hewastojoin;andshemadethemostofthetimebyvisitingabo;toavoidafamilycirclewasevenmoredesirabletosuchasdidthink,thansuchasdidnot.
Wickham'saffectionforLydiawasjustwhatElizabethhadexpectedtofindit;,fromthereasonofthings,thattheirelopementhadbeenbroughtonbythestrengthofherlove,ratherthanbyhis;andshewouldhavewonderedwhy,withoutviolentlycaringforher,hechosetoelopewithheratall,hadshenotfeltcertainthathisflightwasrenderednecessarybydistressofcircumstances;andifthatwerethecase,hewasnottheyoungmantoresistanopportunityof;;andshewassurehewouldkillmorebirdsonthefirstofSeptember,thananybodyelseinthecountry.
Onemorning,soonaftertheirarrival,asshewassittingwithhertwoeldersisters,shesaidtoElizabeth:
Arenotyoucurioustohearhowitwasmanaged?”
“Noreally,”repliedElizabeth;“Ithinktherecannotbetoolittlesaidonthesubject.”
k.MyuncleandauntandIweretogotogether;andtheothersweretomeetusatthechurch.
Well,Mondaymorningcame,andIwasinsuchafuss!Iwassoafraid,youknow,thatsomethingwouldhapd,youmaysuppose,ofmydearWickham.Ilongedtoknowwhetherhewouldbemarriedinhisbluecoat.”
“Well,andsowebreakfastedattenasusual;Ithoughtitwouldneverbeover;for,bythebye,youaretounderstand,thatmyuncleerthin,but,however,theLittleTheatrewasopen.
Well,andsojustasthecarriagecametothedoor,wastogivemeaway;abeth,inutteramazemeaboutit.Ipromisedthemsofaithfully!WhatwillWickhamsay?Itwastobesuchasecret!”
“Ifitwasy,”saidElizabeth,thoughburningwithcuriosity;“wewillaskyounoquestions.”
“Thankyou,”saidLydia,“forifyoudid,Ishouldcertainlytellyouall,andthenWickhamwouldbeangry.”
Onsuchencouragementtoask,Elizabethwasforcedtoputitoutofherpower,byrunningaway.
Buttoliveinignoranceonsuchapointwasimpossible;ndexactlyamongpeople,woherbrain;;andhastilyseizingasheetofpaper,wroteashortlettertoheraunt,torequestanexplanationofwhatLydiahaddropped,ifitwerepatiblewiththesecrecywhichhadbeenintended.
“Youmayreadilyprehend,”sheadded,“whatmycuriositymustbetoknowhowapersonunconnectedwithanyofus,and(parativelyspeaking)astranverycogentreasons,toremaininthesecrecywhichLydiaseemstothinknecessary;andthenImustendeavourtobesatisfiedwithignorance.”
“NotthatIshall,though,”sheaddedtoherself,asshefinishedtheletter;“andmydearaunt,ifyoudonottellmeinanhonourablemanner,Ishallcertainlybereducedtotricksandstratagemstofinditout.”
Jane'sdelicatesenseofhonourwouldnotallowhertospeaktoElizabethprivatelyofwhatLydiahadletfall;Elizabethwasgladofit;―tillitappearedwhetherherinquirieswouldreceiveanysatisfaction,shehadratherbewithoutaconfidante.