第82章[第1页/共3页]

“I am sure there is not on his. I will answer for it, he never cared three straws about her―who could about such a nasty little freckled thing?”

“Are they indeed!”cried Elizabeth,with the greatest satisfaction.

“She is a great fool for going away,if she liked him.”

Elizabeth was shocked to think that,however incapable of such coarseness of expression herself, the coarseness of the sentiment was little other than her own breast had harboured and fancied liberal!

“They are going to be encamped near Brighton; and I do so want papa to take us all there for the summer!It would be such a delicious scheme;and I dare say would hardly cost anything at all.Mamma would like to go,too,of all things!Only think what a miserable summer else we shall have!”

“And we mean to treat you all,”added Lydia,“but you must lend us the money,for we have just spent ours at the shop out there.”Then, showing her purchases―“Look here, I have bought this bonnet.I do not think it is very pretty;but I thought I might as well buy it as not.I shall pull it to pieces as soon as I get home, and see if I can make it up any better.”

“Yes,”thought Elizabeth,“that would be a delightful scheme indeed,and completely do for us at once.Good Heaven!Brighton, and a whole campful of soldiers, to us, who have been overset already by one poor regiment of militia,and the monthly balls of Meryton!”