TheirvisitorswerenottoremainabovetendayswiththeMr.WickhamhadreceivedhiscommissionbeforeheleftLondon,andhewastojoinhisregimentattheendofafortnight.
NoonebutMrs.Bennetregrettedthattheirstaywouldbesoshort;andshemadethemostofthetimebyvisitingaboutwithherdaughter,andhavingveryfrequentpartiesathome.Thesepartieswereacceptabletoall;toavoidafamilycirclewasevenmoredesirabletosuchasdidthink,thansuchasdidnot.
WickhamsaffectionforLydiawasjustwhatElizabethhadexpectedtofindit;notequaltoLydiasforhiShehadscarcelyneededherpresentobservationtobesatisfied,fromthereasonofthings,thattheirelopementhadbeenbroughtonbythestrengthofherlove,ratherthanbyhis;andshewouldhavewonderedwhy,withoutviolentlycaringforher,hechosetoelopewithheratall,hadshenotfeltcertainthathisflightwasrenderednecessarybydistressofcircumstances;andifthatwerethecase,hewasnottheyoungmantoresistanopportunityofhavingacompanion.
LydiawasexceedinglyfondofhiHewasherdearWickhamoneveryoccasion;noonewastobeputincompetitionwithhiHedideverythingbestintheworld;andshewassurehewouldkillmorebirdsonthefirstofSeptember,thananybodyelseinthecountry.
Onemorning,soonaftertheirarrival,asshewassittingwithhertwoeldersisters,shesaidtoElizabeth:
“Lizzy,Inevergaveyouanaccountofmywedding,Ibelieve.Youwerenotby,whenItoldmammaandtheothersallaboutit.Arenotyoucurioustohearhowitwasmanaged?”
“Noreally,”repliedElizabeth;“Ithinktherecannotbetoolittlesaidonthesubject.”
“La!Youaresostrange!ButImusttellyouhowitwentoff.Weweremarried,youknow,atSt.Clements,becauseWickhamslodgingswereinthatparish.Anditwassettledthatweshouldallbetherebyelevenoclock.MyuncleandauntandIweretogotogether;andtheothersweretomeetusatthechurch.
Well,Mondaymorningcame,andIwasinsuchafuss!Iwassoafraid,youknow,thatsomethingwouldhappentoputitoff,andthenIshouldhavegonequitedistracted.Andtherewasmyaunt,allthetimeIwasdressing,preachingandtalkingawayjustasifshewasreadingasermon.However,Ididnothearaboveonewordinten,forIwasthinking,youmaysuppose,ofmydearWickhaIlongedtoknowwhetherhewouldbemarriedinhisbluecoat.”
“Well,andsowebreakfastedattenasusual;Ithoughtitwouldneverbeover;for,bythebye,youaretounderstand,thatmyuncleandauntwerehorridunpleasantallthetimeIwaswiththeIfyoullbelieveme,Ididnotonceputmyfootoutofdoors,thoughIwasthereafortnight.Notoneparty,orscheme,oranything.TobesureLondonwasratherthin,but,however,theLittleTheatrewasopen.
Well,andsojustasthecarriagecametothedoor,myunclewascalledawayuponbusinesstothathorridmanMr.Stone.Andthen,youknow,whenoncetheygettogether,thereisnoendofit.Well,IwassofrightenedIdidnotknowwhattodo,formyunclewastogivemeaway;andifwewerebeyondthehour,wecouldnotbemarriedallday.But,luckily,hecamebackagainintenminutestime,andthenweallsetout.However,Irecollectedafterwardsthatifhehadbeenpreventedgoing,theweddingneednotbeputoff,forMr.Darcymighthavedoneaswell.”
“Mr.Darcy!”repeatedElizabeth,inutteramazement.
“Oh,yes!—hewastocometherewithWickham,youknow.Butgraciousme!Iquiteforgot!Ioughtnottohavesaidawordaboutit.Ipromisedthemsofaithfully!WhatwillWickhamsay?Itwastobesuchasecret!”
“Ifitwastobesecret,”saidJane,“saynotanotherwordonthesubject.Youmaydependuponmyseekingnofurther.”
“Oh!certainly,”saidElizabeth,thoughburningwithcuriosity;“wewillaskyounoquestions.”
“Thankyou,”saidLydia,“forifyoudid,Ishouldcertainlytellyouall,andthenWickhamwouldbeangry.”
Onsuchencouragementtoask,Elizabethwasforcedtoputitoutofherpower,byrunningaway.
Buttoliveinignoranceonsuchapointwasimpossible;oratleastitwasimpossiblenottotryforinformation.Mr.Darcyhadbeenathersisterswedding.Itwasexactlyascene,andexactlyamongpeople,wherehehadapparentlyleasttodo,andleasttemptationtogo.Conjecturesastothemeaningofit,rapidandwild,hurriedintoherbrain;butshewassatisfiedwithnone.Thosethatbestpleasedher,asplacinghisconductinthenoblestlight,seemedmostimprobable.Shecouldnotbearsuchsuspense;andhastilyseizingasheetofpaper,wroteashortlettertoheraunt,torequestanexplanationofwhatLydiahaddropped,ifitwerecompatiblewiththesecrecywhichhadbeenintended.
“Youmayreadilycomprehend,”sheadded,“whatmycuriositymustbetoknowhowapersonunconnectedwithanyofus,and(comparativelyspeaking)astrangertoourfamily,shouldhavebeenamongstyouatsuchatime.Praywriteinstantly,andletmeunderstandit—unlessitis,forverycogentreasons,toremaininthesecrecywhichLydiaseemstothinknecessary;andthenImustendeavourtobesatisfiedwithignorance.”
“NotthatIshall,though,”sheaddedtoherself,asshefinishedtheletter;“andmydearaunt,ifyoudonottellmeinanhonourablemanner,Ishallcertainlybereducedtotricksandstratagemstofinditout.”
JanesdelicatesenseofhonourwouldnotallowhertospeaktoElizabethprivatelyofwhatLydiahadletfall;Elizabethwasgladofit;—tillitappearedwhetherherinquirieswouldreceiveanysatisfaction,shehadratherbewithoutaconfidante.
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