Thefirstweekoftheirreturnwassoongone.Thesecondbegan.ItwasthelastoftheregimentsstayinMeryton,andalltheyoungladiesintheneighbourhoodweredroopingapace.Thedejectionwasalmostuniversal.TheelderMissBennetsalonewerestillabletoeat,drink,andsleep,andpursuetheusualcourseoftheiremployments.VeryfrequentlyweretheyreproachedforthisinsensibilitybyKittyandLydia,whoseownmiserywasextreme,andwhocouldnotcomprehendsuchhard-heartednessinanyofthefamily.
“GoodHeaven!whatistobecomeofus?Whatarewetodo?”wouldtheyoftenexclaiminthebitternessofwoe.“Howcanyoubesmilingso,Lizzy?”
Theiraffectionatemothersharedalltheirgrief;sherememberedwhatshehadherselfenduredonasimilaroccasion,five-and-twentyyearsago.
“Iamsure,”saidshe,“IcriedfortwodaystogetherwhenColonelMillersregimentwentaway.IthoughtIshouldhavebrokenmyheart.”
“IamsureIshallbreakmine,”saidLydia.
“IfonecouldbutgotoBrighton!”observedMrs.Bennet.
“Oh,yes!—ifonecouldbutgotoBrighton!Butpapaissodisagreeable.”
“Alittlesea-bathingwouldsetmeupforever.”
“AndmyauntPhillipsissureitwoulddomeagreatdealofgood,”addedKitty.
SuchwerethekindoflamentationsresoundingperpetuallythroughLongbournHouse.Elizabethtriedtobedivertedbythem;butallsenseofpleasurewaslostinshame.ShefeltanewthejusticeofMr.Darcysobjections;andneverhadshebeensomuchdisposedtopardonhisinterferenceintheviewsofhisfriend.
ButthegloomofLydiasprospectwasshortlyclearedaway;forshereceivedaninvitationfromMrs.Forster,thewifeofthecoloneloftheregiment,toaccompanyhertoBrighton.Thisinvaluablefriendwasaveryyoungwoman,andverylatelymarried.AresemblanceingoodhumourandgoodspiritshadrecommendedherandLydiatoeachother,andoutoftheirthreemonthsacquaintancetheyhadbeenintimatetwo.
TheraptureofLydiaonthisoccasion,heradorationofMrs.Forster,thedelightofMrs.Bennet,andthemortificationofKitty,arescarcelytobedescribed.Whollyinattentivetohersistersfeelings,Lydiaflewaboutthehouseinrestlessecstasy,callingforeveryonescongratulations,andlaughingandtalkingwithmoreviolencethanever;whilstthelucklessKittycontinuedintheparlourrepinedatherfateintermsasunreasonableasheraccentwaspeevish.
“IcannotseewhyMrs.ForstershouldnotaskmeaswellasLydia,”saidshe,“ThoughIamnotherparticularfriend.Ihavejustasmuchrighttobeaskedasshehas,andmoretoo,forIamtwoyearsolder.”
InvaindidElizabethattempttomakeherreasonable,andJanetomakeherresigned.AsforElizabethherself,thisinvitationwassofarfromexcitinginherthesamefeelingsasinhermotherandLydia,thatsheconsidereditasthedeathwarrantofallpossibilityofcommonsenseforthelatter;anddetestableassuchastepmustmakeherwereitknown,shecouldnothelpsecretlyadvisingherfathernottolethergo.SherepresentedtohimalltheimproprietiesofLydiasgeneralbehaviour,thelittleadvantageshecouldderivefromthefriendshipofsuchawomanasMrs.Forster,andtheprobabilityofherbeingyetmoreimprudentwithsuchacompanionatBrighton,wherethetemptationsmustbegreaterthanathome.Heheardherattentively,andthensaid:
“Lydiawillneverbeeasyuntilshehasexposedherselfinsomepublicplaceorother,andwecanneverexpecthertodoitwithsolittleexpenseorinconveniencetoherfamilyasunderthepresentcircumstances.”
“Ifyouwereaware,”saidElizabeth,“oftheverygreatdisadvantagetousallwhichmustarisefromthepublicnoticeofLydiasunguardedandimprudentmanner—nay,whichhasalreadyarisenfromit,Iamsureyouwouldjudgedifferentlyintheaffair.”
“Alreadyarisen?”repeatedMr.Bennet.“What,hasshefrightenedawaysomeofyourlovers?PoorlittleLizzy!Butdonotbecastdown.Suchsqueamishyouthsascannotbeartobeconnectedwithalittleabsurdityarenotwortharegret.Come,letmeseethelistofpitifulfellowswhohavebeenkeptaloofbyLydiasfolly.”
“Indeedyouaremistaken.Ihavenosuchinjuriestoresent.Itisnotofparticular,butofgeneralevils,whichIamnowcomplaining.Ourimportance,ourrespectabilityintheworldmustbeaffectedbythewildvolatility,theassuranceanddisdainofallrestraintwhichmarkLydiascharacter.Excuseme,forImustspeakplainly.Ifyou,mydearfather,willnottakethetroubleofcheckingherexuberantspirits,andofteachingherthatherpresentpursuitsarenottobethebusinessofherlife,shewillsoonbebeyondthereachofamendment.Hercharacterwillbefixed,andshewill,atsixteen,bethemostdeterminedflirtthatevermadeherselforherfamilyridiculous;aflirt,too,intheworstandmeanestdegreeofflirtation;withoutanyattractionbeyondyouthandatolerableperson;and,fromtheignoranceandemptinessofhermind,whollyunabletowardoffanyportionofthatuniversalcontemptwhichherrageforadmirationwillexcite.InthisdangerKittyalsoiscomprehended.ShewillfollowwhereverLydialeads.Vain,ignorant,idle,andabsolutelyuncontrolled!Oh!mydearfather,canyousupposeitpossiblethattheywillnotbecensuredanddespisedwherevertheyareknown,andthattheirsisterswillnotbeofteninvolvedinthedisgrace?”
Mr.Bennetsawthatherwholeheartwasinthesubject,andaffectionatelytakingherhandsaidinreply:
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