"donotgivewaytouselessalarm,"addedhe;"thoughitisrighttobepreparedfortheworst,thereisnooccasiontolookonitascertain.itisnotquiteaweeksincetheyleftbrighton.inafewdaysmore,wemaygainsomenewsofthem,andtillweknowthattheyarenotmarried,andhavenodesignofmarrying,donotletusgivethematteroveraslost.assoonasigettotown,ishallgotomybrotherandmakehimcomehomewithmetogracechurchstreet,andthenwemayconsulttogetherastowhatistobedone."

"oh!mydearbrother,"repliedmrs.bennet,"thatisexactlywhaticouldmostwishfor.andnowdo,whenyougettotown,findthemout,wherevertheymaybe;andiftheyarenotmarriedalready,makethemmarry.andasforweddingclothes,donotletthemwaitforthat,buttelllydiasheshallhaveasmuchmoneyasshechusestobuythem,aftertheyaremarried.and,aboveallthings,keepmr.bennetfromfighting.tellhimwhatadreadfulstateiamin,—thatiamfrightenedoutofmywits;andhavesuchtremblings,suchflutteringsallovermesuchspasmsinmyside,andpainsinmyhead,andsuchbeatingsatheart,thaticangetnorestbynightnorbyday.andtellmydearlydia,nottogiveanydirectionsaboutherclothestillshehasseenme,forshedoesnotknowwhicharethebestwarehouses.oh,brother,howkindyouare!iknowyouwillcontriveitall."

butmr.gardiner,thoughheassuredheragainofhisearnestendeavoursinthecause,couldnotavoidrecommendingmoderationtoher,aswellinherhopesasherfears;and,aftertalkingwithherinthismannertilldinnerwasontable,theylefthertoventallherfeelingsonthehousekeeper,whoattendedintheabsenceofherdaughters.

thoughherbrotherandsisterwerepersuadedthattherewasnorealoccasionforsuchaseclusionfromthefamily,theydidnotattempttoopposeit,fortheyknewthatshehadnotprudenceenoughtoholdhertonguebeforetheservantswhiletheywaitedattable,andjudgeditbetterthatoneonlyofthehousehold,andtheonewhomtheycouldmosttrust,shouldcomprehendallherfearsandsolicitudeonthesubject.

inthedining-roomtheyweresoonjoinedbymaryandkitty,whohadbeentoobusilyengagedintheirseparateapartments,tomaketheirappearancebefore.onecamefromherbooks,andtheotherfromhertoilette.thefacesofboth,however,weretolerablycalm;andnochangewasvisibleineither,exceptthatthelossofherfavouritesister,ortheangerwhichshehadherselfincurredinthebusiness,hadgivensomethingmoreoffretfulnessthanusualtotheaccentsofkitty.asformary,shewasmistressenoughofherselftowhispertoelizabeth,withacountenanceofgravereflection,soonaftertheywereseatedattable,"thisisamostunfortunateaffair;andwillprobablybemuchtalkedof.butwemuststemthetideofmalice,andpourintothewoundedbosomsofeachotherthebalmofsisterlyconsolation."

then,perceivinginelizabethnoinclinationofreplying,sheadded,"unhappyastheeventmustbeforlydia,wemaydrawfromitthisusefullesson:thatlossofvirtueinafemaleisirretrievable—thatonefalsestepinvolvesherinendlessruin—thatherreputationisnolessbrittlethanitisbeautiful,—andthatshecannotbetoomuchguardedinherbehaviourtowardstheundeservingoftheothersex."

elizabethlifteduphereyesinamazement,butwastoomuchoppressedtomakeanyreply.mary,however,continuedtoconsoleherselfwithsuchkindofmoralextractionsfromtheevilbeforethem.

intheafternoon,thetwoeldermissbennetswereabletobeforhalfanhourbythemselves;andelizabethinstantlyavailedherselfoftheopportunityofmakingmanyenquiries,whichjanewasequallyeagertosatisfy.afterjoiningingenerallamentationsoverthedreadfulsequelofthisevent,whichelizabethconsideredasallbutcertain,andmissbennetcouldnotasserttobewhollyimpossible,theformercontinuedthesubjectbysaying,"buttellmeallandeverythingaboutitwhichihavenotalreadyheard.givemefartherparticulars.whatdidcolonelforstersay?hadtheynoapprehensionofanythingbeforetheelopementtookplace?theymusthaveseenthemtogetherforever."

"colonelforsterdidownthathehadoftensuspectedsomepartiality,especiallyonlydia'sside,butnothingtogivehimanyalarm.iamsogrievedforhim.hisbehaviourwasattentiveandkindtotheutmost.hewascomingtous,inordertoassureusofhisconcern,beforehehadanyideaoftheirnotbeinggonetoscotland;whenthatapprehensionfirstgotabroad,ithastenedhisjourney."

"andwasdennyconvincedthatwickhamwouldnotmarry?didheknowoftheirintendingtogooff?hadcolonelforsterseendennyhimself?"

"yes;butwhenquestionedbyhim,dennydeniedknowinganythingoftheirplan,andwouldnotgivehisrealopinionaboutit.hedidnotrepeathispersuasionoftheirnotmarrying—andfromthat,iaminclinedtohope,hemighthavebeenmisunderstoodbefore."

"andtillcolonelforstercamehimself,notoneofyouentertainedadoubt,isuppose,oftheirbeingreallymarried?"

