Elizabethsmindwasnowrelievedfromaveryheavyweight;and，afterhalfanhoursquietreflectioninherownroom，shewasabletojointheotherswithtolerablecomposure.Everythingwastoorecentforgaiety，buttheeveningpassedtranquillyaway;therewasnolongeranythingmaterialtobedreaded，andthecomfortofeaseandfamiliaritywouldcomeintime.

Whenhermotherwentuptoherdressing-roomatnight，shefollowedher，andmadetheimportantcommunication.Itseffectwasmostextraordinary;foronfirsthearingit，Mrs.Bennetsatquitestill，andunabletoutterasyllable.Norwasitundermany，manyminutesthatshecouldcomprehendwhatsheheard;thoughnotingeneralbackwardtocreditwhatwasfortheadvantageofherfamily，orthatcameintheshapeofalovertoanyofthem.Shebeganatlengthtorecover，tofidgetaboutinherchair，getup，sitdownagain，wonder，andblessherself.

“Goodgracious!Lordblessme!onlythink!dearme!Mr.Darcy!Whowouldhavethoughtit!Andisitreallytrue?Oh!mysweetestLizzy!howrichandhowgreatyouwillbe!Whatpin-money，whatjewels，whatcarriagesyouwillhave!Janesisnothingtoit—nothingatall.Iamsopleased—sohappy.Suchacharmingman!—sohandsome!sotall!—Oh，mydearLizzy!prayapologiseformyhavingdislikedhimsomuchbefore.Ihopehewilloverlookit.Dear，dearLizzy.Ahouseintown!Everythingthatischarming!Threedaughtersmarried!Tenthousandayear!Oh，Lord!Whatwillbecomeofme.Ishallgodistracted.”

Thiswasenoughtoprovethatherapprobationneednotbedoubted;andElizabeth，rejoicingthatsuchaneffusionwasheardonlybyherself，soonwentaway.Butbeforeshehadbeenthreeminutesinherownroom，hermotherfollowedher.

“Mydearestchild，”

shecried，“Icanthinkofnothingelse!Tenthousandayear，andverylikelymore!TisasgoodasaLord!Andaspeciallicence.Youmustandshallbemarriedbyaspeciallicence.Butmydearestlove，tellmewhatdishMr.Darcyisparticularlyfondof，thatImayhaveitto-morrow.”

Thiswasasadomenofwhathermothersbehaviourtothegentlemanhimselfmightbe;andElizabethfoundthat，thoughinthecertainpossessionofhiswarmestaffection，andsecureofherrelationsconsent，therewasstillsomethingtobewishedfor.Butthemorrowpassedoffmuchbetterthansheexpected;forMrs.Bennetluckilystoodinsuchaweofherintendedson-in-lawthatsheventurednottospeaktohim，unlessitwasinherpowertoofferhimanyattention，ormarkherdeferenceforhisopinion.

Elizabethhadthesatisfactionofseeingherfathertakingpainstogetacquaintedwithhim;andMr.Bennetsoonassuredherthathewasrisingeveryhourinhisesteem.

“Iadmireallmythreesons-in-lawhighly，”

saidhe.“Wickham，perhaps，ismyfavourite;butIthinkIshalllikeyourhusbandquiteaswellasJanes.”