“Oh!Jane,”cried Elizabeth,“was there a servant belonging to it who did not know the whole story before the end of the day?”
“Your affectionate friend,
“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.”
“Could Colonel Forster repeat the particulars of Lydia's note to his wife?”
“MY DEAR HARRIET,
“But not before they went to Brighton?”
Jane then took it from her pocket-book,and gave it to Elizabeth. These were the contents:
“Perhaps it would have been better,”replied her sister.
“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.”
“I do not know.I hope there was.But to be guarded at such a time is very difficult.My mother was in hysterics,and though I endeavoured to give her every assistance in my power,I am afraid I did not do so much as I might have done! But the horror of what might possibly happen almost took from me my faculties.”