"howwasitpossiblethatsuchanideashouldenterourbrains!ifeltalittleuneasyalittlefearfulofmysister'shappinesswithhiminmarriage,becauseiknewthathisconducthadnotbeenalwaysquiteright.myfatherandmotherknewnothingofthat,theyonlyfelthowimprudentamatchitmustbe.kittythenowned,withaverynaturaltriumphonknowingmorethantherestofus,thatinlydia'slastlettershehadpreparedherforsuchastep.shehadknown,itseems,oftheirbeinginlovewitheachothermanyweeks."

"butnotbeforetheywenttobrighton?"

"no,ibelievenot."

"anddidcolonelforsterappeartothinkillofwickhamhimself?doesheknowhisrealcharacter?"

"imustconfessthathedidnotspeaksowellofwickhamasheformerlydid.hebelievedhimtobeimprudentandextravagant.andsincethissadaffairhastakenplace,itissaidthatheleftmerytongreatlyindebt;butihopethismaybefalse."

"oh,jane,hadwebeenlesssecret,hadwetoldwhatweknewofhim,thiscouldnothavehappened!"

"perhapsitwouldhavebeenbetter,"repliedhersister."buttoexposetheformerfaultsofanyperson,withoutknowingwhattheirpresentfeelingswere,seemedunjustifiable.weactedwiththebestintentions."

"couldcolonelforsterrepeattheparticularsoflydia'snotetohiswife?"

"hebroughtitwithhimforustosee."

janethentookitfromherpocketbook,andgaveittoelizabeth.thesewerethecontents:

"mydearharriet,

youwilllaughwhenyouknowwhereiamgone,andicannothelplaughingmyselfatyoursurprisetomorrowmorning,assoonasiammissed.iamgoingtogretnagreen,andifyoucannotguesswithwho,ishallthinkyouasimpleton,forthereisbutonemanintheworldilove,andheisanangel.ishouldneverbehappywithouthim,sothinkitnoharmtobeoff.youneednotsendthemwordatlongbournofmygoing,ifyoudonotlikeit,foritwillmakethesurprisethegreaterwheniwritetothemandsignmynamelydiawickham.whatagoodjokeitwillbe!icanhardlywriteforlaughing.praymakemyexcusestopratt,fornotkeepingmyengagementanddancingwithhimtonight.tellhimihopehewillexcusemewhenheknowsall,andtellhimiwilldancewithhimatthenextballwemeet,withgreatpleasure.ishallsendformyclotheswhenigettolongbourn;butiwishyouwouldtellsallytomendagreatslitinmyworkedmuslingownbeforetheyarepackedup.goodbye.givemylovetocolonelforster.ihopeyouwilldrinktoourgoodjourney.

youraffectionatefriend,

lydiabennet."

"oh!thoughtless,thoughtlesslydia!"criedelizabethwhenshehadfinishedit."whataletteristhis,tobewrittenatsuchamoment.butatleastitshewsthatshewasseriousintheobjectofherjourney.whateverhemightafterwardspersuadeherto,itwasnotonhersideaschemeofinfamy.mypoorfather!howhemusthavefeltit!"

"ineversawanyonesoshocked.hecouldnotspeakawordforfulltenminutes.mymotherwastakenillimmediately,andthewholehouseinsuchconfusion!"

"oh!jane!"criedelizabeth,"wasthereaservantbelongingtoit,whodidnotknowthewholestorybeforetheendoftheday?"

"idonotknow.—ihopetherewas.—buttobeguardedatsuchatime,isverydifficult.mymotherwasinhysterics,andthoughiendeavouredtogivehereveryassistanceinmypower,iamafraidididnotdosomuchasimighthavedone!butthehorrorofwhatmightpossiblyhappen,almosttookfrommemyfaculties."

"yourattendanceuponherhasbeentoomuchforyou.youdonotlookwell.oh!thatihadbeenwithyou,youhavehadeverycareandanxietyuponyourselfalone."

"maryandkittyhavebeenverykind,andwouldhavesharedineveryfatigue,iamsure,butididnotthinkitrightforeitherofthem.kittyisslightanddelicate,andmarystudiessomuch,thatherhoursofreposeshouldnotbebrokeninon.myauntphillipscametolongbournontuesday,aftermyfatherwentaway;andwassogoodastostaytillthursdaywithme.shewasofgreatuseandcomforttousall,andladylucashasbeenverykind;shewalkedhereonwednesdaymorningtocondolewithus,andofferedherservices,oranyofherdaughters,iftheycouldbeofusetous."

"shehadbetterhavestayedathome,"criedelizabeth;"perhapsshemeantwell,butundersuchamisfortuneasthis,onecannotseetoolittleofone'sneighbours.assistanceisimpossible;condolence,insufferable.letthemtriumphoverusatadistance,andbesatisfied."

shethenproceededtoenquireintothemeasureswhichherfatherhadintendedtopursue,whileintown,fortherecoveryofhisdaughter.

"hemeant,ibelieve,"repliedjane,"togotoepsom,theplacewheretheylastchangedhorses,seethepostillions,andtryifanythingcouldbemadeoutfromthem.hisprincipalobjectmustbetodiscoverthenumberofthehackneycoachwhichtookthemfromclapham.ithadcomewithafarefromlondon;andashethoughtthecircumstanceofagentlemanandlady'sremovingfromonecarriageintoanothermightberemarked,hemeanttomakeenquiriesatclapham.ifhecouldanyhowdiscoveratwhathousethecoachmanhadbeforesetdownhisfare,hedeterminedtomakeenquiriesthere,andhopeditmightnotbeimpossibletofindoutthestandandnumberofthecoach.idonotknowofanyotherdesignsthathehadformed:buthewasinsuchahurrytobegone,andhisspiritssogreatlydiscomposed,thatihaddifficultyinfindingoutevensomuchasthis."