PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 49

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TWO days after Mr.
Bennet's return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery
behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and concluding
that she came to call them to their mother, went forward to meet her;
but, instead of the expected summons, when they approached her she said
to Miss Bennet, "I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you, but
I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town, so I took
the liberty of coming to ask."

"What do you mean, Hill? We have heard nothing from town."

"Dear madam," cried Mrs. Hill, in great astonishment, "don't you
  know there is an express come for master from Mr. Gardiner? He has been
  here this half hour, and master has had a letter."

Away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech. They
  ran through the vestibule into the breakfast room; from thence to the
  library; -- their father was in neither; and they were on the point
  of seeking him up stairs with their mother, when they were met by the
  butler, who said,

"If you are looking for my master, ma'am, he is walking towards the
  little copse."

Upon this information, they instantly passed through the hall once
  more, and ran across the lawn after their father, who was deliberately
  pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.

Jane, who was not so light, nor so much in the habit of running, as
  Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath,
  came up with him, and eagerly cried out,

"Oh, Papa, what news? what news? Have you heard from my uncle?"

"Yes, I have had a letter from him by express."

"Well, and what news does it bring? good or bad?"

"What is there of good to be expected?" said he, taking the letter
  from his pocket; "but perhaps you would like to read it." Elizabeth
  impatiently caught it from his hand. Jane now came up.

"Read it aloud," said their father, "for I hardly know myself what
  it is about."

"Gracechurch-street, Monday, August 2.

MY DEAR BROTHER,

At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as,
  upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction. Soon after you left
  me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London
  they were. The particulars I reserve till we meet. It is enough to know
  they are discovered; I have seen them both --"

"Then it is as I always hoped," cried Jane; "they are married!"

Elizabeth read on:

"I have seen them both. They are not married, nor can I find there
  was any intention of being so; but if you are willing to perform the
  engagements which I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will
  not be long before they are. All that is required of you is to assure
  to your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of the five thousand
  pounds secured among your children after the decease of yourself and
  my sister; and, moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her,
  during your life, one hundred pounds per annum. These are conditions
  which, considering every thing, I had no hesitation in complying with,
  as far as I thought myself privileged, for you. I shall send this by
  express, that no time may be lost in bringing me your answer. You will
  easily comprehend, from these particulars, that Mr. Wickham's circumstances
  are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be. The world
  has been deceived in that respect; and, I am happy to say, there will
  be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle
  on my niece, in addition to her own fortune. If, as I conclude will
  be the case, you send me full powers to act in your name throughout
  the whole of this business, I will immediately give directions to Haggerston
  for preparing a proper settlement. There will not be the smallest occasion
  for your coming to town again; therefore, stay quietly at Longbourn,
  and depend on my diligence and care. Send back your answer as soon as
  you can, and be careful to write explicitly. We have judged it best
  that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you
  will approve. She comes to us to-day. I shall write again as soon as
  any thing more is determined on. Your's,

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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 42
5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 41
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40
7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 39
8. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 38
9. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 11
10. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 12
11. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 45
12. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 46
13. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 57
14. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 56
15. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 55
16. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 54