the shortest of all his visits; and when he went away, he left my aunt in a worse humour than • ever I had seen her. The whole was discharged 'on me in the usual manner, by upbraiding me with my learning, conceit, and poverty; reminding me of obligations, and insisting on my going imme diately to service. With all this I was greatly pleased, as it assured me, that Mr. Bennet had said something to her in my favour; and I would have purchased a kind expression of his at almost any price.

I should scarce, however, have been so sanguine as to draw this conclusion, had I not received some hints, that I had not unhappily placed my 'affections on a man who made me no return; for though he had scarce addressed a dozen sentences to me (for, indeed, he had no opportunity), yet his eyes had revealed certain secrets to mine, with ⚫ which I was not displeased.

6

'I remained, however, in a state of anxiety near a month; sometimes pleasing myself with think'ing Mr. Bennet's heart was in the same situation with my own; sometimes doubting that my wishes had flattered and deceived me; and not in the least questioning that my aunt was my rival; for 'I thought no woman could be proof against the · charms that had subdued me. Indeed, Mrs. Booth, he was a charming young fellow; I must, I must pay this tribute to his memory-O, gracious heaven! why, why did I ever see him! why was I doomed to such misery?'-Here she burst into a flood of tears, and remained incapable of speech for some time; during which, the gentle Amelia endeavoured all she could to sooth her; and gave sufficient marks of sympathizing in the tender affliGtion of her friend.

Mrs. Bennet, at length, recovered her spirits, and proceeded, as in the next chapter.

CHAP. V. ·

The Story of Mrs. Bennet continued.

I SCARCE know where I left off-Oh! I was, I think, telling you, that I esteemed my aunt as my rival; and it is not easy to conceive a greater degree of detestation than I had for her; and what may perhaps appear strange, as she daily grew more and more civil to me, my hatred increased with her civility; for I imputed it all to her triumph over me, and to her having secured, beyond all apprehension, the heart I longed for.

How was I surprised, when one day, with as 'much good-humour as she was mistress of (for ⚫ her countenance was not very pleasing), she asked 'me, how I liked Mr. Bennet? The question, you ' will believe, Madam, threw me into great confu'sion; which she plainly perceived, and without waiting for my answer, told me, she was very well 'satisfied; for that it did not require her discern'ment to read my thoughts in my countenance. "Well, child," said she, "I have suspected this a 66 great while, and I believe it will please you to "know, that I yesterday made the same discovery "in your lover." This I confess to you, was more 'than I could well bear, and I begged her to say no more to me at that time, on that subject.

"Nay, child," answered she, "I must tell you all, "or I should not act a friendly part. Mr. Bennet, "I am convinced, hath a passion for you; but it " is a passion which, I think, you should not encou66 rage. For, to be plain with you, I fear he is in "love with your person only. Now this is a love, "child, which cannot produce that rational happi"ness which a woman of sense ought to expect.""In short, she ran on with a great deal of stuff about

• rational happiness, and woman of sense, and con'cluded, with assuring me, that, after the strictest scrutiny, she could not find that Mr. Bennet had 'an adequate opinion of my understanding; upon which she vouchsafed to make me many compliments, but mixed with several sarcasms concerning my learning.

I hope, Madam, however,' said she to Amelia, you have not so bad an opinion of my capacity, as to imagine me dull enough to be offended with Mr. Bennet's sentiments; for which I presently ' knew so well to account. I was, indeed, charmed with his ingenuity, who had discovered, perhaps, the only way of reconciling my aunt to those in'clinations, which I now assured myself he had for

'me.

I was not long left to support my hopes by my sagacity. He soon found an opportunity of declaring his passion. He did this in so forcible, though gentle a manner, with such a profusion of fervency and tenderness at once, that his love, like 'a torrent, bore every thing before it; and I am • almost ashamed to own to you, how very soon he prevailed upon me to-to-in short, to be an honest woman, and to confess to him the plain 'truth.

When we were upon a good footing together, 'he gave me a long relation of what had passed at several interviews with my aunt, at which I had not been present. He said, he had discovered, that as she valued herself chiefly on her understanding, so she was extremely jealous of mine, and hated me on account of my learning. That as he had loved me passionately from his first seeing me, and had thought of nothing from that time but of throwing himself at my feet, he saw no way so open to propitiate my aunt as that which he had taken, by commending my beauty; a perfection to which she had long resigned all

claim, at the expence of my understanding, in which he lamented my deficiency to a degree almost of ridicule. This he imputed chiefly to

my learning; on this occasion he advanced a sentiment, which so pleased my aunt, that she thought proper to make it her own; for I heard it after'wards more than once from her own mouth. Learning, he said, had the same effect on the 'mind that strong liquors have on the constitution'; 'both tending to eradicate all our natural fire and energy. His flattery had made such a dupe ' of my aunt, that she assented, without the least suspicion of his sincerity, to all he said; so sure is vanity to weaken every fortress of the under'standing, and to betray us to every attack of the " enemy.

6

You will believe, Madam, that I readily forgave him all he had said, not only from that mo'tive which I have mentioned, but as I was assured he had spoke the reverse of his real sentiments. I was not, however, quite so well pleased with my aunt, who began to treat me as if I was really an 'idiot. Her contempt, I own, a little piqued me'; and I could not help often expressing my resent'ment, when we were alone together, to Mr. Bennet; who never failed to gratify me, by making 'her conceit the subject of his wit; a talent which 'he possessed in the most extraordinary degree.

This proved of very fatal consequence; for one day, while we were enjoying my aunt in a very thick arbour in the garden, she stole upon us un'observed, and overheard our whole conversation. I wish, my dear, you understood Latin, that I might repeat you a sentence, in which the rage of a tigress, that hath lost her young, is described. 'No English poet, as I remember, hath come up 'to it; nor am I myself equal to the undertaking. She burst in upon us, open-mouthed, and ' after discharging every abusive word almost, in

the only language she understood, on poor Mr, Bennet, turned us both out of doors; declaring, "she would send my rags after me, but would never more permit me to set my foot within her thresh⚫ old.

• Consider, dear Madam, to what a wretched condition we were now reduced. I had not yet received the small legacy left me by my father; ⚫ nor was Mr. Bennet master of five pounds in the whole world.

In this situation, the man I doated on to distraction had but little difficulty to persuade me to ⚫ a proposal, w which, indeed, I thought generous in him to make; as it seemed to proceed from that ⚫ tenderness for my reputation, to which he ascribed it; indeed, it could proceed from no motive with ◄ which I should have been displeased. In a word, within two days we were man and wife.

'Mr. Bennet now declared himself the happiest ' of men; and for my part, I sincerely declare, I 'envied no woman upon earth.-How little, alas ! ⚫ did I then know, or suspect the price I was to pay ⚫ for all my joys.-A match of real love is, indeed, truly paradise; and such perfect happiness seems to be the forbidden fruit to mortals, which we are to lament having tasted during the rest of our • lives.

The first uneasiness which attacked us after our marriage was on my aunt's account. It was very disagreeable to live under the nose of so near a relation, who did not acknowledge us; but, on the contrary, was ever doing us all the ill turns in her power; and making a party against us in the parish, which is always easy enough to do amongst the vulgar, against persons who are their superiors in rank, and, at the same time, their inferiors in • fortune. This made Mr. Bennet think of procuring an exchange, in which intention he was soon after confirmed by the arrival of the rector.