{{prxprp244.jpg}} || 244 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

that Wickham has every charm of person and address that can

captivate a woman.'

'But you see that Jane,' said her aunt, 'does not think so ill

of Wickham, as to believe him capable of the attempt.'

'Of whom does Jane ever think ill? And who is there,

whatever might be their former conduct, that she would believe

capable of such an attempt, till it were proved against them?

But Jane knows, as well as I do, what Wickham really is. We

both know that he has been profligate in every sense of the word.

That he has neither integrity nor honour. That he is as false and

deceitful as he is insinuating.'

'And do you really know all this?' cried Mrs. Gardiner, whose

curiosity as to the mode of her intelligence was all alive.

'I do, indeed,' replied Elizabeth, colouring. 'I told you the

other day, of his infamous behaviour to Mr. Darcy; and you,

yourself, when last at Longbourn, heard in what manner he

spoke of the man who had behaved with such forbearance and

liberality towards him. And there are other circumstances which

I am not at liberty -- which it is not worth while to relate; but his

lies about the whole Pemberley family are endless. From what

he said of Miss Darcy, I was thoroughly prepared to see a proud,

reserved, disagreeable girl. Yet he knew to the contrary himself

He must know that she was as amiable and unpretending as we

have found her.'

'But does Lydia know nothing of this; can she be ignorant of

what you and Jane seem so well to understand?'

'Oh yes! -- that, that is the worst of all. Till I was in Kent,

and saw so much both of Mr. Darcy and his relation Colonel

Fitzwilliam, I was ignorant of the truth myself. And when

I returned home the shire was to leave Meryton in a week

or fortnight's time. As that was the case, neither Jane, to whom

I related the whole, nor I, thought it necessary to make our

knowledge public; for of what use could it apparently be to any

one, that the good opinion, which all the neighbourhood [had]

of him, should then be overthrown? And even when it was

settled that Lydia should go with Mrs. Forster, the necessity ot

opening her eyes to his character never occurred to me. That she

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