“Donotgivewaytouselessalarm,”addedhe;“thoughitisrighttobepreparore,wemaygainsomenewsofthem;andtillweknowthattheyarenotmarried,andhavenoehomewithmetoGracechurchStreet;andthenwemayconsulttogetherastowhenyougettotown,findthemout,wherevertheymaybe;llLydiasheshallhaveasadreadfulstateIamin,thatIamfrightedoutofmywits―andhavesuchtremblings,suchflutterings,alloverme―suchspasmsinmysideandpainsinmyhead,andsuchthestillsheh

    sinthecause,couldnotavoidremendingmoderationtoher,aswellinherhopesasherfear;andaftertalkingwithherinthismannertilldinnerwasonthetable,theyalllefthertoventallherfeelingsonthehousekeeper,whoattendedintheabsenceofherdaughters.

    Thoughherbrotherandsisterwerepersuadedthattherewasnorealoccasionforsuchaseclusionfromthefamily,theydidnotattempttoopposeit,fortheyknewthatshehadnotprudenceenoughtoholdhertonguebeforetheservants,whiletheywaitedattable,andjudgeditbetterthatoneonlyofthehousehold,andtheonewhomtheycouldmosttrustshouldprehendallherfearsandsolicitudeonthesubject.

    Inthedining-roomtheyweresoonjoinedbyMaryandKitty,whohadbeentoobusilyengagedesofboth,however,weretolerablycalm;andnochangewasvisibleineither,exceptthatthelossofherfavouritesister,ortheangerwhichshehadherselfincurredinthisbusiness,hadizabeth,withacountenanceofgravereflection,soonaftertheywereseatedattable:

    “Thisisaosomsofeachotherthebalmofsisterlyconsolation.”

    Then,perceivinginElizabethnoinclinationofreplying,sheadded,“Unhappyasthee;thatonefalsestepinvolvesherinendlessruin;thatherreputationisnolessbrittlethanitisbeautiful;andthatshecannotbetoomuchguardedinherbehaviourtowardstheundeservingoftheothersex.”

    Elizabethliftedupheralextractionsfromtheevilbeforethem.

    Intheafternoon,thetwoelderMissBenswereabletobeforhalf-an-hourbythemselves;andElizabethinstantlyavailedherselfoftheopportunityofofthisevent,whichElizabethconsideredasallbutcertain,andMissBencouldnotasserttobewhollyimpossible,theformercontinuedthesubject,bysaying,“Buttellheynoapprehensionofanythingbeforetheelopementtookplace?Theymusthaveseenthemtogetherforever.”

    “ColonelForsterdidownthathehadoftensuspectedsomepartiality,especiallyonLydia'sside,butnothingtogivehimanyalarm.Iamsogrie.”

    “AndwasDennyconvincedthatWickhamwouldnotmarry?Didheknowoftheirintendingtogooff?HadColonelForsterseenDennyhimself?”

    “Yes;but,whenquestionedbyhim,Dennydeniedknowinganythimthat,Iaminclinedtohope,hemighthavebeenmisunderstoodbefore.”

    “AndtillColonelForstercamehimself,notoneofyouentertainedadoubt,Isuppose,oftheirbeingreallymarried?”