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她對于夏綠蒂開頭的幾封信都盼望得很迫切，那完全是出于一種好奇心，想要知道夏綠蒂所說的話，處處都和她自己所預(yù)料的完全一樣。她的信寫得充滿了愉快的情調(diào)，講到一件事總要贊美一句，好象她真有說不盡的快慰。
Her aunt assured her that she was, and Elizabeth having thanked her for the kindness of her hints, they parted; a wonderful instance of advice being given on such a point, without being resented.
Mr. Collins returned into Hertfordshire soon after it had been quitted by the Gardiners and Jane; but as he took up his abode with the Lucases, his arrival was no great inconvenience to Mrs. Bennet. His marriage was now fast approaching, and she was at length so far resigned as to think it inevitable, and even repeatedly to say, in an ill-natured tone, that she "WISHED they might be happy. " Thursday was to be the wedding day, and on Wednesday Miss Lucas paid her farewell visit; and when she rose to take leave, Elizabeth, ashamed of her mother's ungracious and reluctant good wishes, and sincerely affected herself, accompanied her out of the room. As they went downstairs together, Charlotte said:
"I shall depend on hearing from you very often, Eliza. "
"THAT you certainly shall. "
"And I have another favour to ask you. Will you come and see me?"
"We shall often meet, I hope, in Hertfordshire. "
"I am not likely to leave Kent for some time. Promise me, therefore, to come to Hunsford. "
Elizabeth could not refuse, though she foresaw little pleasure in the visit.
"My father and Maria are coming to me in March, " added Charlotte, "and I hope you will consent to be of the party. Indeed, Eliza, you will be as welcome as either of them. "
The wedding took place; the bride and bridegroom set off for Kent from the church door, and everybody had as much to say, or to hear, on the subject as usual. Elizabeth soon heard from her friend; and their correspondence was as regular and frequent as it had ever been; that it should be equally unreserved was impossible. Elizabeth could never address her without feeling that all the comfort of intimacy was over, and though determined not to slacken as a correspondent, it was for the sake of what had been, rather than what was. Charlotte's first letters were received with a good deal of eagerness; there could not but be curiosity to know how she would speak of her new home, how she would like Lady Catherine, and how happy she would dare pronounce herself to be; though, when the letters were read, Elizabeth felt that Charlotte expressed herself on every point exactly as she might have foreseen. She wrote cheerfully, seemed surrounded with comforts, and mentioned nothing which she could not praise. The house, furniture, neighbourhood, and roads, were all to her taste, and Lady Catherine's behaviour was most friendly and obliging. It was Mr. Collins's picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened; and Elizabeth perceived that she must wait for her own visit there to know the rest.
