Chapter 46

           ElizabethhadbeenagooddealdisappointedinnotfindingaletterfromJaneontheirfirstarrivalatLambton; andthisdisappointmenthadbeenrenewedoneachofthemorningsthathadnowbeenspentthere; butonthethirdherrepiningwasover,andhersisterjustified,bythereceiptoftwolettersfromheratonce,ononeofwhichwasmarkedthatithadbeenmissentelsewhere. Elizabethwasnotsurprisedatit,asJanehadwrittenthedirectionremarkablyill. 

           Theyhadjustbeenpreparingtowalkastheletterscamein; andheruncleandaunt,leavinghertoenjoytheminquiet,setoffbythemselves. Theonemissentmustfirstbeattendedto;ithadbeenwrittenfivedaysago. Thebeginningcontainedanaccountofalltheirlittlepartiesandengagements,withsuchnewsasthecountryafforded; butthelatterhalf,whichwasdatedadaylater,andwritteninevidentagitation,gavemoreimportantintelligence. Itwastothiseffect: 

           "Sincewritingtheabove,dearestLizzy,somethinghasoccurredofamostunexpectedandseriousnature;butIamafraidofalarmingyou—beassuredthatweareallwell. WhatIhavetosayrelatestopoorLydia. Anexpresscameattwelvelastnight,justaswewereallgonetobed,fromColonelForster,toinformusthatshewasgoneofftoScotlandwithoneofhisofficers;toownthetruth,withWickham!Imagineoursurprise. ToKitty,however,itdoesnotseemsowhollyunexpected. Iamvery,verysorry. Soimprudentamatchonbothsides! ButIamwillingtohopethebest,andthathischaracterhasbeenmisunderstood. ThoughtlessandindiscreetIcaneasilybelievehim,butthisstep(andletusrejoiceoverit)marksnothingbadatheart. Hischoiceisdisinterestedatleast,forhemustknowmyfathercangivehernothing. Ourpoormotherissadlygrieved. Myfatherbearsitbetter. HowthankfulamIthatweneverletthemknowwhathasbeensaidagainsthim; wemustforgetitourselves.