{{prxprp245.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 245 ||

could be in any danger from the deception never entered my head.

That such a consequence 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 affection

on either side; and had any thing of the kind been perceptible,

you must be aware that our's 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 distinguished her by any particular attention;

and, consequently, 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 became

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, sek?? 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 surprize

that lighted up their faces and displayed itself 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 an hasty

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

down stairs from her mother's apartment, immediately met her.

 [[245]]