，最快更新傲慢与偏见最新章节！“How waspossible that suchidea should enter our brains? I felittle uneasy—a little fearfulmy sister's happiness with himmarriage,because I knew that his conduct had not been always quit father and mother knew nothingthat;they only felt how imprudenatchmust be. Kitty then owned, witery natural triumphknowing more than the restus,thatLydia's last letter she had prepared her for such had known,it seems,of their beinglove with each other,many weeks.”
“But not before they wentBrighton?”
“No,I believe not.”
“And did Colonel Forster appearthink illwickham himself?doesknow his real character?”
“I must confess thatdid not speakwellwickhamhe formerl believed himbe imprudentsince this sad affair has taken place,is said thatleft meryton greatlydebt;but I hope this mayfalse.”
“oh,Jane,hadbeen less secret,hadtold whatknewhim,this could not have happened!”
“Perhapswould have been better,”replied her sister.
“Butexpose the former faultsany person without knowing what their present feelings were,seeme acted with the best intentions.”
“Could Colonel Forster repeat the particularsLydia's notehis wife?”
“He broughtwith him forto see.”
Jahen tookfrom her pocket-book,and gavet were the contents:
“mY dEAR HARRIET,
“You will laugh when you know where Igone,and I cannot help laughing myselfyour surprise to-morrow morning,as soonI a goingGretna Green,andyou cannot guess with who, I shall think yoimpleton, for therebut one manthe world I love,andieverhappy without him,so thinkno harmb need not send them wordLongbournmy going,if younot like it, forwill make the surprise the greater,when I writethem and signname 'Lydia wickham.'whaood jokewill be!I can hardly writemakeexcusesPratt for not keepingengagement,and dancing withhim I hopewill excusewhenknows all;and tell him I will dance with himthe next ballmeet,with grea send forclothes when I getLongbourn;but I wish you would tell Sallymenreat slitmy worked muslin gown before they are packed up. loveColone you will drinkour good journey.
“Your affectionate friend,
“LYdIA BENNET.”
“oh! thoughtless, thoughtless Lydia!”cried Elizabeth when she had finished it.“whaetterthis,towrittensuent!Butleastshows that she was seriousthe subjecttheimight afterwards persuade her to,was nother sidchemoor father!howmust have felt it!”
“I never saw anyonould not speaord for fullmother was taken ill immediately, and the whole housesuch confusion!”
“oh!Jane,”cried Elizabeth,“was therervant belongingit who did not know the whole story before the endthe day?”
“Ino therbe guardedsucimever mother washysterics,and though I endeavouredgive her every assistancemy power,Iafraid I did notso muchI might have done! But the horrorwhat might possibly happen almost took frommy faculties.”
“Your attendance upon her has been too muchdo not loo that I had been with you!You have had every care and anxiety upon yourself alone.”
“mary and Kitty have been very kind,and would have sharedevery fatigue,Isure;but I did not thinkright for either oslight and delicate;and mary studiesmuch,that her hoursrepose should aunt Phillips cameLongbournTuesday,afterfather went away;and wasgoodto stay till Thursday with me.She wasgreat use and fortu Lady Lucas has been very kind;she walked herewednesday morningcondole with us,and offered her services,or anyher daughters',if they shouldof useus.”
“She had better have stayedhome,”cried Elizabeth;“perhaps she meant well,but,under sucisfortunethis,one cannot see too littleone'impossible;condolenc them triumph overaistance, andsatisfied.”
She then proceededinquire into the measures which her father had intendedpursue,whiletown,for the recoveryhis daughter.
“He meant I believe,”replied Jane,“toto Epsom,the place where they last changed horses, see the postilions and tryanything couldmade out fro principal object mustto discover the numberthe hackney coach which took them fro had e witare from London;andhe thought that the circumstancea gentleman and lady's removing from one carriage into another mightremarkedmeantmake inquiries acould anyhow discoverwhat house the coachman had before set down his fare,he determinedmake inquiries there,and hopedmight notimpossiblefind out the stand and numberth not knowany other designs thathad formed;butwassucurrybe gone,and his spiritsgreatly disposed,that I had difficultyfinding out evenmuchthis.”