Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the forty-ninth chapter of Pride and Prejudice.

Come with us as we release one bite a day of one of your favorite classic novels, plays & short stories. Bree reads these classics like she reads to her daughter, one chapter a day. If you love books or audiobooks and want something to listen to as you're getting ready, driving to work, or as you're getting ready for bed, check out Bite at a Time Books!

Follow, rate, and review Bite at a Time Books where we read you your favorite classics, one bite at a time. Available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Check out our website, or join our Facebook Group!

Get exclusive Behind the Scenes content on our YouTube!

We are now part of the Bite at a Time Books Productions network!

If you ever wondered what inspired your favorite classic novelist to write their stories, what was happening in their lives or the world at the time, check out Bite at a Time Books Behind the Story wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow us on all the socials: Instagram - Twitter - Facebook - TikTok

Follow Bree at: Instagram - Twitter - Facebook

Take it chapter by chapter one fight at a time so many adventures and mountains we can climb take it word for word, line by line one bite at a time.

Welcome to bite at a time books where we read you your favorite classics one bite at a time.

My name is Bre Carlisle and I love to read and wanted to share my passion with listeners like you.

If you want to know whats coming next and vote on upcoming books, sign up for our newsletter@biteatamebooks.com dot.

Youll also find our new t shirts in the shop, including podcast shirts and quote shirts from your favorite classic novels.

Be sure to follow my show on your favorite podcast platform so you get all the new episodes.

You can find most of our links in the show notes, but also our website byteadatimebooks.com includes all of the links for our show, including to our Patreon to support the show and YouTube where we have special behind the narration of the episodes.

We are part of the Byte at a Time Books productions network.

If youd also like to hear what inspired your favorite classic authors to write their novels and what was going on in the world at the time, check out the bite at a time books behind the story podcast.

Wherever you listen to podcasts, please note while we try to keep the text as close to the original as possible, some words have been changed to honor the marginalized communities who've identified the words as harmful and to stay in alignment with bite at a time book's brand values.

Today we'll be continuing pride and prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 49 two days after Mister Bennet's return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and, concluding that she came to call them to their mother, went forward to meet her.

But instead of the expected summons, when they approached her, she said to Miss Bennet, I beg your pardon madam for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town, so I took the liberty of coming to.

What do you mean, hill?

We have heard nothing from town.

Dear madame.

Cried misses Hill in great astonishment, dont you know there is an express come from master from Mister Gardner?

He has been here this half hour and master has had a letter away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech, they ran through the vestibule into the breakfast room, from thence to the library.

Their father was a neither, and they.

Were on the point of seeking him upstairs with their mother when they were met by the butler, who said, if you are looking for my master, Maam, he is walking towards the little copse.

Upon this information they instantly passed through the hall once more and ran across the lawn after their father, who was deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.

Jane, who was not so light, nor so much in the habit of running, as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath, came up with him and eagerly cried out, oh, papa, what news?

What news?

Have you heard from my uncle?

Yes, ive had a letter from him by express.

Well, and what news does it bring?

Good or bad?

What is there of good to be.

Expected, said he, taking the letter from his pocket.

But perhaps you would like to read it?

Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand.

Jane now came up.

Read it aloud, said their father, for I hardly know myself what it is about.

Gracechurch Street Monday, August 2 my dear brother, at last I'm able to send.

You some tidings of my niece, and.

As such, upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction.

Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were the particulars I reserve till we meet.

It is enough to know they are discovered.

I have seen them both, and it is as I always hoped, cried Jane.

They are married.

Elizabeth, read on.

I have seen them both.

They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so.

But if you are willing to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will not be long before they are.

All that is required of you is to assure to your daughter, by settlement her equal share of the 5000 pounds secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister, and moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her during your life 100 pounds per annum.

These are the conditions which, considering everything, I had no hesitation in complying with as far as I thought myself privileged for you.

I shall send this by express that no time may be lost in bringing me your answer.

You will easily comprehend from these particulars that Mister Wickhams circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be.

The world has been deceived in that respect, and im happy to say there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle on my knees.

In addition to our own fortune.

If, as I conclude, will be the case, you send me full powers to act in your name throughout the whole of this business.

I will immediately give directions to Hagerston for preparing a proper settlement.

There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again.

Therefore stay quietly at Longbourn, and depend on my diligence and care.

Send back your answer as soon as you can, and be careful to write explicitly.

We have judged it best that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you will approve.

She comes to us today.

I shall write again as soon as anything more is determined on yours, etcetera.

Edwin Gardner.

Is it possible?

Cried Elizabeth when she had finished.

Can it be possible that he will marry her?

Wickham is not so undeserving then, as we have thought him, said her sister.

My dear father, I congratulate you.

And have you answered the letter?

Said Elizabeth.

No, but it must be done soon.

Most earnestly did she then entreat him to lose no more time before he wrote.

My dear father.

She cried.

Come back and write immediately.

Consider how important every moment is in such a case.

Let me write for you, said Jane.

If you dislike the trouble yourself.

I dislike it very much, he replied, but it must be done.

And so saying, he turned back with them and walked towards the house.

And may I ask, said Elizabeth, but.

The terms, I suppose, must be complied with.

Complied with.

I am only ashamed of his asking so little.

And they must marry.

Yet he is such a man.

Yes, yes, they must marry.

Theres nothing else to be done.

But there are two things that I want very much to know.

One is how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about.

And the other, how am I ever.

To pay him money?

My uncle?

Cried Jane.

What do you mean, sir?

I mean that no man in his proper senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as 100 a year during my life, and 50 after Im gone.

That is very true, said Elizabeth, though.

It had not occurred to me before, his debts to be discharged, and something still to remain.

