“No really,”replied Elizabeth;“I think there cannot be too little said on the subject.”
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.
“Oh!certainly,”said Elizabeth,though burning with curiosity;“we will ask you no questions.”
One morning, soon after their arrival, as she was sitting with her two elder sisters,she said to Elizabeth:
“Not that I shall,though,”she added to herself,as she finished the letter;“and my dear aunt,if you do not tell me in an honourable manner,I shall certainly be reduced to tricks and stratagems to find it out.”
On such encouragement to ask,Elizabeth was forced to put it out of her power,by running away.
“Oh,yes!―he was to come there with Wickham,you know.But gracious me!I quite forgot!I ought not to have said a word about it.I promised them so faithfully!What will Wickham say?It was to be such a secret!”