第118章[第1頁/共6頁]

“If it was to be secret,”said Jane,“say not another word on the subject.You may depend upon my seeking no further.”

One morning, soon after their arrival, as she was sitting with her two elder sisters,she said to Elizabeth:

“Oh!certainly,”said Elizabeth,though burning with curiosity;“we will ask you no questions.”

Lydia was exceedingly fond of him.He was her dear Wickham on every occasion;no one was to be put in competition with him. He did every thing best in the world;and she was sure he would kill more birds on the first of September,than any body else in the country.

Wickham's affection for Lydia was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it;not equal to Lydia's for him.She had scarcely needed her present observation to be satisfied,from the reason of things,that their elopement had been brought on by the strength of her love,rather than by his;and she would have wondered why, without violently caring for her,he chose to elope with her at all, had she not felt certain that his flight was rendered necessary by distress of circumstances; and if that were the case, he was not the young man to resist an opportunity of having a companion.