第140章[第1页/共4页]

When her mother went up to her dressing-room at night,she followed her,and made the important communication.Its effect was most extraordinary;for on first hearing it,Mrs.Bennet sat quite still,and unable to utter a syllable.Nor was it under many, many minutes that she could comprehend what she heard;though not in general backward to credit what was for the advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of a lover to any of them. She began at length to recover, to fidget about in her chair, get up, sit down again,wonder,and bless herself.

“My dearest child,”she cried,“I can think of nothing else!Ten thousand a year, and very likely more! 'Tis as good as a Lord! And a special licence.You must and shall be married by a special licence. But my dearest love, tell me what dish Mr. Darcy is particularly fond of,that I may have it to-morrow.”

This was a sad omen of what her mother's behaviour to the gentleman himself might be;and Elizabeth found that,though in the certain possession of his warmest affection,and secure of her relations'consent,there was still something to be wished for.But the morrow passed off much better than she expected;for Mrs. Bennet luckily stood in such awe of her intended son-in-law that she ventured not to speak to him,unless it was in her power to offer him any attention,or mark her deference for his opinion.