第105章[第4页/共5页]

“Not,perhaps,of neglecting his own interest;but of every other neglect I can believe him capable.If,indeed,it should be so!But I dare not hope it.Why should they not go on to Scotland if that had been the case?”

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

“But does Lydia know nothing of this?can she be ignorant of what you and Jane seem so well to understand?”

“Do you really think so?”cried Elizabeth,brightening up for a moment.

“But you see that Jane,”said her aunt,“does not think so very ill of Wickham as to believe him capable of the attempt.”

“Upon my word,”said Mrs. Gardiner,“I begin to be of your uncle's opinion. It is really too great a violation of decency, honour,and interest,for him to be guilty of it.I cannot think so very ill of Wickham.Can you yourself,Lizzy,so wholly give him up,as to believe him capable of it?”

“Well, then―supposing them to be in London. They may be there, though for the purpose of concealment, for no more exceptional purpose. It is not likely that money should be very abundant on either side;and it might strike them that they could be more economically, though less expeditiously, married in London than in Scotland.”