Mary was the only daughter who remained at home; and she was necessarily drawn from the pursuit of accomplishments by Mrs.Bennet's being quite unable to sit alone.Mary was obliged to mix more with the world,but she could still moralize over every morning visit;and as she was no longer mortified by comparisons between her sisters' beauty and her own,it was suspected by her father that she submitted to the change without much reluctance.
Though Darcy could never receive him at Pemberley, yet, for Elizabeth's sake,he assisted him further in his profession.Lydia was occasionally a visitor there, when her husband was gone to enjoy himself in London or Bath; and with the Bingleys they both of them frequently stayed so long,that even Bingley's good humour was overcome,and he proceeded so far as to talk of giving them a hint to be gone.
“Yours,etc.”
“My Dear Lizzy,
As for Wickham and Lydia,their characters suffered no revolution from the marriage of her sisters. He bore with philosophy the conviction that Elizabeth must now become acquainted with whatever of his ingratitude and falsehood had before been unknown to her;and in spite of every thing,was not wholly without hope that Darcy might yet be prevailed on to make his fortune.The congratulatory letter which Elizabeth received from Lydia on her marriage,explained to her that,by his wife at least,if not by himself,such a hope was cherished.The letter was to this effect: