"iwassurprisedtoseedarcyintownlastmonth.wepassedeachotherseveraltimes.iwonderwhathecanbedoingthere."

"perhapspreparingforhismarriagewithmissdebourgh,"saidelizabeth."itmustbesomethingparticular,totakehimthereatthistimeofyear."

"undoubtedly.didyouseehimwhileyouwereatlambton?ithoughtiunderstoodfromthegardinersthatyouhad."

"yes;heintroducedustohissister."

"anddoyoulikeher?"

"verymuch."

"ihaveheard,indeed,thatsheisuncommonlyimprovedwithinthisyearortwo.whenilastsawher,shewasnotverypromising.iamverygladyoulikedher.ihopeshewillturnoutwell."

"idaresayshewill;shehasgotoverthemosttryingage."

"didyougobythevillageofkympton?"

"idonotrecollectthatwedid."

"imentionit,becauseitisthelivingwhichioughttohavehad.amostdelightfulplace!—excellentparsonagehouse!itwouldhavesuitedmeineveryrespect."

"howshouldyouhavelikedmakingsermons?"

"exceedinglywell.ishouldhaveconsidereditaspartofmyduty,andtheexertionwouldsoonhavebeennothing.oneoughtnottorepine;—but,tobesure,itwouldhavebeensuchathingforme!thequiet,theretirementofsuchalifewouldhaveansweredallmyideasofhappiness!butitwasnottobe.didyoueverheardarcymentionthecircumstance,whenyouwereinkent?"

"ihaveheardfromauthority,whichithoughtasgood,thatitwasleftyouconditionallyonly,andatthewillofthepresentpatron."

"youhave.yes,therewassomethinginthat;itoldyousofromthefirst,youmayremember."

"ididhear,too,thattherewasatime,whensermon-makingwasnotsopalatabletoyouasitseemstobeatpresent;thatyouactuallydeclaredyourresolutionofnevertakingorders,andthatthebusinesshadbeencompromisedaccordingly."

"youdid!anditwasnotwhollywithoutfoundation.youmayrememberwhatitoldyouonthatpoint,whenfirstwetalkedofit."

theywerenowalmostatthedoorofthehouse,forshehadwalkedfasttogetridofhim;andunwilling,forhersister'ssake,toprovokehim,sheonlysaidinreply,withagood-humouredsmile,"come,mr.wickham,wearebrotherandsister,youknow.donotletusquarrelaboutthepast.infuture,ihopeweshallbealwaysofonemind."

sheheldoutherhand;hekisseditwithaffectionategallantry,thoughhehardlyknewhowtolook,andtheyenteredthehouse.