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that I can get no rest by night nor by day. And tell my dear

Lydia not to give any directions about her clothes till she

has seen me, for she does not know which are the best

warehouses. Oh, brother, how kind you are! I know you

will contrive it all.'

But Mr. Gardiner, though he assured her again of his

earnest endeavours in the cause, could not avoid recom-

mending moderation to her, as well in her hopes as her

fears; and after talking with her in this manner till din-

ner was on table, they left her to vent all her feelings

on the housekeeper, who attended in the absence of her

daughters.

Though her brother and sister were persuaded that there

was no real occasion for such a seclusion from the family,

they did not attempt to oppose it, for they knew that she

had not prudence enough to hold her tongue before the

servants, while they waited at table, and judged it better

that _one_ only of the household, and the one whom they

could most trust, should comprehend all her fears and

solicitude on the subject.

In the dining-room they were soon joined by Mary and

Kitty, who had been too busily engaged in their separate

apartments to make their appearance before. One came from

her books, and the other from her toilette. The faces of

both, however, were tolerably calm; and no change was

visible in either, except that the loss of her favourite sister,

or the anger which she had herself incurred in the business,

had given something more of fretfulness than usual to the

accents of Kitty. As for Mary, she was mistress enough of

herself to whisper to Elizabeth, with a countenance of grave

reflection, soon after they were seated at table,--

'This is a most unfortunate affair, and will probably be

much talked of. But we must stem the tide of malice, and

pour into the wounded bosoms of each other the balm of

sisterly consolation.'

Then perceiving in Elizabeth no inclination of replying,

she added, 'Unhappy as the event must be for Lydia, we may

draw from it this useful lesson: -- that loss of virtue in a

female is irretrievable, that one false step involves her in

endless ruin, that her reputation is no less brittle than it is

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