第105章[第1页/共5页]

“And do you really know all this?”cried Mrs.Gardiner,whose curiosity as to the mode of her intelligence was all alive.

“But why all this secrecy?Why any fear of detection?Why must their marriage be private?Oh,no,no―this is not likely.His most particular friend,you see by Jane's account,was persuaded of his never intending to marry her.Wickham will never marry a woman without some money.He cannot afford it.And what claims has Lydia―what attraction has she beyond youth,health,and good humour that could make him,for her sake,forego every chance of benefiting himself by marrying well? As to what restraint the apprehensions of disgrace in the corps might throw on a dishonourable elopement with her,I am not able to judge;for I know nothing of the effects that such a step might produce.But as to your other objection,I am afraid it will hardly hold good. Lydia has no brothers to step forward; and he might imagine, from my father's behaviour, from his indolence and the little attention he has ever seemed to give to what was going forward in his family,that he would do as little,and think as little about it,as any father could do,in such a matter.”

“In the first place,”replied Mr.Gardiner,“there is no absolute proof that they are not gone to Scotland.”

“Of whom does Jane ever think ill?And who is there,whatever might be their former conduct, that she would think 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.”