Afterthefirstfortnightorthreeweeksofherabsence,health,townforthewinter;and,bythemiddleofJune,KittywassomuchrecoveredastobeabletoenterMerytonwithouttears;aneventofsuchhappypromiseastomakeElizabethhopethatbythefollowingChristmasshemightbesotolerablyreasonableasnottomentionanofficeraboveonceaday,unless,bysomecruelandmaliciousarrangementattheWarOffice,anotherregimentshouldbequarteredinMeryton.

    Thetimefixedforthebeginningoftheirnortherntourwasnowfastapproaching,andafofortnightlaterinJuly,andmustbeinLondonagainwithinamonth,andasthatlefttooshortaperiodforthemtogosofar,andseesomuchastheyhadproposed,oratleasttoseeitwiththeleisureandforttheyhadbuilton,theywereobligedtogiveuptheLakes,andsubstituteamorecontractedtour,and,accordingtotheoftheirthreeweeks;andwheretheywerenowtospendafewdays,wasprobablyasgreatanobjectofhercuriosityasallthecelebratedbeautiesofMatlock,Chatsworth,Dovedale,orthePeak.

    Elizabethwasexcessivelydisappointed;shehadsetherheartonseeingrtobehappy;andallwassoonrightagain.

    androbitofafewpetrifiedsparswithouthispengerboys,weretobeleftundertheparticularcareoftheircousinJane,whowasthegeneralfavourite,andwhosesteadysenseandsweetnessoftemperexactlyadaptedherforattendingtothemineveryway―teachingthem,playingwiththem,andlovingthem.

    TheGardinersstayedonlyonenightatLongbourn,andsetoffthens;asuitablenesswhichprehendedhealthandtempertobearinconveniences―cheerfulnesstoenhanceeverypleasure―andaffectionandintelligence,whichmightsupplyitamongthemselvesifthereweredisappointmentsabroad.

    ItisnottheobjectofthisworktogiveadeionofDerbyshire,norofanyoftheremarkableplacesthroughwhichtheirroutethitherlay;someacquaintancestillremained,theybenttheirsteps,afterhavingseenalltheprincipalwondersofthecountry;andwithinfivemilesofLambdinerdeclaredhiswillingness,andElizabethwasappliedtoforherapprobation.

    “Mylove,shouldnotyouliketoseeaplaceofwhichyouhaveheardsomuch?”saidheraunt;“apls;aftergoingoversomany,shereallyrichlyfurnished,”saidshe,“Ishouldnotcareaboutitmyself;twoulds;andshefinallyresolvedthatitcouldbethelastresource,ifherprivateinquiriestotheabsenceofthefamilywereunfavourablyanswered.

    Accordingly,whensheretiredatnight,sheaskedthechambermaidwhetherPemberleywerenotaveryfineplace,whatwasthenameofitsproprietor,and,withnolittlealarm,whetherthefamilyweredownforthesummer?Amostwelenegativefollowedthelastquestion―andheralarmsnowbeingremoved,shewasatleisuretofeelagreatdealofcuriositytoseethehouseherself;andwhenthesubjectwasrevivedthenextmorning,andshewasagainappliedto,couldreadilyanswer,andwithaproperairofindifference,thatshehadnotreallyanydisliketothescheme.

    ToPemberley,therefore,theyweretogo.