{{prxprp272.jpg}} || 272 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

them all. Elizabeth had not before believed him quite equal to

such assurance; but she sat down, resolving within herself to

draw no limits in future to the impudence of an impudent man.

She blushed, and Jane blushed; but the cheeks of the two who

caused their confusion suffered no variation of colour.

There was no want of discourse. The bride and her mother

could neither of them talk fast enough; and Wickham, who

happened to sit near Elizabeth, began inquiring after his acquaint'

ance in that neighbourhood, with a good-humoured ease, which

she felt very unable to equal in her replies. They seemed each

of them to have the happiest memories in the world. Nothing

of the past was recollected with pain; and Lydia led voluntarily

to subjects, which her sisters would not have alluded to for the

world.

'Only think of its being three months,' she cried, 'since I went

away; it seems but a fortnight, I declare; and yet there have been

things enough happened in the time. Good gracious! when

I went away, I am sure I had no more idea of being married till

I came back again! though I thought it would be very good fun

if I was.'

Her father lifted up his eyes, Jane was distressed, Elizabeth

looked expressively at Lydia: but she, who never heard nor saw

any thing of which she chose to be insensible, gaily continued,

'Oh! mamma, do the people hereabouts know I am married

to-day; I was afraid they might not; and we overtook William

Goulding in his curricle, so I was determined he should know

it, and so I let down the side glass next to him, and took off my

glove and let my hand just rest upon the window^frame, so that

he might see the ring, and then I bowed and smiled like any thing.'

Elizabeth could bear it no longer. She got up and ran out of

the room; and returned no more, till she heard them passing

through the hall to the dining parlour. She then joined them

soon enough to see Lydia, with anxious parade, walk up to her

mother's right hand, and hear her say to her eldest sister: 'Ah,

Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am

a married woman.'

It was not to be supposed that time would give Lydia that

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