housekeeper, who attended in the absence of her daughters.
Though her brother and sister were persuaded that there was no real occasion for such a
seclusion from the family, they did not attempt to oppose it, for they knew that she had not
prudence enough to hold her tongue before the servants, while they waited at table, and judged it
better that ONE only of the household, and the one whom they could most trust should
comprehend all her fears and solicitude on the subject.
In the dining-room they were soon joined by Mary and Kitty, who had been too busily engaged
in their separate apartments to make their appearance before. One came from her books, and the
other from her toilette. The faces of both, however, were tolerably calm; and no change was
visible in either, except that the loss of her favourite sister, or the anger which she had herself
incurred in this business, had given more of fretfulness than usual to the accents of Kitty. As for
Mary, she was mistress enough of herself to whisper to Elizabeth, with a countenance of grave
reflection, soon after they were seated at table:
"This is a most unfortunate affair, and will probably be much talked of. But we must stem the
tide of malice, and pour into the wounded bosoms of each other the balm of sisterly consolation."
Then, perceiving in Elizabeth no inclination of replying, she added, "Unhappy as the event must
be for Lydia, we may draw from it this useful lesson: that loss of virtue in a female is
irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle
than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the
undeserving of the other sex."
Elizabeth lifted up her eyes in amazement, but was too much oppressed to make any reply. Mary,
however, continued to console herself with such kind of moral extractions from the evil before
them.
In the afternoon, the two elder Miss Bennets were able to be for half-an-hour by themselves; and
Elizabeth instantly availed herself of the opportunity of making any inquiries, which Jane was
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equally eager to satisfy. After joining in general lamentations over the dreadful sequel of this
event, which Elizabeth considered as all but certain, and Miss Bennet could not assert to be
wholly impossible, the former continued the subject, by saying, "But tell me all and everything
about it which I have not already heard. Give me further particulars. hat did Colonel Forster say?
Had they no apprehension of anything before the elopement took place? They must have seen
them together for ever."
"Colonel Forster did own that he had often suspected some partiality, especially on Lydia's side,
but nothing to give him any alarm. I am so grieved for him! His behaviour was attentive and kind
to the utmost. He WAS coming to us, in order to assure us of his concern, before he had any idea
of their not being gone to Scotland: when that apprehension first got abroad, it hastened his
journey."
"And was Denny convinced that Wickham would not marry? Did he know of their intending to
go off? Had Colonel Forster seen Denny himself?"
"Yes; but, when questioned by HIM, Denny denied knowing anything of their plans, and would
not give his real opinion about it. He did not repeat his persuasion of their not marrying—and
from THAT, I am inclined to hope, he might have been misunderstood before."
"And till Colonel Forster came himself, not one of you entertained a doubt, I suppose, of their
being really married?"
"How was it possible that such an idea should enter our brains? I felt a little uneasy—a little
fearful of my sister's happiness with him in marriage, because I knew that his conduct had not
been always quite right. My father and mother knew nothing of that; they only felt how
imprudent a match it must be. Kitty then owned, with a very natural triumph on knowing more
than the rest of us, that in Lydia's last letter she had prepared her for such a step. She had known,
it seems, of their being in love with each other, many weeks."
"But not before they went to Brighton?"
"No, I believe not."
"And did Colonel Forster appear to think well of Wickham himself? Does he know his real
character?"
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"I must confess that he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did. He believed him to
be imprudent and extravagant. And since this sad affair has taken place, it is said that he left
Meryton greatly in debt; but I hope this may be false."
"Oh, Jane, had we been less secret, had we told what we knew of him, this could not have
happened!"
"Perhaps it would have been better," replied her sister. "But to expose the former faults of any
person without knowing what their present feelings were, seemed unjustifiable. We acted with
the best intentions."
"Could Colonel Forster repeat the particulars of Lydia's note to his wife?"
"He brought it with him for us to see."
Jane then took it from her pocket-book, and gave it to Elizabeth. These were the contents:
"MY DEAR HARRIET,
"You will laugh when you know where I am gone, and I cannot help laughing myself at your
surprise to-morrow morning, as soon as I am missed. I am going to Gretna Green, and if you
cannot guess with who, I shall think you a simpleton, for there is but one man in the world I love,
and he is an angel. I should never be happy without him, so think it no harm to be off. You need
not send them word at Longbourn of my going, if you do not like it, for it will make the surprise
the greater, when I write to them and sign my name 'Lydia Wickham.' What a good joke it will
be! I can hardly write for laughing. Pray make my excuses to Pratt for not keeping my
engagement, and dancing with him to-night. Tell him I hope he will excuse me when he knows
all; and tell him I will dance with him at the next ball we meet, with great pleasure. I shall send
for my clothes when I get to Longbourn; but I wish you would tell Sally to mend a great slit in
my worked muslin gown before they are packed up. Good-bye. Give my love to Colonel Forster.
I hope you will drink to our good journey.
"Your affectionate friend,
"LYDIA BENNET."
"Oh! thoughtless, thoughtless Lydia!" cried Elizabeth when she had finished it. What a letter is
this, to be written at such a moment! But at least it shows that SHE was serious on the subject of
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their journey. Whatever he might afterwards persuade her to, it was not on her side a SCHEME
of infamy. My poor father! how he must have felt it!"
"I never saw anyone so shocked. He could not speak a word for full ten minutes. My mother was
taken ill immediately, and the whole house in such confusion!"
"Oh! Jane," cried Elizabeth, "was there a servant belonging to it who did not know the whole
story before the end of the day?"