Chapter 26

           Mrs.Gardiner’scautiontoElizabethwaspunctuallyandkindlygivenonthefirstfavourableopportunityofspeakingtoheralone; afterhonestlytellingherwhatshethought,shethuswenton: 

           "Youaretoosensibleagirl,Lizzy,tofallinlovemerelybecauseyouarewarnedagainstit;and,therefore,Iamnotafraidofspeakingopenly. Seriously,Iwouldhaveyoubeonyourguard. Donotinvolveyourselforendeavourtoinvolvehiminanaffectionwhichthewantoffortunewouldmakesoveryimprudent. Ihavenothingtosayagainsthim;heisamostinterestingyoungman; andifhehadthefortuneheoughttohave,Ishouldthinkyoucouldnotdobetter. Butasitis,youmustnotletyourfancyrunawaywithyou. Youhavesense,andweallexpectyoutouseit. Yourfatherwoulddependonyourresolutionandgoodconduct,Iamsure. Youmustnotdisappointyourfather." 

           "Mydearaunt,thisisbeingseriousindeed." 

           "Yes,andIhopetoengageyoutobeseriouslikewise." 

           "Well,then,youneednotbeunderanyalarm. Iwilltakecareofmyself,andofMr.Wickhamtoo. Heshallnotbeinlovewithme,ifIcanpreventit." 

           "Elizabeth,youarenotseriousnow." 

           "Ibegyourpardon,Iwilltryagain. AtpresentIamnotinlovewithMr.Wickham; no,Icertainlyamnot. Butheis,beyondallcomparison,themostagreeablemanIeversaw—andifhebecomesreallyattachedtome—Ibelieveitwillbebetterthatheshouldnot. Iseetheimprudenceofit. Oh!thatabominableMr.Darcy! Myfather’sopinionofmedoesmethegreatesthonour,andIshouldbemiserabletoforfeitit.