第121章

old housekeeper,I suppose?Poor Reynolds,she was always very fond of me.But of course she did not mention my name to you.”

    “Yes,she did.”

    “And what did she say?”

    “That you were gone into the army,and she was afraid had—not turned out well.At such a distance as that,you know,things are strangely misrepresented.”

    “Certainly,”he replied,biting his lips.Elizabeth hoped she had silenced him;but he soon afterwards said:

    “I was surprised to see Darcy in town last month.We passed each other several times.I wonder what he can be doing there.”

    “Perhaps preparing for his marriage with Miss de Bourgh,”said Elizabeth.“It must be something particular,to take him there at this time of year.”

    “Undoubtedly.Did you see him while you were at Lambton?I thought I understood from the Gardiners that you had.”

    “Yes;he introduced us to his sister.”

    “And do you like her?”

    “Very much.”

    “I have heard,indeed,that she is uncommonly improved within this year or two.When I last saw her,she was not very promising. I am very glad you liked her.I hope she will turn out well.”

    “I dare say she will;she has got over the most trying age.”

    “Did you go by the village of Kympton?”

    “I do not recollect that we did.”

    “I mention it,because it is the living which I ought to have had. A most delightful place!—Excellent Parsonage House! It would have suited me in every respect.”

    “How should you have liked making sermons?”

    “Exceedingly well. I should have considered it as part of my duty, and the exertion would soon have been nothing. One ought not to repine;—but,to be sure,it would have been such a thing for me!The quiet,the retirement of such a life would have answered all my ideas of happiness!But it was not to be.Did you ever hear Darcy mention the circumstance, when you were in Kent?”

    “I have heard from authority, which I thought as good, that it was left you conditionally only,and at the will of the present patron.”

    “You have.Yes,there was something in that;I told you so from the first,you may remember.”

    “I did hear, too, that there was a time, when sermon-making was not so palatable to you as it seems to be at present;that you actually declared your resolution of never taking orders,and that the business had been compromised accordingly.”

    “You did! and it was not wholly without foundation.You may remember what I told you on that point,when first we talked of it.”

    They were now almost at the door of the house, for she had walked fast to get rid of him;and unwilling,for her sister's sake, to provoke him, she only said in reply, with a good-humoured smile:

    “Come,Mr.Wickham,we are brother and sister,you know.Do not let us quarrel about the past. In future, I hope we shall be always of one mind.”

    She held out her hand;he kissed it with affectionate gallantry, though he hardly knew how to look,and they entered the house.