say. If this be the case, he deserves you. I could not have parted with

you, my Lizzy, to anyone less worthy.”
To complete the favourable impression, she then told him what Mr. Darcy

had voluntarily done for Lydia. He heard her with astonishment.
“This is an evening of wonders, indeed! And so, Darcy did everything;

made up the match, gave the money, paid the fellow’s debts, and got him

his commission! So much the better. It will save me a world of trouble

and economy. Had it been your uncle’s doing, I must and would have

paid him; but these violent{464} young lovers carry everything their own

way. I shall offer to pay him to-morrow, he will rant and storm about

his love for you, and there will be an end of the matter.”
He then recollected her embarrassment a few days before on his reading

Mr. Collins’s letter; and after laughing at her some time, allowed her

at last to go, saying, as she quitted the room, “If any young men come

for Mary or Kitty, send them in, for I am quite at leisure.”
Elizabeth’s mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight; and, after

half an hour’s quiet reflection in her own room, she was able to join

the others with tolerable composure. Everything was too recent for

gaiety, but the evening passed tranquilly away; there was no longer

anything material to be dreaded, and the comfort of ease and familiarity

would come in time.
When her mother went up to her dressing-room at night, she followed her,

and made the important communication. Its effect was most extraordinary;

for, on first hearing it, Mrs. Bennet sat quite still, and unable to

utter a syllable. Nor was it under many, many minutes, that she could

comprehend what she heard, though not in general backward to credit what

was for the advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of a

lover to any of them. She began at length to recover, to fidget about in

her chair, get up, sit down again, wonder, and bless herself.