第118章

    Their visitors were not to remain above ten days with them.Mr. Wickham had received his commission before he left London, and he was to join his regiment at the end of a fortnight.

    No one but Mrs.Bennet regretted that their stay would be so short;and she made the most of the time by visiting about with her daughter, and having very frequent parties at home.These parties were acceptable to all; to avoid a family circle was even more desirable to such as did think,than such as did not.

    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.

    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.

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

    “Lizzy, I never gave you an account of my wedding, I believe. You were not by,when I told mamma and the others all about it. Are not you curious to hear how it was managed?”

    “No really,”replied Elizabeth;“I think there cannot be too little said on the subject.”

    “La!You are so strange!But I must tell you how it went off.We were married, you know, at St. Clement's, because Wickham's lodgings were in that parish.And it was settled that we should all be there by eleven o'clock.My uncle and aunt and I were to go together;and the others were to meet us at the church.

    Well,Monday morning came,and I was in such a fuss!I was so afraid,you know,that something would happen to put it off,and then I should have gone quite distracted.And there was my aunt, all the time I was dressing,preaching and talking away just as if she was reading a sermon.However,I did not hear above one word in ten,for I was thinking,you may suppose,of my dear Wickham.I longed to know whether he would be married in his blue coat.”

    “Well,and so we breakfasted at ten as usual;I thought it would never be over; for, by the bye, you are to understand, that my uncle and aunt were horrid unpleasant all the time I was with them. If you'll believe me, I did not once put my foot out of doors,though I was there a fortnight.Not one party,or scheme, or anything.To be sure London was rather thin,but,however,the Little Theatre was open.
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