Austen Said:

“to carry my point in going to Brighton, with all my family, this would not have happened; but poor dear Lydia had nobody to take care of her. Why did the Forsters ever let her go out of their sight? I am sure there was some great neglect or other on their side, for she is not the kind of girl to do such a thing if she had been well looked after. I always thought they were very unfit to have the charge of her; but I was overruled, as I always am. Poor dear child! And now here's Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham, wherever he meets him and then he will be killed, and what is to become of us all? The Collinses will turn us out before he is cold in his grave, and if you are not kind to us, brother, I do not know what we shall do.”

“Oh! my dear brother,”

“that is exactly what I could most wish for. And now do, when you get to town, find them out, wherever they may be; and if they are not married already, make them marry. And as for wedding clothes, do not let them wait for that, but tell Lydia she shall have as much money as she chooses, to buy them, after they are married. And, above all things, keep Mr. Bennet from fighting. Tell him what a dreadful state I am in, that I am frighted out of my wits — and have such tremblings, such flutterings, all over me — such spasms in my side and pains in my head, and such beatings at heart, that I can get no rest by night nor by day. And tell my dear Lydia not to give any directions about her clothes till she has seen me, for she does not know which are the best warehouses. Oh, brother, how kind you are! I know you will contrive it all."

as the only security for her husband's not being killed in a duel.

with the design of cheering and heartening them up

“What, is he coming home, and without poor Lydia?”

“Sure he will not leave London before he has found them. Who is to fight Wickham, and make him marry her, if he comes away?”

nothing, therefore, could be fairly conjectured from that,

her daughter would be married was enough.

“My dear, dear Lydia!”

“This is delightful indeed! She will be married! I shall see her again! She will be married at sixteen! My good, kind brother! I knew how it would be. I knew he would manage everything! How I long to see her! and to see dear Wickham too! But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I will write to my sister Gardiner about them directly. Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. Stay, stay, I will go myself. Ring the bell, Kitty, for Hill. I will put on my things in a moment. My dear, dear Lydia! How merry we shall be together when we meet!”

“Well,”

“it is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? If he had not had a family of his own, I and my children must have had all his money you know; and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him, except a few presents. Well! I am so happy! In a short time I shall have a daughter married. Mrs. Wickham! How well it sounds! And she was only sixteen last June. My dear Jane, I am in such a flutter, that I am sure I can't write; so I will dictate, and you write for me. We will settle with your father about the money afterwards; but the things should be ordered immediately.”

to all the particulars of calico, muslin, and cambric,

some very plentiful orders,

“I will go to Meryton,”

“as soon as I am dressed, and tell the good, good news to my sister Philips. And as I come back, I can call on Lady Lucas and Mrs. Long. Kitty, run down and order the carriage. An airing would do me a great deal of good, I am sure. Girls, can I do anything for you in Meryton? Oh! Here comes Hill! My dear Hill, have you heard the good news? Miss Lydia is going to be married; and you shall all have a bowl of punch to make merry at her wedding.”

“Haye Park might do,”

“if the Gouldings could quit it — or the great house at Stoke, if the drawing-room were larger; but Ashworth is too far off! I could not bear to have her ten miles from me; and as for Purvis Lodge, the attics are dreadful.”

besides, it was such a pity that Lydia should be taken from a regiment where she was acquainted with everybody, and had so many favourites.

“She is so fond of Mrs. Forster,”

“it will be quite shocking to send her away! And there are several of the young men, too, that she likes very much. The officers may not be so pleasant in General ——'s regiment.”

“Very true; and if I had my will, we should. But my dear Lydia, I don't at all like your going such a way off. Must it be so?”

“I should like it beyond anything!”

“Gracechurch street, Sept. 6.

“My dear niece,

“I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it, as I foresee that alittle writing will not comprise what I have to tell you. I must confess myself surprised by your application; I did not expect it from you. Don't think me angry, however, for I only mean to let you know that I had not imagined such inquiries to be necessary on your side. If you do not choose to understand me, forgive my impertinence. Your uncle is as much surprised as I am — and nothing but the belief of your being a party concerned would have allowed him to act as he has done. But if you are really innocent and ignorant, I must be more explicit. "On the very day of my coming home from Longbourn, your uncle had a most unexpected visitor. Mr. Darcy called, and was shut up with him several hours. It was all over before I arrived; so my curiosity was not so dreadfully racked as yours seems to have been.

He came to tell Mr. Gardiner that

and that

From what I can collect,

The motive professed was his conviction of

He generously imputed

and confessed that

He called it, therefore,

If he had another motive, I am sure it would never disgrace him.

it seems,

though he did not say what.

he knew,

I suppose,

At length, however, our kind friend procured the wished-for direction.

he acknowledged,

Since such were her feelings, it only remained,

he thought,

to secure and expedite a marriage, which, in his very first conversation with Wickham,

he easily learnt

had never beenhis design.

He confessed

and scrupled not to lay all the ill-consequences of Lydia's flight on her own folly alone.

"Mr. Darcy asked him

But