{{prxprp192.jpg}} || 192 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

how I laughed! and so did Mrs. Forster. I thought I should have

died. And that made the men suspect something, and then they

soon found out what was the matter.'

With such kind of histories of their parties and good jokes, did

Lydia, assisted by Kitty's hints and additions, endeavour to

amuse her companions all the way to Longbourn. Elizabeth

listened as little as she could, but there was no escaping the

frequent mention of Wickham's name.

Their reception at home was most kind. Mrs. Bennet rejoiced

to see Jane in undiminished beauty; and more than once during

dinner did Mr. Bennet say voluntarily to Elizabeth,

'I am glad you are come back, Lizzy.'

Their party in the dining-room was large, for almost all the

Lucases came to meet Maria and hear the news: and various

were the subjects which occupied them; Lady Lucas was in-'

quiring of Maria across the table, after the welfare and poultry

of her eldest daughter; Mrs. Bennet was doubly engaged, on one

hand collecting an account of the present fashions from Jane,

who sat some way below her, and on the other, retailing them

all to the younger Miss Lucases; and Lydia, in a voice rather

louder than any other person's, was enumerating the various

pleasures of the morning to any body who would hear her.

'Oh! Mary,' said she, T wish you had gone with us, for we

had such fun! as we went along, Kitty and me drew up all

the blinds, and pretended there was nobody in the coach; and

I should have gone so all the way, if Kitty had not been sick;

and when we got to the George, I do think we behaved very

handsomely, for we treated the other three with the nicest cold

luncheon in the world, and if you would have gone, we would

have treated you too. And then when we came away it was

such fun! I thought we never should have got into the coach.

I was ready to die of laughter. And then we were so merry all

the way home! we talked and laughed so loud, that any body

might have heard us ten miles off!'

To this, Mary very gravely replied, 'Far be it from me, my dear

sister, to depreciate such pleasures! They would doubtless be

congenial with the generality of female minds. But I confess

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