Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 636 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 636

JANE AUSTEN

three or four hundred a year; but however, do not speak

to Mr. Darcy about it, if you had rather not.

“Yours, etc.”

As it happened that Elizabeth had much rather

not, she endeavoured in her answer to put an end

to every entreaty and expectation of the kind. Such

relief, however, as it was in her power to afford, by

the practice of what might be called economy in her

own private expences, she frequently sent them. It

had always been evident to her that such an income

as theirs, under the direction of two persons so extrav-

agant in their wants, and heedless of the future, must

be very insufficient to their support; and whenever

they changed their quarters, either Jane or herself

were sure of being applied to for some little assistance

towards discharging their bills. Their manner of living,

even when the restoration of peace dismissed them

to a home, was unsettled in the extreme. They were

always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap

situation, and always spending more than they ought.

His affection for her soon sunk into indifference; her’s

lasted a little longer; and in spite of her youth and

her manners, she retained all the claims to reputation

which her marriage had given her.

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