“It is no such thing. Lydia does not leave me because she is married,but only because her husband's regiment happens to be so far off. If that had been nearer, she would not have gone so soon.”
The loss of her daughter made Mrs.Bennet very dull for several days.
“You may depend on it,”replied the other,“for Mrs.Nicholls was in Meryton last night; I saw her passing by, and went out myself on purpose to know the truth of it;and she told me that it was certain true.He comes down on Thursday at the latest,very likely on Wednesday.She was going to the butcher's,she told me, on purpose to order in some meat on Wednesday,and she has got three couple of ducks just fit to be killed.”
In spite of what her sister declared,and really believed to be her feelings in the expectation of his arrival, Elizabeth could easily perceive that her spirits were affected by it.They were more disturbed,more unequal,than she had often seen them.
The day of his and Lydia's departure soon came,and Mrs.Bennet was forced to submit to a separation,which,as her husband by no means entered into her scheme of their all going to Newcastle,was likely to continue at least a twelvemonth.
His wife represented to him how absolutely necessary such an attention would be from all the neighbouring gentlemen,on his returning to Netherfield.