{{prhprp417.jpg}}

quence as _this_ should ensue, you may easily believe was far

enough from my thoughts.'

'When they all removed to Brighton, therefore, you had

no reason, I suppose, to believe them fond of each other?'

'Not the slightest. I can remember no symptom of affec-

tion on either side; and had anything of the kind been

perceptible, you must be aware that ours is not a family on

which it could be thrown away. When first he entered the

corps, she was ready enough to admire him; but so we all

were. Every girl in or near Meryton was out of her senses

about him for the first two months; but he never dis-

tinguished _her_ by any particular attention; and, conse-

quently, after a moderate period of extravagant and wild

admiration, her fancy for him gave way, and others of the

regiment, who treated her with more distinction, again be-

came her favourites.'

It may be easily believed that, however little of novelty

could be added to their fears, hopes, and conjectures, on this

interesting subject, by its repeated discussion, no other could

detain them from it long, during the whole of the journey.

From Elizabeth's thoughts it was never absent. Fixed there

by the keenest of all anguish, self-reproach, she could find

no interval of ease or forgetfulness.

They travelled as expeditiously as possible; and, sleeping

one night on the road, reached Longbourn by dinner-time

the next day. It was a comfort to Elizabeth to consider that

Jane could not have been wearied by long expectations.

The little Gardiners, attracted by the sight of a chaise,

were standing on the steps of the house, as they entered the

paddock; and when the carriage drove up to the door, the

joyful surprise that lighted up their faces and displayed it-

self over their whole bodies, in a variety of capers and

frisks, was the first pleasing earnest of their welcome.

Elizabeth jumped out; and after giving each of them a

hasty kiss, hurried into the vestibule, where Jane, who came

running downstairs from her mother's apartment, imme-

diately met her.

Elizabeth, as she affectionately embraced her, whilst tears

filled the eyes of both, lost not a moment in asking whether

anything had been heard of the fugitives.

 [417]