“Perhaps it would have been better,”replied her sister.

“LYDIA BENNET.”

“MY DEAR HARRIET,

“Could Colonel Forster repeat the particulars of Lydia's note to his wife?”

“Oh!Jane,”cried Elizabeth,“was there a servant belonging to it who did not know the whole story before the end of the day?”

“Your attendance upon her has been too much for you.You do not look well.Oh that I had been with you!You have had every care and anxiety upon yourself alone.”

“But not before they went to Brighton?”

“Oh,Jane,had we been less secret,had we told what we knew of him,this could not have happened!”

“I do not know.I hope there was.But to be guarded at such a time is very difficult.My mother was in hysterics,and though I endeavoured to give her every assistance in my power,I am afraid I did not do so much as I might have done! But the horror of what might possibly happen almost took from me my faculties.”

“I must confess that he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did.He believed him to be imprudent and extravagant. And since this sad affair has taken place, it is said that he left Meryton greatly in debt;but I hope this may be false.”