Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (top 10 books to read .txt) 📕
- Author: Jane Austen
- Performer: -
Book online «Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (top 10 books to read .txt) 📕». Author Jane Austen
Jane.
At once?
Elizabeth.
Yes, directly, to-day.
Mrs. Bennet.
Oh, my dear Lydia! How I long to see her, and to see my dear Wickham too. But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I must write to my Sister Gardiner about them directly.
[She tries to get out of the chair.]
Jane.
Oh, mamma, there is plenty of time for that.
Mrs. Bennet.
Well, perhaps so. My dear, dear Lydia! How merry we shall all be together! I am so happy! Lydia married. She is Mrs. Wickham. How well it sounds. My dear Jane, I must see about the clothes. We will settle with your father about the money later. Oh, I am in such a flutter! Here comes Hill. [Hill enters with the bottle.] My dear Hill, have you heard the news? Miss Lydia is married and is coming home directly.
Hill.
Indeed!
Mrs. Bennet.
Yes, you shall all have a bowl of punch, to make merry for her wedding, and I am going into the house to write about the clothes. [To Jane, who is going with her.] No, Jane, you stay where you are. I know what I am about. Come, Hill. Think of it—Mrs. Wickham!
[She goes out leaning on Hill's arm, leaving Jane and Elizabeth together.]
Jane.
Oh, Lizzy, how relieved and happy we should be. Is not it wonderful? [Anxiously.] Are you sure it is true? Have you told us all?
Elizabeth.
Yes, Jane, it is true. They are really married. And for this we are to be thankful. In spite of Lydia's folly and Wickham's wretched character, we are to rejoice. How strange it is! Heigh-ho!
Jane.
[Putting out her hand for the letter which Elizabeth still carries.] May not I read the letter, Lizzy?
Elizabeth.
No, not now, dear. My aunt has some queer notions in her head. Later perhaps. [After a pause.] I am very sorry now that in my agitation I told Mr. Darcy about this wretched affair. Now that it has come out so well, he need never have known anything about it, and it would have saved me a great deal of mortification.
Jane.
But how would you ever have explained things to Charlotte and Mr. Collins without his help? Mr. Darcy made everything so smooth and plausible for your sudden departure.
Elizabeth.
Yes, that is true.
Jane.
Really, Lizzy, I think I shall have to take up the cudgels in Mr. Darcy's defence. His kindness to you has quite won my heart, and his amazing proposal was certainly a most flattering compliment. Why can you see no good in Mr. Darcy, Lizzy? You were always so full of excuses for Wickham, though it is true his open and delightful manners deceived us all.
Elizabeth.
Yes, there certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has all the goodness and the other all the appearance of it.
Jane.
I never thought Mr. Darcy so deficient in the appearance of it as you did, and he certainly could hardly have had the friends he has if he did not possess some good qualities. [Shyly.] Lizzy, have you heard that Mr. Bingley is back in Netherfield?
Elizabeth.
[Astonished.] Oh, Jane, no. When did he come? Have you seen him?
Jane.
No; I hardly expect to see him.
Elizabeth.
[Brightly.] Yes, you will, if he has returned. [Suddenly clapping her hands.] Oh, I understand. [Kissing her.] My darling Jane, you are going to be very happy!
Jane.
Lizzy dear—don't, don't. That is all over now, and besides I don't want to be happy unless you can be, too.
Elizabeth.
Oh, forty Mr. Bingleys wouldn't make me happy. Till I have your disposition, I never can have happiness. No, no, let me shift for myself. Perhaps if I have very good luck I may meet with another Mr. Collins in time.
Harris.
[Entering.] Mr. Bennet has returned, Madam, and is looking for you.
Jane.
Papa returned!
Elizabeth.
Where is he, Harris? [Looking off.] There he comes! Papa!
[They run to meet Mr. Bennet, and, bringing him in, seat him in a garden chair, one on either side of him.]
Elizabeth.
Papa, tell us all about it quickly—quickly.
Jane.
Are they really married, papa?
Mr. Bennet.
Yes, that misfortune is well settled on them. They are married fast enough.
Elizabeth.
And where are they? When will they be here?
Mr. Bennet.
I should say they would be here directly. I didn't care to travel with them, but they are not far behind—only just far enough to keep out of the dust of my post chaise.
Elizabeth.
Dear papa—how you must have suffered!
Mr. Bennet.
Say nothing of that—who should suffer but myself? It has been my own doing, and I ought to feel it.
Elizabeth.
You must not be too severe upon yourself.
Mr. Bennet.
You may well warn me against such an evil. No, Lizzy, let me once in my life feel how much I have been to blame. The impression will pass away soon enough.
Elizabeth.
But, papa, how did you persuade them to marry?
Mr. Bennet.
I didn't persuade them; I haven't the means. It is all your uncle's doing. He has managed to buy Wickham for us.
Jane.
Oh, dear good uncle!
Mr. Bennet.
[Looks at Jane quizzically.] But there are two things that I want very much to know—one is how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about, and the other, how I am ever to pay him.
Jane.
But my uncle did not do it all?
Elizabeth.
No, papa. My Aunt Gardiner has written me that you are to give Lydia an allowance.
Mr. Bennet.
