“Ihavebeenthinkingitoveragain,Elizabeth,”saidheruncle,astheydrovefromthetown;“andreally,uponseriousconsideration,IammuchmoreinclinedthanIwastojudgeasyoureldestsisterdoesonthematter.Itappearstomesoveryunlikelythatanyyoungmanshouldformsuchadesignagainstagirlwhoisbynomeansunprotectedorfriendless,andwhowasactuallystayinginhiscolonelsfamily,thatIamstronglyinclinedtohopethebest.Couldheexpectthatherfriendswouldnotstepforward?Couldheexpecttobenoticedagainbytheregiment,aftersuchanaffronttoColonelForster?Histemptationisnotadequatetotherisk!”
“Doyoureallythinkso?”criedElizabeth,brighteningupforamoment.
“Uponmyword,”saidMrs.Gardiner,“Ibegintobeofyourunclesopinion.Itisreallytoogreataviolationofdecency,honour,andinterest,forhimtobeguiltyofit.IcannotthinksoveryillofWickhaCanyouyourself,Lizzy,sowhollygivehimup,astobelievehimcapableofit?”
“Not,perhaps,ofneglectinghisowninterest;butofeveryotherneglectIcanbelievehimcapable.If,indeed,itshouldbeso!ButIdarenothopeit.WhyshouldtheynotgoontoScotlandifthathadbeenthecase?”
“Inthefirstplace,”repliedMr.Gardiner,“thereisnoabsoluteproofthattheyarenotgonetoScotland.”
“Oh!buttheirremovingfromthechaiseintoahackneycoachissuchapresumption!And,besides,notracesofthemweretobefoundontheBarnetroad.”
“Well,then—supposingthemtobeinLondon.Theymaybethere,thoughforthepurposeofconcealment,fornomoreexceptionalpurpose.Itisnotlikelythatmoneyshouldbeveryabundantoneitherside;anditmightstrikethemthattheycouldbemoreeconomically,thoughlessexpeditiously,marriedinLondonthaninScotland.”
“Butwhyallthissecrecy?Whyanyfearofdetection?Whymusttheirmarriagebeprivate?Oh,no,no—thisisnotlikely.Hismostparticularfriend,youseebyJanesaccount,waspersuadedofhisneverintendingtomarryher.Wickhamwillnevermarryawomanwithoutsomemoney.Hecannotaffordit.AndwhatclaimshasLydia—whatattractionhasshebeyondyouth,health,andgoodhumourthatcouldmakehim,forhersake,foregoeverychanceofbenefitinghimselfbymarryingwell?Astowhatrestrainttheapprehensionsofdisgraceinthecorpsmightthrowonadishonourableelopementwithher,Iamnotabletojudge;forIknownothingoftheeffectsthatsuchastepmightproduce.Butastoyourotherobjection,Iamafraiditwillhardlyholdgood.Lydiahasnobrotherstostepforward;andhemightimagine,frommyfathersbehaviour,fromhisindolenceandthelittleattentionhehaseverseemedtogivetowhatwasgoingforwardinhisfamily,thathewoulddoaslittle,andthinkaslittleaboutit,asanyfathercoulddo,insuchamatter.”
“ButcanyouthinkthatLydiaissolosttoeverythingbutloveofhimastoconsenttolivewithhimonanytermsotherthanmarriage?”
“Itdoesseem,anditismostshockingindeed,”repliedElizabeth,withtearsinhereyes,“thatasisterssenseofdecencyandvirtueinsuchapointshouldadmitofdoubt.But,really,Iknownotwhattosay.PerhapsIamnotdoingherjustice.Butsheisveryyoung;shehasneverbeentaughttothinkonserioussubjects;andforthelasthalf-year,nay,foratwelvemonth—shehasbeengivenuptonothingbutamusementandvanity.Shehasbeenallowedtodisposeofhertimeinthemostidleandfrivolousmanner,andtoadoptanyopinionsthatcameinherway.Sincethe—shirewerefirstquarteredinMeryton,nothingbutlove,flirtation,andofficershavebeeninherhead.Shehasbeendoingeverythinginherpowerbythinkingandtalkingonthesubject,togivegreater—whatshallIcallit?susceptibilitytoherfeelings;whicharenaturallylivelyenough.AndweallknowthatWickhamhaseverycharmofpersonandaddressthatcancaptivateawoman.”
“ButyouseethatJane,”saidheraunt,“doesnotthinksoveryillofWickhamastobelievehimcapableoftheattempt.”
“OfwhomdoesJaneeverthinkill?Andwhoisthere,whatevermightbetheirformerconduct,thatshewouldthinkcapableofsuchanattempt,tillitwereprovedagainstthem?ButJaneknows,aswellasIdo,whatWickhamreallyis.Webothknowthathehasbeenprofligateineverysenseoftheword;thathehasneitherintegritynorhonour;thatheisasfalseanddeceitfulasheisinsinuating.”
“Anddoyoureallyknowallthis?”criedMrs.Gardiner,whosecuriosityastothemodeofherintelligencewasallalive.
“Idoindeed,”repliedElizabeth,colouring.“Itoldyou,theotherday,ofhisinfamousbehaviourtoMr.Darcy;andyouyourself,whenlastatLongbourn,heardinwhatmannerhespokeofthemanwhohadbehavedwithsuchforbearanceandliberalitytowardshiAndthereareothercircumstanceswhichIamnotatliberty—whichitisnotworthwhiletorelate;buthisliesaboutthewholePemberleyfamilyareendless.FromwhathesaidofMissDarcyIwasthoroughlypreparedtoseeaproud,reserved,disagreeablegirl.Yetheknewtothecontraryhimself.Hemustknowthatshewasasamiableandunpretendingaswehavefoundher.”
“ButdoesLydiaknownothingofthis?canshebeignorantofwhatyouandJaneseemsowelltounderstand?”
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