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'Oh, thoughtless, thoughtless Lydia!' cried Elizabeth, when

she had finished it. 'What a letter is this, to be written at

such a moment! But at least it shows that _she_ was serious

in the object of her journey. Whatever he might afterwards

persuade her to, it was not on her side a _scheme_ of infamy.

My poor father! how he must have felt it!'

'I never saw any one so shocked. He could not speak

a word for full ten minutes. My mother was taken ill

immediately, and the whole house in such confusion!'

'Oh, Jane,' cried Elizabeth, 'was there a servant belonging

to it who did not know the whole story before the end of the

day?'

'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.'

'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.'

'Mary and Kitty have been very kind, and would have

shared in every fatigue, I am sure, but I did not think it

right for either of them. Kitty is slight and delicate, and

Mary studies so much that her hours of repose should not

be broken in on. My aunt Philips came to Longbourn on

Tuesday, after my father went away; and was so good as to

stay till Thursday with me. She was of great use and

comfort to us all, and Lady Lucas has been very kind: she

walked here on Wednesday morning to condole with us, and

offered her services, or any of her daughters, if they could

be of use to us.'

'She had better have stayed at home,' cried Elizabeth:

'perhaps she _meant_ well, but, under such a misfortune as

this, one cannot see too little of one's neighbours. Assistance

is impossible; condolence, insufferable. Let them triumph

over us at a distance, and be satisfied.'

She then proceeded to inquire into the measures which

her father had intended to pursue, while in town, for the

recovery of his daughter.

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