Yes, one hundred a year. Do you think that any man in his proper senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year?
Elizabeth.
That is very true, though it had not occurred to me before. Oh, it must be my uncle's doings. Generous man! I am afraid he has distressed himself. A small sum could not do all this.
Mr. Bennet.
No, Wickham's a fool if he takes Lydia with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds. I should be sorry to think so ill of him in the very beginning of our relationship.
Elizabeth.
Ten thousand pounds! Heaven forbid! How is one-half such a sum to be repaid?
Mr. Bennet.
That is what I should like to know.
Elizabeth.
Well, my uncle's kindness can never be requited. If such goodness as his does not make Lydia miserable, then she will never deserve to be happy.
[Laughter and voices are heard outside.]
Elizabeth.
Surely I hear voices. [Looking off.] Why, they have come. See papa—Jane—there are Lydia and Wickham.
Mr. Bennet.
Yes, here they are. I will go to the library. I can receive their congratulations later. You know I am prodigiously fond of Wickham, Lizzy. I defy even Sir William Lucas himself to produce a more valuable son-in-law.
[He goes out.]
Jane.
I must run and tell mamma.
[She is just starting when Wickham and Lydia enter. They are in travelling dress and are followed by servants bringing all sorts of bandboxes, wraps and parcels. They come in with the utmost unconcern and no shadow of shame.]
Lydia.
Well, Jane, well, Lizzy, here we are!
Wickham.
[Smiling and unabashed.] My sister, Jane—My sister Elizabeth.
[He kisses their hands. Jane and Elizabeth are confused and blushing. Neither Wickham nor Lydia is in the least discomposed.]
Lydia.
[Looking about.] Good gracious! Here I am again! I am sure I had no idea of being married when I went away, though I thought it would be very good fun if I was. Why don't you take the boxes in, Harris? Wickham, have you seen my pink-flowered bandbox? [Looking over the parcels.] No, it isn't here. Oh, my dear Wickham, do go fetch it—you know 'tis the box with the white satin hat you bought me. I wouldn't lose it for the world. Go, go!
Wickham.
Certainly, my dear. [To the girls.] You see how eagerly I embrace my new opportunities!
[He runs out, laughing.]
Lydia.
[To Elizabeth and Jane.] Oh, girls, I am dying to give you an account of my wedding.
Elizabeth.
I think there cannot be too little said on that subject.
Lydia.
La, you are so strange. But Jane wants to hear, I know. Anyway, I want to tell you. Well, there was such a fuss! My aunt was preaching and talking away to me all the time I was dressing, just as if she was reading a sermon. I didn't hear one word in ten of it all. I was thinking of my dear Wickham. I longed to know whether he would be married in his blue coat. Well, we got to church, and then my uncle gave me a fright after we got there, because he was so late, and he was going to give me away, you know. But then, if he hadn't come, Mr. Darcy might have done as well.
Jane and Elizabeth.
Mr. Darcy!
Lydia.
Oh, yes, Darcy was there. He came along with Wickham. [Suddenly stopping.] But gracious me! I quite forgot. I ought not to have said a word about it. I promised them as faithfully—what will Wickham say? It was to be such a secret.
Jane.
If it was to be a secret, Lydia, say not another word on the subject. We shall ask you no questions.
[Elizabeth looks most anxious, but says nothing.]
Lydia.
Thank you—for if you did, I should certainly tell you all, and then Wickham would be angry. [She sees Mrs. Bennet, who enters in great excitement from the house.] Oh, there is mamma.
[They rush into each other's arms. Wickham returns at about the same time.]
Mrs. Bennet.
Oh, my dear, dear Lydia! [To Wickham with affectionate warmth.] My dear Wickham!
[They also embrace.]
Lydia.
Oh, mamma! Aren't you glad to see us? [Wickham turns and talks to Jane and Elizabeth.] Do all the people hereabouts know that I am married? I was afraid they might not, and so I let my hand just rest on the window-frame outside the carriage, so that everybody could see my wedding ring; and then I bowed and smiled like everything.
Mrs. Bennet.
You may be sure, my dear, that everybody will rejoice with us in our good luck. [Sighing.] Your marriage is a great compensation to me after all my disappointment about Jane and Lizzy. I do not blame Jane, for she would have got Mr. Bingley if she could. But Lizzy! Oh, Lydia, it is very hard to think she might now have been Mrs. Collins! But how about your clothes?
Lydia.
Oh, I have a lot already. You may be sure I would not forget them.
Mrs. Bennet.
[Alarmed.] But you didn't know the best warehouses! Well, never mind, we will see to that later. Now you must all come in and have dinner. You must be famished. Come, girls. Come, my dear Wickham.
[They all go toward the house. At the door Lydia pushes Jane back.]
Lydia.
Ah, Jane, I take your place now. I go first because I am a married woman.
[They all go into the house. After a pause, Harris's voice is heard outside.]
Harris.
Will not you come into the house, Madam?
Lady Catherine.
[Entering, followed by Harris.] No, I prefer to remain here. Tell Miss Elizabeth Bennet that a lady wishes to see her at once. Remember, I cannot be kept waiting.
Harris.
Yes, Madam. [He
Free e-book «Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (top 10 books to read .txt) 📕» - read online now
Comments (0)