Chapter 27

           WithnogreatereventsthantheseintheLongbournfamily,andotherwisediversifiedbylittlebeyondthewalkstoMeryton,sometimesdirtyandsometimescold,didJanuaryandFebruarypassaway. MarchwastotakeElizabethtoHunsford. Shehadnotatfirstthoughtveryseriouslyofgoingthither;butCharlotte,shesoonfound,wasdependingontheplanandshegraduallylearnedtoconsideritherselfwithgreaterpleasureaswellasgreatercertainty. AbsencehadincreasedherdesireofseeingCharlotteagain,andweakenedherdisgustofMr.Collins. Therewasnoveltyinthescheme,andas,withsuchamotherandsuchuncompanionablesisters,homecouldnotbefaultless,alittlechangewasnotunwelcomeforitsownsake. ThejourneywouldmoreovergiveherapeepatJane;and,inshort,asthetimedrewnear,shewouldhavebeenverysorryforanydelay. Everything,however,wentonsmoothly,andwasfinallysettledaccordingtoCharlotte’sfirstsketch. ShewastoaccompanySirWilliamandhisseconddaughter. TheimprovementofspendinganightinLondonwasaddedintime,andtheplanbecameperfectasplancouldbe. 

           Theonlypainwasinleavingherfather,whowouldcertainlymissher,andwho,whenitcametothepoint,solittlelikedhergoing,thathetoldhertowritetohim,andalmostpromisedtoanswerherletter. 

           ThefarewellbetweenherselfandMr.Wickhamwasperfectlyfriendly;onhissideevenmore. HispresentpursuitcouldnotmakehimforgetthatElizabethhadbeenthefirsttoexciteandtodeservehisattention,thefirsttolistenandtopity,thefirsttobeadmired; andinhismannerofbiddingheradieu,wishinghereveryenjoyment,remindingherofwhatshewastoexpectinLadyCatherinedeBourgh,andtrustingtheiropinionofher—theiropinionofeverybody—wouldalwayscoincide,therewasasolicitude,aninterestwhichshefeltmusteverattachhertohimwithamostsincereregard; andshepartedfromhimconvincedthat,whethermarriedorsingle,hemustalwaysbehermodeloftheamiableandpleasing.