Chapter 53 312
Chapter 53
Mr . Wickham was so perfectly satisfied with this conversation that he never again distressed himself , or provoked his dear sister Elizabeth , by introducing the subject of it ; and she was pleased to find that she had said enough to keep him quiet .
The day of his and Lydia ' s departure soon came , and Mrs . Bennet was forced to submit to a separation , which , as her husband by no means entered into her scheme of their all going to Newcastle , was likely to continue at least a twelvemonth .
" Oh ! my dear Lydia ," she cried , " when shall we meet again ?" " Oh , lord ! I don ' t know . Not these two or three years , perhaps ." " Write to me very often , my dear ."
" As often as I can . But you know married women have never much time for writing . My sisters may write to me . They will have nothing else to do ."
Mr . Wickham ' s adieus were much more affectionate than his wife ' s . He smiled , looked handsome , and said many pretty things .
" He is as fine a fellow ," said Mr . Bennet , as soon as they were out of the house , " as ever I saw . He simpers , and smirks , and makes love to us all . I am prodigiously proud of him . I defy even Sir William Lucas himself to produce a more valuable son-in-law ."
The loss of her daughter made Mrs . Bennet very dull for several days .
" I often think ," said she , " that there is nothing so bad as parting with one ' s friends . One seems so forlorn without them ."
" This is the consequence , you see , Madam , of marrying a daughter ," said Elizabeth . " It must make you better satisfied that your other four are