PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 42

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HAD Elizabeth's
opinion been all drawn from her own family, she could not have formed
a very pleasing picture of conjugal felicity or domestic comfort. Her
father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour
which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak
understanding and illiberal mind had, very early in their marriage, put
an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence
had vanished for ever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown.
But Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek comfort, for the disappointment
which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which
too often console the unfortunate for their folly or their vice. He was
fond of the country and of books; and from these tastes had arisen his
principal enjoyments. To his wife he was very little otherwise indebted,
than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement. This
is not the sort of happiness which a man would in general wish to owe
to his wife; but where other powers of entertainment are wanting, the
true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given.

Elizabeth, however, had never been blind to the impropriety of her father's
behaviour as a husband. She had always seen it with pain; but respecting
his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself,
she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from
her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum
which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so
highly reprehensible. But she had never felt so strongly as now the disadvantages
which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage, nor ever been
so fully aware of the evils arising from so ill-judged a direction of
talents; talents which rightly used, might at least have preserved the
respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind
of his wife.

When Elizabeth had rejoiced over Wickham's departure, she found little
  other cause for satisfaction in the loss of the regiment. Their parties
  abroad were less varied than before; and at home she had a mother and
  sister whose constant repinings at the dulness of every thing around
  them threw a real gloom over their domestic circle; and, though Kitty
  might in time regain her natural degree of sense, since the disturbers
  of her brain were removed, her other sister, from whose disposition
  greater evil might be apprehended, was likely to be hardened in all
  her folly and assurance by a situation of such double danger as a watering
  place and a camp. Upon the whole, therefore, she found what has been
  sometimes found before, that an event to which she had looked forward
  with impatient desire, did not, in taking place, bring all the satisfaction
  she had promised herself. It was consequently necessary to name some
  other period for the commencement of actual felicity; to have some other
  point on which her wishes and hopes might be fixed, and by again enjoying
  the pleasure of anticipation, console herself for the present, and prepare
  for another disappointment. Her tour to the Lakes was now the object
  of her happiest thoughts; it was her best consolation for all the uncomfortable
  hours which the discontentedness of her mother and Kitty made inevitable;
  and could she have included Jane in the scheme, every part of it would
  have been perfect.

"But it is fortunate," thought she, "that I have something to wish
  for. Were the whole arrangement complete, my disappointment would be
  certain. But here, by my carrying with me one ceaseless source of regret
  in my sister's absence, I may reasonably hope to have all my expectations
  of pleasure realized. A scheme of which every part promises delight,
  can never be successful; and general disappointment is only warded off
  by the defence of some little peculiar vexation."

When Lydia went away, she promised to write very often and very minutely
  to her mother and Kitty; but her letters were always long expected,
  and always very short. Those to her mother contained little else, than
  that they were just returned from the library, where such and such officers
  had attended them, and where she had seen such beautiful ornaments as
  made her quite wild; that she had a new gown, or a new parasol, which
  she would have described more fully, but was obliged to leave off in
  a violent hurry, as Mrs. Forster called her, and they were going to
  the camp; -- and from her correspondence with her sister, there was
  still less to be learnt -- for her letters to Kitty, though rather longer,
  were much too full of lines under the words to be made public.

After the first fortnight or three weeks of her absence, health, good
  humour, and cheerfulness began to re-appear at Longbourn. Everything
  wore a happier aspect. The families who had been in town for the winter
  came back again, and summer finery and summer engagements arose. Mrs.
  Bennet was restored to her usual querulous serenity, and by the middle
  of June Kitty was so much recovered as to be able to enter Meryton without
  tears; an event of such happy promise as to make Elizabeth hope that
  by the following Christmas, she might be so tolerably reasonable as
  not to mention an officer above once a day, unless, by some cruel and
  malicious arrangement at the War-Office, another regiment should be
  quartered in Meryton.

The time fixed for the beginning of their Northern tour was now fast
  approaching; and a fortnight only was wanting of it, when a letter arrived
  from Mrs. Gardiner, which at once delayed its commencement and curtailed
  its extent. Mr. Gardiner would be prevented by business from setting
  out till a fortnight later in July, and must be in London again within
  a month; and as that left too short a period for them to go so far,
  and see so much as they had proposed, or at least to see it with the
  leisure and comfort they had built on, they were obliged to give up
  the Lakes, and substitute a more contracted tour; and, according to
  the present plan, were to go no farther northward than Derbyshire. In
  that county, there was enough to be seen to occupy the chief of their
  three weeks; and to Mrs. Gardiner it had a peculiarly strong attraction.
  The town where she had formerly passed some years of her life, and where
  they were now to spend a few days, was probably as great an object of
  her curiosity, as all the celebrated beauties of Matlock, Chatsworth,
  Dovedale, or the Peak.

Elizabeth was excessively disappointed; she had set her heart on seeing
  the Lakes; and still thought there might have been time enough. But
  it was her business to be satisfied -- and certainly her temper to be
  happy; and all was soon right again.

With the mention of Derbyshire, there were many ideas connected. It
  was impossible for her to see the word without thinking of Pemberley
  and its owner. "But surely," said she, "I may enter his county with
  impunity, and rob it of a few petrified spars without his perceiving
  me."

The period of expectation was now doubled. Four weeks were to pass
  away before her uncle and aunt's arrival. But they did pass away, and
  Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, with their four children, did at length appear
  at Longbourn. The children, two girls of six and eight years old, and
  two younger boys, were to be left under the particular care of their
  cousin Jane, who was the general favourite, and whose steady sense and
  sweetness of temper exactly adapted her for attending to them in every
  way -- teaching them, playing with them, and loving them.

The Gardiners staid only one night at Longbourn, and set off the next
  morning with Elizabeth in pursuit of novelty and amusement. One enjoyment
  was certain -- that of suitableness as companions; a suitableness which
  comprehended health and temper to bear inconveniences -- cheerfulness
  to enhance every pleasure -- and affection and intelligence, which might
  supply it among themselves if there were disappointments abroad.

It is not the object of this work to give a description of Derbyshire,
  nor of any of the remarkable places through which their route thither
  lay; Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenelworth, Birmingham,

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1. Ebooks list page : 81
2. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 58
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 44
4. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 41
5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 39
7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 38
8. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 11
9. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 12
10. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 45
11. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 46
12. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 49
13. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 57
14. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 56
15. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 55
16. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 54