苗疆小说网

第116章（第1页）

“Itwasgreatlymywishthatheshoulddoso，”headded，“assoonashismarriagewasfixedon。AndIthinkyouwillagreewithme，inconsideringtheremovalfromthatcorpsashighlyadvisable，bothonhisaccountandmynieces。ItisMr。Wickhamsintentiontogointotheregulars;andamonghisformerfriends，therearestillsomewhoareableandwillingtoassisthiminthearmy。HehasthepromiseofanensigncyinGeneral—sregiment，nowquarteredintheNorth。Itisanadvantagetohaveitsofarfromthispartofthekingdom。Hepromisesfairly;andIhopeamongdifferentpeople，wheretheymayeachhaveacharactertopreserve，theywillbothbemoreprudent。IhavewrittentoColonelForster，toinformhimofourpresentarrangements，andtorequestthathewillsatisfythevariouscreditorsofMr。WickhaminandnearBrighton，withassurancesofspeedypayment，forwhichIhavepledgedmyself。AndwillyougiveyourselfthetroubleofcarryingsimilarassurancestohiscreditorsinMeryton，ofwhomIshallsubjoinalistaccordingtohisinformation?Hehasgiveninallhisdebts;Ihopeatleasthehasnotdeceivedus。Haggerstonhasourdirections，andallwillbecompletedinaweek。Theywillthenjoinhisregiment，unlesstheyarefirstinvitedtoLongbourn;andIunderstandfromMrs。Gardiner，thatmynieceisverydesirousofseeingyouallbeforesheleavestheSouth。Sheiswell，andbegstobedutifullyrememberedtoyouandyourmother。—Yours，etc。，

“E。GARDINER。”

Mr。BennetandhisdaughterssawalltheadvantagesofWickhamsremovalfromthe—shireasclearlyasMr。Gardinercoulddo。ButMrs。Bennetwasnotsowellpleasedwithit。LydiasbeingsettledintheNorth，justwhenshehadexpectedmostpleasureandprideinhercompany，forshehadbynomeansgivenupherplanoftheirresidinginHertfordshire，wasaseveredisappointment;and，besides，itwassuchapitythatLydiashouldbetakenfromaregimentwhereshewasacquaintedwitheverybody，andhadsomanyfavourites。

“SheissofondofMrs。Forster，”saidshe，“itwillbequiteshockingtosendheraway!Andthereareseveraloftheyoungmen，too，thatshelikesverymuch。TheofficersmaynotbesopleasantinGeneral—sregiment。”

Hisdaughtersrequest，forsuchitmightbeconsidered，ofbeingadmittedintoherfamilyagainbeforeshesetofffortheNorth，receivedatfirstanabsolutenegative。ButJaneandElizabeth，whoagreedinwishing，forthesakeoftheirsistersfeelingsandconsequence，thatsheshouldbenoticedonhermarriagebyherparents，urgedhimsoearnestlyyetsorationallyandsomildly，toreceiveherandherhusbandatLongbourn，assoonastheyweremarried，thathewasprevailedontothinkastheythought，andactastheywished。AndtheirmotherhadthesatisfactionofknowingthatshewouldbeabletoshowhermarrieddaughterintheneighbourhoodbeforeshewasbanishedtotheNorth。WhenMr。Bennetwroteagaintohisbrother，therefore，hesenthispermissionforthemtocome;anditwassettled，thatassoonastheceremonywasover，theyshouldproceedtoLongbourn。Elizabethwassurprised，however，thatWickhamshouldconsenttosuchascheme，andhadsheconsultedonlyherowninclination，anymeetingwithhimwouldhavebeenthelastobjectofherwishes。