Oh, it must be my uncles doings.

Generous, good man.

Im afraid he has distressed himself.

A small sum could not do all this.

No, said her father.

Wickhams a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than 10,000 pounds.

I should be sorry to think so ill of him in the very beginning of our relationship.

10,000 pounds?

Heaven forbid.

How is half such a sum to be repaid?

Mister Bennet made no answer, and each of them, deep in thought, continued silent till they reached the house.

Their father then went to the library to write, and the girls walked into the breakfast room.

And they are really to be married.

Cried Elizabeth as soon as they were by themselves.

How strange this is.

And for this we are to be thankful that they should marry, such as is their chance of happiness, and wretched as is his character, we are forced to rejoice.

Oh, Lydia, I comfort myself with thinking, replied Jane, that he certainly would not marry Lydia if he had not a.

Real regard for her.

Though our kind uncle has done something towards clearing him.

I cannot believe that 10,000 pounds, or anything like it, has been advanced.

He has children of his own, and may have more.

How could he spare half 10,000 pounds?

If we are ever able to learn what Wickhams debts have been, said Elizabeth, and how much is settled on his side, on our sister, we shall exactly know what Mister Gardner has done for.

Them, because Wickham has not sixpence of his own.

The kindness of my uncle and aunt can never be requited.

Their taking her home, and affording her their personal protection and countenance, is such a sacrifice to her advantage, as years of gratitude cannot enough acknowledge.

By this time shes actually with them.

If such goodness does not make her miserable now, she will never deserve to be happy.

What a meeting for her when she first sees my aunt.

We must endeavor to forget all that has passed on either side, said Jane.

I hope and trust they will yet be happy.

His consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that he has come to a right way of thinking.

Their mutual affection will steady them, and I flatter myself that they will settle so quietly, and live in so rational a manner as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten.

Their conduct has been such, replied Elizabeth, as neither you nor I, nor anybody can ever forget.

It is useless to talk of it.

It now occurred to the girls that their mother was in all likelihood perfectly ignorant of what had happened.

They went to the library, therefore, and asked their father whether he would not wish them to make it known to her.

He was writing, and without raising his.

Head coolly, replied, just as you please.

May we take my uncles letter to read to her?

Take whatever you like and get away.

Elizabeth took the letter from his writing table, and they went upstairs together.

Mary and Kitty were both with Misses Bennet.

One communication would therefore do for all.

After a slight preparation for good news, the letter was read aloud.

Misses Bennet could hardly contain herself.

As soon as Jane had read Mister Gardner's hope of Lydia's being soon married, her joy burst forth, and every following sentence added to its exuberance.

She was now in irritation, as violent from delight as she had ever been, fidgety from alarm and vexation, to know that her daughter would be married was enough.

She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct.

My dear, dear Lydia, she cried.

This is delightful indeed.

She will be married.

I shall see her again.

Shell be married at 16.

My good, kind brother, I knew how it would be.

I knew he would manage everything.

How I longed to see her, and to see dear Wickham too.

But the clothes.

The wedding clothes.

I will write to my sister Gardner about them directly.

Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father and ask him how much he will give her.

Stay, stay.

I will go myself.

Ring the bell, kitty, for hill.

I will put on my things in a moment.

My dear, dear Lydia, how merry we shall be together when we meet.

Her eldest daughter endeavored to give some relief to the violence of these transports by leading her thoughts to the obligations which mister Gardner's behavior laid them all under.

For we must attribute this happy conclusion, she added in a great measure, to his kindness.

We are persuaded that he has pledged.

Himself to assist Mister Wickham with money.

Well.

Cried her mother, it is all very right who should do it but her own uncle?

If he had not had a family of his own, I and my children must have had all his money, you know, and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him except a few presents.

Well, I am so happy.

In a short time I shall have a daughter married.

Misses Wickham, how well it sounds.

And she was only 16 last June.

My dear Jane, I am in such a flutter that I am sure I cant write.

So I will dictate and you write for me.

We will settle with your father about the money afterwards, but the things should be ordered immediately.

She was then proceeding to all the particulars of calico, Muslin, and Cambric, and would shortly have dictated some very plentiful orders.

Had not Jane, though with some difficulty, persuaded her to wait till her father was at leisure to be consulted?

One days delay, she observed, would be of small importance, and her mother was too happy to be quite so obstinate as usual.

Other schemes too, came into her head.

I will go to Meriden, said she, as soon as im dressed, and tell the good, good news to my sister Phillips.

And as I come back, I can call on Lady Lucas and misses long.

Kitty, run down and order the carriage.

An airing would do me a great deal of good, I am sure.

Girls, can I do anything for you and Merriton?

Oh, here comes Hill.

My dear Hill, have you heard the good news?

Miss Lydias going to be married, and you shall all have a bowl of punch to make merry at her wedding.

Misses Hill began instantly to express her joy.

Elizabeth received her congratulations amongst the rest and then, sick of this folly, took refuge in her own room.

That she might think with freedom poor Lydias situation must at best be bad enough, but that it was no worse.

She had need to be thankful she felt it so.

And though in looking forward, neither rational happiness nor worldly prosperity could be justly expected for her sister, and looking back to what they had feared only 2 hours ago, she felt all the advantages of what they had gained.

Thank you for joining bite at a time books today while we read a bite of one of your favorite classics.

Again, my name is Bree Carlisle and I hope you come back tomorrow for the next bite of pride and prejudice.

Dont forget to sign up for our newsletter@biteaudatimebooks.com and check out the shop.

You can check out the show notes or our website, byteadatimebooks.com for the rest of the links for our show.

Wed love to hear from you on social media as well.

Many adventures and mountains we can climb.

Take your word forward, line by line, one bite at a time.