twodaysaftermr.bennet'sreturn,asjaneandelizabethwerewalkingtogetherintheshrubberybehindthehouse,theysawthehousekeepercomingtowardsthem,andconcludingthatshecametocallthemtotheirmother,wentforwardtomeether;but,insteadoftheexpectedsummons,whentheyapproachedhershesaidtomissbennet,"ibegyourpardon,madam,forinterruptingyou,butiwasinhopesyoumighthavegotsomegoodnewsfromtown,soitookthelibertyofcomingtoask."

"whatdoyoumean,hill?wehaveheardnothingfromtown."

"dearmadam,"criedmrs.hill,ingreatastonishment,"don'tyouknowthereisanexpresscomeformasterfrommr.gardiner?hehasbeenherethishalfhour,andmasterhashadaletter."

awayranthegirls,tooeagertogetintohavetimeforspeech.theyranthroughthevestibuleintothebreakfastroom;fromthencetothelibrary;—theirfatherwasinneither;andtheywereonthepointofseekinghimupstairswiththeirmother,whentheyweremetbythebutler,whosaid,

"ifyouarelookingformymaster,ma'am,heiswalkingtowardsthelittlecopse."

uponthisinformation,theyinstantlypassedthroughthehalloncemore,andranacrossthelawnaftertheirfather,whowasdeliberatelypursuinghiswaytowardsasmallwoodononesideofthepaddock.

jane,whowasnotsolight,norsomuchinthehabitofrunning,aselizabeth,soonlaggedbehind,whilehersister,pantingforbreath,cameupwithhim,andeagerlycriedout,

"oh,papa,whatnews?whatnews?haveyouheardfrommyuncle?"

"yes,ihavehadaletterfromhimbyexpress."

"well,andwhatnewsdoesitbring?goodorbad?"

"whatisthereofgoodtobeexpected?"saidhe,takingtheletterfromhispocket;"butperhapsyouwouldliketoreadit."elizabethimpatientlycaughtitfromhishand.janenowcameup.

"readitaloud,"saidtheirfather,"forihardlyknowmyselfwhatitisabout."

"gracechurchstreet,monday,august2.

mydearbrother,atlastiamabletosendyousometidingsofmyniece,andsuchas,uponthewhole,ihopewillgiveyousatisfaction.soonafteryouleftmeonsaturday,iwasfortunateenoughtofindoutinwhatpartoflondontheywere.theparticularsireservetillwemeet.itisenoughtoknowtheyarediscovered;ihaveseenthemboth"—

"thenitisasialwayshoped,"criedjane;"theyaremarried!"

elizabethreadon:"ihaveseenthemboth.theyarenotmarried,norcanifindtherewasanyintentionofbeingso;butifyouarewillingtoperformtheengagementswhichihaveventuredtomakeonyourside,ihopeitwillnotbelongbeforetheyare.allthatisrequiredofyouistoassuretoyourdaughter,bysettlement,herequalshareofthefivethousandpoundssecuredamongyourchildrenafterthedeceaseofyourselfandmysister;and,moreover,toenterintoanengagementofallowingher,duringyourlife,onehundredpoundsperannum.theseareconditionswhich,consideringeverything,ihadnohesitationincomplyingwith,asfarasithoughtmyselfprivileged,foryou.ishallsendthisbyexpress,thatnotimemaybelostinbringingmeyouranswer.youwilleasilycomprehend,fromtheseparticulars,thatmr.wickham'scircumstancesarenotsohopelessastheyaregenerallybelievedtobe.theworldhasbeendeceivedinthatrespect;and,iamhappytosay,therewillbesomelittlemoney,evenwhenallhisdebtsaredischarged,tosettleonmyniece,inadditiontoherownfortune.if,asiconcludewillbethecase,yousendmefullpowerstoactinyournamethroughoutthewholeofthisbusiness,iwillimmediatelygivedirectionstohaggerstonforpreparingapropersettlement.therewillnotbethesmallestoccasionforyourcomingtotownagain;therefore,stayquietlyatlongbourn,anddependanmydiligenceandcare.sendbackyouranswerassoonasyoucan,andbecarefultowriteexplicitly.wehavejudgeditbestthatmynieceshouldbemarriedfromthishouse,ofwhichihopeyouwillapprove.shecomestotoday.ishallwriteagainassoonasanythingmoreisdeterminedon.your's,&c.

edw.gardiner."

"isitpossible!"criedelizabeth,whenshehadfinished.—"canitbepossiblethathewillmarryher?"

"wickhamisnotsoundeserving,then,aswehavethoughthim!"saidhersister."mydearfather,icongratulateyou."

"andhaveyouansweredtheletter?"saidelizabeth.

"no;butitmustbedonesoon."

mostearnestlydidshethenintreathimtolosenomoretimebeforehewrote.

"oh!mydearfather,"shecried,"comeback,andwriteimmediately.considerhowimportanteverymomentis,insuchacase."

"letmewriteforyou,"saidjane,"ifyoudislikethetroubleyourself."

"idislikeitverymuch,"hereplied;"butitmustbedone."

andsosaying,heturnedbackwiththem,andwalkedtowardsthehouse.

"andmayiask?"saidelizabeth,"buttheterms,isuppose,mustbecompliedwith."