Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 424 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 424

JANE AUSTEN

“From what we have seen of him,” continued

Mrs. Gardiner, “I really should not have thought that

he could have behaved in so cruel a way by anybody

as he has done by poor Wickham. He has not an

ill-natured look. On the contrary, there is something

pleasing about his mouth when he speaks. And there

is something of dignity in his countenance that would

not give one an unfavourable idea of his heart. But, to

be sure, the good lady who showed us his house did

give him a most flaming character! I could hardly help

laughing aloud sometimes. But he is a liberal master, I

suppose, and that in the eye of a servant comprehends

every virtue.”

Elizabeth here felt herself called on to say something

in vindication of his behaviour to Wickham; and

therefore gave them to understand, in as guarded a

manner as she could, that by what she had heard from

his relations in Kent, his actions were capable of a

very different construction; and that his character was

by no means so faulty, nor Wickham’s so amiable,

as they had been considered in Hertfordshire. In

confirmation of this, she related the particulars of all

the pecuniary transactions in which they had been

connected, without actually naming her authority, but

stating it to be such as might be relied on.

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