，最快更新傲慢与偏见最新章节！“do not give wayuseless alarm,”added he;“thoughis rightbe prepared for the worst,thereno occasionlookit anot quiteek since they leew days more,we may gain some newsthem;and tillknow that they are not married,and havedesignmarrying,do not letgive the matter oveoonI gettown I shalltobrother,and make him e home withto Gracechurch Street;and thenmay consult togetherto whattodone.”
“oh!dear brother,”replie,“thatexactly what I could most wis now do,when you gettown, find them out,wherever they may be;andthey are not married already,make thefor wedding clothes,do not let them wait for that,but tell Lydia she shall havemuch moneyshe choosesbuy them,after they ar,above all things,keep mr.Be fro him whareadful state Iin,that Ifrighted outmy wits—and have such tremblings,such flutterings,all over me—such spasmsmy side and painsmy head,and such beatingsheart,that I can getrestnight noelldear Lydia notgive any directions about her clothes till she has seen me,for she does not know which are the bes,brother,how kind you are!I know you will contriveall.”
But mr. Gardiner, thoughassured her againhis earnest endeavoursthe cause, could not avoid remending moderationher,as wellher hopesher fear;and after talking with herthis manner till dinner wasthe table,they all left hervent all her feelingsthe housekeeper,who attendedthe absenceher daughters.
Though her brother and sister were persuaded that there wasreal occasion for suceclusion from the family,they did not attemptoppose it,for they knew that she had not prudence enoughhold her tongue before the servants,while they waitedtable,and judgedbetter that one onlythe household,and the one whom they could most trust should prehend all her fears and solicitudethe subject.
In the dining-room they were soon joinedmary and Kitty, who had been too busily engagedtheir separate apartmentsmake their appearanc came from her books,and the other fromfacesboth,however,were tolerably calm;andchange was visibleeither,except that the lossher favourite sister,or the anger which she had herself incurredthis business,had given morefretfulness than usualthe accentor mary,she was mistress enoughherselfwhisperElizabeth,witountenancegrave reflection, soon after they were seatedtable:
“Thisa most unfortunate affair, and will probablymuch talked of.Butmust stem the tidemalice,and pour into the wounded bosomseach other the balmsisterly consolation.”
Then, perceivingElizabethinclinationreplying, she added,“Unhappythe event mustfor Lydia,may draw fromthis useful lesson: that lossvirtuea femaleirretrievable; that one false step involves herendless ruin;that her reputationno less brittle thanis beautiful;and that she cannottoo much guardedher behaviour towards the undeservingthe other sex.”
Elizabeth liftedher eyesamazement,but was too much oppressedmake an,however,continuedconsole herself with such kindmoral extractions from the evil before them.
In the afternoon,the two elder miss Bes were ablebe for half-an-hourthemselves; and Elizabeth instantly availed herselfthe opportunitymaking any inquiries, which Jane was equally eageoininggeneral lamentations over the dreadful sequelthis event,which Elizabeth consideredall but certain,and misscould not assertbe wholly impossible,the former continued the subject,by saying,“But tellall and everything aboutwhich I have not alreadfurthe did Colonel Forster say?Had theyapprehensionanything before the elopement took place?They must have seen them together for ever.”
“Colonel Forster did own thathad often suspected some partiality,especiallyLydia's side,but nothinggive himso grieved for him!His behaviour was attentive and kindth was ingus,in orderassureof his concern,beforehad any ideatheir not being goo Scotland:when that apprehension first got abroad,it hastened his journey.”
“And was denny convinced that wickham would not marry? didknowtheir intendinggo off?Had Colonel Forster seen denny himself?”
“Yes; but, when questionedhim, denny denied knowing anythingtheir plans,and would not give his real opinion about it.did not repeat his persuasiontheir not marrying—and from that, Iinclinedhope,might have been misunderstood before.”
“And till Colonel Forster came himself, not oneyou entertaineoubt,I suppose,of their being really married?”