itwasthesecondweekinmayinwhichthethreeyoungladiessetouttogetherfromgracechurch—streetforthetownof—inhertfordshire;and,astheydrewneartheappointedinnwheremr.bennet'scarriagewastomeetthem,theyquicklyperceived,intokenofthecoachman'spunctuality,bothkittyandlydialookingoutofadiningroomupstairs.thesetwogirlshadbeenaboveanhourintheplace,happilyemployedinvisitinganoppositemilliner,watchingthesentinelonguard,anddressingasalladandcucumber.

afterwelcomingtheirsisters,theytriumphantlydisplayedatablesetoutwithsuchcoldmeatasaninnlarderusuallyaffords,exclaiming,"isnotthisnice?isnotthisanagreeablesurprise?"

"andwemeantotreatyouall,"addedlydia;"butyoumustlendusthemoney,forwehavejustspentoursattheshopoutthere."thenshewingherpurchases:"lookhere,ihaveboughtthisbonnet.idonotthinkitisverypretty;butithoughtimightaswellbuyitasnot.ishallpullittopiecesassoonasigethome,andseeificanmakeitupanybetter."

andwhenhersistersabuseditasugly,sheadded,withperfectunconcern,"oh!butthereweretwoorthreemuchuglierintheshop;andwhenihaveboughtsomeprettiercolouredsatintotrimitwithfresh,ithinkitwillbeverytolerable.besides,itwillnotmuchsignifywhatonewearsthissummerafterthe—shirehaveleftmeryton,andtheyaregoinginafortnight."

"aretheyindeed?"criedelizabeth,withthegreatestsatisfaction.

"theyaregoingtobeencampednearbrighton;andidosowantpapatotakeusallthereforthesummer!itwouldbesuchadeliciousscheme,andidaresaywouldhardlycostanythingatall.mammawouldliketogotoo,ofallthings!onlythinkwhatamiserablesummerelseweshallhave!"

"yes,"thoughtelizabeth,"thatwouldbeadelightfulscheme,indeed,andcompletelydoforusatonce.goodheaven!brighton,andawholecampfulofsoldiers,tous,whohavebeenoversetalreadybyonepoorregimentofmilitia,andthemonthlyballsofmeryton."

"nowihavegotsomenewsforyou,"saidlydia,astheysatdowntotable."whatdoyouthink?itisexcellentnews,capitalnews,andaboutacertainpersonthatwealllike."

janeandelizabethlookedateachother,andthewaiterwastoldthatheneednotstay.lydialaughed,andsaid,"aye,thatisjustlikeyourformalityanddiscretion.youthoughtthewaitermustnothear,asifhecared!idaresayheoftenhearsworsethingssaidthaniamgoingtosay.butheisanuglyfellow!iamgladheisgone.ineversawsuchalongchininmylife.well,butnowformynews:itisaboutdearwickham;toogoodforthewaiter,isnotit?thereisnodangerofwickham'smarryingmaryking.there'sforyou!sheisgonedowntoheruncleatliverpool;gonetostay.wickhamissafe."

"andmarykingissafe!"addedelizabeth;"safefromaconnectionimprudentastofortune."

"sheisagreatfoolforgoingaway,ifshelikedhim."

"butihopethereisnostrongattachmentoneitherside,"saidjane.

"iamsurethereisnotonhis.iwillanswerforithenevercaredthreestrawsabouther.whocouldaboutsuchanastylittlefreckledthing?"

elizabethwasshockedtothinkthat,howeverincapableofsuchcoarsenessofexpressionherself,thecoarsenessofthesentimentwaslittleotherthanherownbreasthadformerlyharbouredandfanciedliberal!

assoonasallhadate,andtheelderonespaid,thecarriagewasordered;and,aftersomecontrivance,thewholeparty,withalltheirboxes,workbags,andparcels,andtheunwelcomeadditionofkitty'sandlydia'spurchases,wereseatedinit.

