Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 47

"I have been thinking it over again, Elizabeth," said her uncle,

as they drove from the town; "and really, upon serious

consideration, I am much more inclined than I was to judge as

your eldest sister does on the matter. It appears to me so very

unlikely that any young man should form such a design against

a girl who is by no means unprotected or friendless, and who

was actually staying in his colonel's family, that I am strongly

inclined to hope the best. Could he expect that her friends

would not step forward? Could he expect to be noticed again

by the regiment, after such an affront to Colonel Forster? His

temptation is not adequate to the risk!"

"Do you really think so?" cried Elizabeth, brightening up for a

moment.

"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. I cannot think

so very ill of Wickham. Can you yourself, Lizzy, so wholly give

him up, as to believe him capable of it?"

"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?"

"In the first place," replied Mr. Gardiner, "there is no absolute

proof that they are not gone to Scotland."

"Oh! but their removing from the chaise into a hackney coach is

such a presumption! And, besides, no traces of them were to be

found on the Barnet road."

"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."

"But why all this secrecy? Why any fear of detection? Why must

their marriage be private? Oh, no, no--this is not likely.

His most particular friend, you see by Jane's account, was

persuaded of his never intending to marry her. Wickham will

never marry a woman without some money. He cannot afford

it. And what claims has Lydia--what attraction has she beyond

youth, health, and good humour that could make him, for her

sake, forego every chance of benefiting himself by marrying

well? As to what restraint the apprehensions of disgrace in the