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第86章（第1页）

Thefirstweekoftheirreturnwassoongone.Thesecondbegan.ItwasthelastoftheregimentsstayinMeryton，andalltheyoungladiesintheneighbourhoodweredroopingapace.Thedejectionwasalmostuniversal.TheelderMissBennetsalonewerestillabletoeat，drink，andsleep，andpursuetheusualcourseoftheiremployments.VeryfrequentlyweretheyreproachedforthisinsensibilitybyKittyandLydia，whoseownmiserywasextreme，andwhocouldnotcomprehendsuchhard-heartednessinanyofthefamily.

“GoodHeaven!whatistobecomeofus?Whatarewetodo?”

wouldtheyoftenexclaiminthebitternessofwoe.“Howcanyoubesmilingso，Lizzy?”

Theiraffectionatemothersharedalltheirgrief;sherememberedwhatshehadherselfenduredonasimilaroccasion，five-and-twentyyearsago.

“Iamsure，”

saidshe，“IcriedfortwodaystogetherwhenColonelMillersregimentwentaway.IthoughtIshouldhavebrokenmyheart.”

“IamsureIshallbreakmine，”

saidLydia.

“IfonecouldbutgotoBrighton!”

observedMrs.Bennet.

“Oh，yes!—ifonecouldbutgotoBrighton!Butpapaissodisagreeable.”

“Alittlesea-bathingwouldsetmeupforever.”

“AndmyauntPhillipsissureitwoulddomeagreatdealofgood，”

addedKitty.

SuchwerethekindoflamentationsresoundingperpetuallythroughLongbournHouse.Elizabethtriedtobedivertedbythem;butallsenseofpleasurewaslostinshame.ShefeltanewthejusticeofMr.Darcysobjections;andneverhadshebeensomuchdisposedtopardonhisinterferenceintheviewsofhisfriend.

ButthegloomofLydiasprospectwasshortlyclearedaway;forshereceivedaninvitationfromMrs.Forster，thewifeofthecoloneloftheregiment，toaccompanyhertoBrighton.Thisinvaluablefriendwasaveryyoungwoman，andverylatelymarried.AresemblanceingoodhumourandgoodspiritshadrecommendedherandLydiatoeachother，andoutoftheirthreemonthsacquaintancetheyhadbeenintimatetwo.

TheraptureofLydiaonthisoccasion，heradorationofMrs.Forster，thedelightofMrs.Bennet，andthemortificationofKitty，arescarcelytobedescribed.Whollyinattentivetohersistersfeelings，Lydiaflewaboutthehouseinrestlessecstasy，callingforeveryonescongratulations，andlaughingandtalkingwithmoreviolencethanever;whilstthelucklessKittycontinuedintheparlourrepinedatherfateintermsasunreasonableasheraccentwaspeevish.

“IcannotseewhyMrs.ForstershouldnotaskmeaswellasLydia，”

saidshe，“ThoughIamnotherparticularfriend.Ihavejustasmuchrighttobeaskedasshehas，andmoretoo，forIamtwoyearsolder.”

InvaindidElizabethattempttomakeherreasonable，andJanetomakeherresigned.AsforElizabethherself，thisinvitationwassofarfromexcitinginherthesamefeelingsasinhermotherandLydia，thatsheconsidereditasthedeathwarrantofallpossibilityofcommonsenseforthelatter;anddetestableassuchastepmustmakeherwereitknown，shecouldnothelpsecretlyadvisingherfathernottolethergo.SherepresentedtohimalltheimproprietiesofLydiasgeneralbehaviour，thelittleadvantageshecouldderivefromthefriendshipofsuchawomanasMrs.Forster，andtheprobabilityofherbeingyetmoreimprudentwithsuchacompanionatBrighton，wherethetemptationsmustbegreaterthanathome.Heheardherattentively，andthensaid:

“Lydiawillneverbeeasyuntilshehasexposedherselfinsomepublicplaceorother，andwecanneverexpecthertodoitwithsolittleexpenseorinconveniencetoherfamilyasunderthepresentcircumstances.”

“Ifyouwereaware，”

saidElizabeth，“oftheverygreatdisadvantagetousallwhichmustarisefromthepublicnoticeofLydiasunguardedandimprudentmanner—nay，whichhasalreadyarisenfromit，Iamsureyouwouldjudgedifferentlyintheaffair.”

“Alreadyarisen?”

repeatedMr.Bennet.“What，hasshefrightenedawaysomeofyourlovers?PoorlittleLizzy!Butdonotbecastdown.Suchsqueamishyouthsascannotbeartobeconnectedwithalittleabsurdityarenotwortharegret.Come，letmeseethelistofpitifulfellowswhohavebeenkeptaloofbyLydiasfolly.”

“Indeedyouaremistaken.Ihavenosuchinjuriestoresent.Itisnotofparticular，butofgeneralevils，whichIamnowcomplaining.Ourimportance，ourrespectabilityintheworldmustbeaffectedbythewildvolatility，theassuranceanddisdainofallrestraintwhichmarkLydiascharacter.Excuseme，forImustspeakplainly.Ifyou，mydearfather，willnottakethetroubleofcheckingherexuberantspirits，andofteachingherthatherpresentpursuitsarenottobethebusinessofherlife，shewillsoonbebeyondthereachofamendment.Hercharacterwillbefixed，andshewill，atsixteen，bethemostdeterminedflirtthatevermadeherselforherfamilyridiculous;aflirt，too，intheworstandmeanestdegreeofflirtation;withoutanyattractionbeyondyouthandatolerableperson;and，fromtheignoranceandemptinessofhermind，whollyunabletowardoffanyportionofthatuniversalcontemptwhichherrageforadmirationwillexcite.InthisdangerKittyalsoiscomprehended.ShewillfollowwhereverLydialeads.Vain，ignorant，idle，andabsolutelyuncontrolled!Oh!mydearfather，canyousupposeitpossiblethattheywillnotbecensuredanddespisedwherevertheyareknown，andthattheirsisterswillnotbeofteninvolvedinthedisgrace?”

Mr.Bennetsawthatherwholeheartwasinthesubject，andaffectionatelytakingherhandsaidinreply: