wickham'saffectionforlydiawasjustwhatelizabethhadexpectedtofindit;notequaltolydia'sforhim.shehadscarcelyneededherpresentobservationtobesatisfied,fromthereasonofthings,thattheirelopementhadbeenbroughtonbythestrengthofherlove,ratherthanbyhis;andshewouldhavewonderedwhy,withoutviolentlycaringforher,hechosetoelopewithheratall,hadshenotfeltcertainthathisflightwasrenderednecessarybydistressofcircumstances;andifthatwerethecase,hewasnottheyoungmantoresistanopportunityofhavingacompanion.

lydiawasexceedinglyfondofhim.hewasherdearwickhamoneveryoccasion;noonewastobeputincompetitionwithhim.hedideverythingbestintheworld;andshewassurehewouldkillmorebirdsonthefirstofseptember,thananybodyelseinthecountry.

onemorning,soonaftertheirarrival,asshewassittingwithhertwoeldersisters,shesaidtoelizabeth,

"lizzy,inevergaveyouanaccountofmywedding,ibelieve.youwerenotby,whenitoldmammaandtheothersallaboutit.arenotyoucurioustohearhowitwasmanaged?"

"noreally,"repliedelizabeth;"ithinktherecannotbetoolittlesaidonthesubject."

"la!youaresostrange!butimusttellyouhowitwentoff.weweremarried,youknow,atst.clement's,becausewickham'slodgingswereinthatparish.anditwassettledthatweshouldallbetherebyeleveno'clock.myuncleandauntandiweretogotogether;andtheothersweretomeetusatthechurch.well,mondaymorningcame,andiwasinsuchafuss!iwassoafraid,youknow,thatsomethingwouldhappentoputitoff,andthenishouldhavegonequitedistracted.andtherewasmyaunt,allthetimeiwasdressing,preachingandtalkingawayjustasifshewasreadingasermon.however,ididnothearaboveonewordinten,foriwasthinking,youmaysuppose,ofmydearwickham.ilongedtoknowwhetherhewouldbemarriedinhisbluecoat."

"well,andsowebreakfastedattenasusual;ithoughtitwouldneverbeover;for,bythebye,youaretounderstand,thatmyuncleandauntwerehorridunpleasantallthetimeiwaswiththem.ifyou'llbelieveme,ididnotonceputmyfootoutofdoors,thoughiwasthereafortnight.notoneparty,orscheme,oranything.tobesurelondonwasratherthin,but,however,thelittletheatrewasopen.well,andsojustasthecarriagecametothedoor,myunclewascalledawayuponbusinesstothathorridmanmr.stone.andthen,youknow,whenoncetheygettogether,thereisnoendofit.well,iwassofrightenedididnotknowwhattodo,formyunclewastogivemeaway;andifwewerebeyondthehour,wecouldnotbemarriedallday.but,luckily,hecamebackagainintenminutes'time,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.darcyhadbeenathersister'swedding.itwasexactlyascene,andexactlyamongpeople,wherehehadapparentlyleasttodo,andleasttemptationtogo.conjecturesastothemeaningofit,rapidandwild,hurriedintoherbrain;butshewassatisfiedwithnone.thosethatbestpleasedher,asplacinghisconductinthenoblestlight,seemedmostimprobable.shecouldnotbearsuchsuspense;andhastilyseizingasheetofpaper,wroteashortlettertoheraunt,torequestanexplanationofwhatlydiahaddropt,ifitwerecompatiblewiththesecrecywhichhadbeenintended.

"youmayreadilycomprehend,"sheadded,"whatmycuriositymustbetoknowhowapersonunconnectedwithanyofus,and(comparativelyspeaking)astrangertoourfamily,shouldhavebeenamongstyouatsuchatime.praywriteinstantly,andletmeunderstandit—unlessitis,forverycogentreasons,toremaininthesecrecywhichlydiaseemstothinknecessary;andthenimustendeavourtobesatisfiedwithignorance."

"notthatishall,though,"sheaddedtoherself,asshefinishedtheletter;"andmydearaunt,ifyoudonottellmeinanhonourablemanner,ishallcertainlybereducedtotricksandstratagemstofinditout."

jane'sdelicatesenseofhonourwouldnotallowhertospeaktoelizabethprivatelyofwhatlydiahadletfall;elizabethwasgladofit;—tillitappearedwhetherherinquirieswouldreceiveanysatisfaction,shehadratherbewithoutaconfidante.