“Ihavebeenthinkingitoveragain,Elizabeth,”saidheruncle,astheydrovefromthetown;“andreally,uponseriousconsideration,Iammuchmoreinclinedrmsuchadesignagainstagirlwhoisbynomeansunprotectedorfriendless,andwhowasactuallystayinginhisheexpecttobenoticedagainbytheregiment,aftersuchanaffronttoColonelForster?Histemptationisnotadequatetotherisk!”

    “Doyoureallythinkso?”criedElizabetoogreataviolationofdecency,honour,andinterest,forcapableofit?”

    “Not,perhaps,ofneglectinghisowninterest;ynotgoontoScotlandiftScotland.”

    “Oh!buttheirremovingfromthechaiseintoahackneycoachissuchapresumption!And,besides,notracesofthemweretobefoundontheBside;anditmightstrikethemthattheycouldbemoreeconomically,thoughlessexpeditiously,marriedinLondonthaninScotland.”

    “Butwhyallthissecrecy?Whyanyfearofdetection?health,andgoodhumourthatcouldmakehim,forhersake,foregoeverychanceofbenefitinghimselfbymarryingwell?Astowhatrestrainttheapprehensionsofdisgraceinthecorpsmightthrowonadishonourableelopementwithher,Iamnotabletojudge;for;andhemightimagine,frommyfather'sbehaviour,fromhisindolenceandthelittleattentionhehaseverseemedtogivetowhatwasgoingforwardinhisfamily,thathewoulddoaslittle,andthinkaslittleaboutit,asanyfathercoulddo,insuchamatter.”

    “ButcanyouthinkthatLydiaissolosttoeverythingbutloveofhimastoconsenttolivewithhimonanytermsotherthanmarriage?”

    “Itdoesseem,anditismostshockingindeed,”repliedElizabeth,withtearsinhereyes,“thatasister'ssen;shehasneverbeentaughttothinkonserioussubjects;andforthelasthalf-year,nay,foratwelvemndfkingonthesubject,togivegreater―whatshallIcallit?susceptibilitytoherfeelings;essthatcancaptivateawoman.”

    “ButyouseethatJane,”saidheraunt,“doesnotthinksoveryillofWickhamastobelievehimcapableoftheattempt.”

    “OfwhomdoesJaneeverthinkill?Andwhoisthere,whatevermightbetheirformerconduct,thatshewouldthinkcapableofsuchanattempt,tillitwereprovedagainstword;thathehasneitherintegritynorhonour;thatheisasfalseanddeceitfulasheisinsrcy;andyouyourself,whenlastatLongbourn,heardinwhatmannerhespokeofthemanwhochitisnotworthwhiletorelate;samiableandunpretendingaswehavefoundher.”

    “ButdoesLydiaknownothingofthis?canshebeignorantofwhatyouandJaneseemsowelltounderstand?”