{{prxprp251.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 251 ||

> laughing. Pray make my excuses to Pratt, for not keeping my engage

> ment, and dancing with him to night. Tell him I hope he will excuse

> me when he knows all, and tell him I will dance with him at the next

> ball we meet, with great pleasure. I shall send for my clothes when

> I get to Longbourn; but I wish you would tell Sally to mend a great

> slit in my worked muslin gown, before they are packed up. Good by.

> Give my love to Colonel Forster. I hope you will drink to our good

> journey. -- Your affectionate friend,

> 'Lydia Bennet.'

'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 shews, 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

 [[251]]