“What,ishecominghome,andwithoutpoorLydia?”shecried。“SurehewillnotleaveLondonbeforehehasfoundthem。WhoistofightWickham,andmakehimmarryher,ifhecomesaway?”
AsMrs。Gardinerbegantowishtobeathome,itwassettledthatsheandthechildrenshouldgotoLondon,atthesametimethatMr。Bennetcamefromit。Thecoach,therefore,tookthemthefirststageoftheirjourney,andbroughtitsmasterbacktoLongbourn。
Mrs。GardinerwentawayinalltheperplexityaboutElizabethandherDerbyshirefriendthathadattendedherfromthatpartoftheworld。Hisnamehadneverbeenvoluntarilymentionedbeforethembyherniece;andthekindofhalf-expectationwhichMrs。Gardinerhadformed,oftheirbeingfollowedbyaletterfromhim,hadendedinnothing。ElizabethhadreceivednonesinceherreturnthatcouldcomefromPemberley。
Thepresentunhappystateofthefamilyrenderedanyotherexcuseforthelownessofherspiritsunnecessary;nothing,therefore,couldbefairlyconjecturedfromthat,thoughElizabeth,whowasbythistimetolerablywellacquaintedwithherownfeelings,wasperfectlyawarethat,hadsheknownnothingofDarcy,shecouldhavebornethedreadofLydiasinfamysomewhatbetter。Itwouldhavesparedher,shethought,onesleeplessnightoutoftwo。
WhenMr。Bennetarrived,hehadalltheappearanceofhisusualphilosophiccomposure。Hesaidaslittleashehadeverbeeninthehabitofsaying;madenomentionofthebusinessthathadtakenhimaway,anditwassometimebeforehisdaughtershadcouragetospeakofit。
Itwasnottilltheafternoon,whenhejoinedthemattea,thatElizabethventuredtointroducethesubject;andthen,onherbrieflyexpressinghersorrowforwhathemusthaveendured,hereplied,“Saynothingofthat。Whoshouldsufferbutmyself?Ithasbeenmyowndoing,andIoughttofeelit。”
“Youmustnotbetoosevereuponyourself,”repliedElizabeth。“Youmaywellwarnmeagainstsuchanevil。Humannatureissopronetofallintoit!No,Lizzy,letmeonceinmylifefeelhowmuchIhavebeentoblame。Iamnotafraidofbeingoverpoweredbytheimpression。Itwillpassawaysoonenough。”
“DoyousupposethemtobeinLondon?”
“Yes;whereelsecantheybesowellconcealed?”
“AndLydiausedtowanttogotoLondon,”addedKitty。
“Sheishappythen,”saidherfatherdrily;“andherresidencetherewillprobablybeofsomeduration。”
Thenafterashortsilencehecontinued:
“Lizzy,Ibearyounoill-willforbeingjustifiedinyouradvicetomelastMay,which,consideringtheevent,showssomegreatnessofmind。”
TheywereinterruptedbyMissBennet,whocametofetchhermotherstea。
“Thisisaparade,”hecried,“whichdoesonegood;itgivessuchanelegancetomisfortune!AnotherdayIwilldothesame;Iwillsitinmylibrary,inmynightcapandpowderinggown,andgiveasmuchtroubleasIcan;or,perhaps,ImaydeferittillKittyrunsaway。”
“Iamnotgoingtorunaway,papa,”saidKittyfretfully。“IfIshouldevergotoBrighton,IwouldbehavebetterthanLydia。”
“YougotoBrighton。IwouldnottrustyousonearitasEastbourneforfiftypounds!No,Kitty,Ihaveatlastlearnttobecautious,andyouwillfeeltheeffectsofit。Noofficerisevertoenterintomyhouseagain,noreventopassthroughthevillage。Ballswillbeabsolutelyprohibited,unlessyoustandupwithoneofyoursisters。Andyouarenevertostiroutofdoorstillyoucanprovethatyouhavespenttenminutesofeverydayinarationalmanner。”
Kitty,whotookallthesethreatsinaseriouslight,begantocry。
“Well,well,”saidhe,“donotmakeyourselfunhappy。Ifyouareagoodgirlforthenexttenyears,Iwilltakeyoutoareviewattheendofthem。”