To Mrs. Gardiner, Wickham had one means of affording pleasure,

unconnected with his general powers. About ten or a dozen years ago,

before her marriage, she had spent a considerable time in that very part

of Derbyshire to which he belonged. They had, therefore, many

acquaintance in common; and, though Wickham had been little there since

the death of Darcy’s father, five years before, it was yet in his power

to give her fresher intelligence of her former friends than she had been

in the way of procuring.
Mrs. Gardiner had seen Pemberley, and known the late Mr. Darcy by

character perfectly well. Here, consequently, was an inexhaustible

subject of discourse. In comparing her recollection of Pemberley with

the minute description which Wickham could give, and in bestowing her

tribute of praise on the character of its late possessor, she was

delighting both him and herself. On being made acquainted with the

present Mr. Darcy’s treatment of him, she tried to remember something of

that gentleman’s reputed disposition, when quite a lad, which might

agree with it; and was confident, at last, that she recollected having

heard Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy formerly spoken of as a very proud,

ill-natured boy.{181}

[Image unavailable.]


“Will you come and see me.”


CHAPTER XXVI.

MRS. GARDINER’S caution to Elizabeth was punctually and kindly given on

the first favourable opportunity of speaking to her alone: after

honestly telling her what she thought, she thus went on:—
“You are too sensible a girl, Lizzy, to fall in love merely because you

are warned against it; and, therefore, I am not afraid of speaking

openly. Seriously, I would have you be on your guard. Do not involve

yourself, or endeavour to involve him, in an affection which the want of

fortune would make so very imprudent. I have nothing to say against

him: he is a most interesting young man; and if he had the fortune he