Chapter 50 296
Mr . Bennet and his daughters saw all the advantages of Wickham ' s removal from the ----shire as clearly as Mr . Gardiner could do . But Mrs . Bennet was not so well pleased with it . Lydia ' s being settled in the North , just when she had expected most pleasure and pride in her company , for she had by no means given up her plan of their residing in Hertfordshire , was a severe disappointment ; and , besides , it was such a pity that Lydia should be taken from a regiment where she was acquainted with everybody , and had so many favourites .
" She is so fond of Mrs . Forster ," said she , " it will be quite shocking to send her away ! And there are several of the young men , too , that she likes very much . The officers may not be so pleasant in General ---- ' s regiment ."
His daughter ' s request , for such it might be considered , of being admitted into her family again before she set off for the North , received at first an absolute negative . But Jane and Elizabeth , who agreed in wishing , for the sake of their sister ' s feelings and consequence , that she should be noticed on her marriage by her parents , urged him so earnestly yet so rationally and so mildly , to receive her and her husband at Longbourn , as soon as they were married , that he was prevailed on to think as they thought , and act as they wished . And their mother had the satisfaction of knowing that she would be able to show her married daughter in the neighbourhood before she was banished to the North . When Mr . Bennet wrote again to his brother , therefore , he sent his permission for them to come ; and it was settled , that as soon as the ceremony was over , they should proceed to Longbourn . Elizabeth was surprised , however , that Wickham should consent to such a scheme , and had she consulted only her own inclination , any meeting with him would have been the last object of her wishes .