第143章[第1页/共5页]

As it happened that Elizabeth had much rather not, she endeavoured in her answer to put an end to every entreaty and expectation of the kind.Such relief,however,as it was in her power to afford,by the practice of what might be called economy in her own private expences,she frequently sent them.It had always been evident to her that such an income as theirs,under the direction of two persons so extravagant in their wants,and heedless of the future,must be very insufficient to their support;and whenever they changed their quarters, either Jane or herself were sure of being applied to for some little assistance towards discharging their bills.Their manner of living,even when the restoration of peace dismissed them to a home,was unsettled in the extreme.They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation,and always spending more than they ought.His affection for her soon sunk into indifference;hers lasted a little longer;and in spite of her youth and her manners,she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her.

Mary was the only daughter who remained at home; and she was necessarily drawn from the pursuit of accomplishments by Mrs.Bennet's being quite unable to sit alone.Mary was obliged to mix more with the world,but she could still moralize over every morning visit;and as she was no longer mortified by comparisons between her sisters' beauty and her own,it was suspected by her father that she submitted to the change without much reluctance.