"hownicelywearecrammedin!"criedlydia."iamgladiboughtmybonnet,ifitisonlyforthefunofhavinganotherbandbox!well,nowletusbequitecomfortableandsnug,andtalkandlaughallthewayhome.andinthefirstplace,letushearwhathashappenedtoyouall,sinceyouwentaway.haveyouseenanypleasantmen?haveyouhadanyflirting?iwasingreathopesthatoneofyouwouldhavegotahusbandbeforeyoucameback.janewillbequiteanoldmaidsoon,ideclare.sheisalmostthreeandtwenty!lord,howashamedishouldbeofnotbeingmarriedbeforethreeandtwenty!myauntphilipswantsyousotogethusbands,youcan'tthink.shesayslizzyhadbetterhavetakenmr.collins;butidonotthinktherewouldhavebeenanyfuninit.lord!howishouldliketobemarriedbeforeanyofyou;andtheniwouldchaperonyouabouttoalltheballs.dearme!wehadsuchagoodpieceoffuntheotherdayatcolonelfoster's.kittyandmeweretospendthedaythere,andmrs.forsterpromisedtohavealittledanceintheevening(bythebye,mrs.forsterandmearesuchfriends!);andsosheaskedthetwoharringtonstocome,butharrietwasill,andsopenwasforcedtocomebyherself;andthen,whatdoyouthinkwedid?wedressedupchamberlayneinwoman'sclothes,onpurposetopassforalady,—onlythinkwhatfun!notasoulknewofitbutcol.andmrs.forster,andkittyandme,exceptmyaunt,forwewereforcedtoborrowoneofhergowns;andyoucannotimaginehowwellhelooked!whendenny,andwickham,andpratt,andtwoorthreemoreofthemencamein,theydidnotknowhimintheleast.lord!howilaughed!andsodidmrs.forster.ithoughtishouldhavedied.andthatmadethemensuspectsomething,andthentheysoonfoundoutwhatwasthematter."

withsuchkindofhistoriesoftheirpartiesandgoodjokesdidlydia,assistedbykitty'shintsandadditions,endeavourtoamusehercompanionsallthewaytolongbourn.elizabethlistenedaslittleasshecould,buttherewasnoescapingthefrequentmentionofwickham'sname.

theirreceptionathomewasmostkind.mrs.bennetrejoicedtoseejaneinundiminishedbeauty;andmorethanonceduringdinnerdidmr.bennetsayvoluntarilytoelizabeth,"iamgladyouarecomeback,lizzy."

theirpartyinthedining-roomwaslarge,foralmostallthelucasescametomeetmariaandhearthenews:andvariouswerethesubjectswhichoccupiedthem.ladylucaswasenquiringofmaria,acrossthetable,afterthewelfareandpoultryofhereldestdaughter;mrs.bennetwasdoublyengaged,ononehandcollectinganaccountofthepresentfashionsfromjane,whosatsomewaybelowher,andontheother,retailingthemalltotheyoungermisslucases;andlydia,inavoiceratherlouderthananyotherperson's,wasenumeratingthevariouspleasuresofthemorningtoanybodywhowouldhearher.

"oh!mary,"saidshe,"iwishyouhadgonewithus,forwehadsuchfun!aswewentalong,kittyandmedrewupalltheblinds,andpretendedtherewasnobodyinthecoach;andishouldhavegonesoalltheway,ifkittyhadnotbeensick;andwhenwegottothegeorge,idothinkwebehavedveryhandsomely,forwetreatedtheotherthreewiththenicestcoldluncheonintheworld,andifyouwouldhavegone,wewouldhavetreatedyoutoo.andthenwhenwecameawayitwassuchfun!ithoughtwenevershouldhavegotintothecoach.iwasreadytodieoflaughter.andthenweweresomerryallthewayhome!wetalkedandlaughedsoloud,thatanybodymighthaveheardustenmilesoff!"

tothis,maryverygravelyreplied,"farbeitfromme,mydearsister,todepreciatesuchpleasures.theywoulddoubtlessbecongenialwiththegeneralityoffemaleminds.buticonfesstheywouldhavenocharmsforme.ishouldinfinitelypreferabook."

butofthisanswerlydiaheardnotaword.sheseldomlistenedtoanybodyformorethanhalfaminute,andneverattendedtomaryatall.

intheafternoonlydiawasurgentwiththerestofthegirlstowalktomeryton,andseehoweverybodywenton;butelizabethsteadilyopposedthescheme.itshouldnotbesaid,thatthemissbennetscouldnotbeathomehalfadaybeforetheywereinpursuitoftheofficers.therewasanotherreasontoo,forheropposition.shedreadedseeingwickhamagain,andwasresolvedtoavoiditaslongaspossible.thecomforttoheroftheregiment'sapproachingremovalwasindeedbeyondexpression.inafortnighttheyweretogo,andoncegone,shehopedtherecouldbenothingmoretoplagueheronhisaccount.

shehadnotbeenmanyhoursathome,beforeshefoundthatthebrightonscheme,ofwhichlydiahadgiventhemahintattheinn,wasunderfrequentdiscussionbetweenherparents.elizabethsawdirectlythatherfatherhadnotthesmallestintentionofyielding;buthisanswerswereatthesametimesovagueandequivocal,thathermother,thoughoftendisheartened,hadneveryetdespairedofsucceedingatlast.