“And do you really know all this?”cried Mrs.Gardiner,whose curiosity as to the mode of her intelligence was all alive.

“But can you think that Lydia is so lost to everything but love of him as to consent to live with him on any terms other than marriage?”

“I do indeed,”replied Elizabeth, colouring.“I told you, the other day, of his infamous behaviour to Mr. Darcy; and you yourself,when last at Longbourn,heard in what manner he spoke of the man who had behaved with such forbearance and liberality towards him.And there are other circumstances which I am not at liberty―which it is not worth while to relate;but his lies about the whole Pemberley family are endless. From what he said of Miss Darcy I was thoroughly prepared to see a proud,reserved, disagreeable girl.Yet he knew to the contrary himself.He must know that she was as amiable and unpretending as we have found her.”

“I have been thinking it over again,Elizabeth,”said her uncle,as they drove from the town;“and really,upon serious consideration, I am much more inclined than I was to judge as your eldest sister does on the matter. It appears to me so very unlikely that any young man should form such a design against a girl who is by no means unprotected or friendless,and who was actually staying in his colonel's family,that I am strongly inclined to hope the best. Could he expect that her friends would not step forward?Could he expect to be noticed again by the regiment,after such an affront to Colonel Forster?His temptation is not adequate to the risk!”