Chapter 47 273
" And was Denny convinced that Wickham would not marry ? Did he know of their intending to go off ? Had Colonel Forster seen Denny himself ?"
" Yes ; but , when questioned by him , Denny denied knowing anything of their plans , and would not give his real opinion about it . He did not repeat his persuasion of their not marrying--and from that , I am inclined to hope , he might have been misunderstood before ."
" And till Colonel Forster came himself , not one of you entertained a doubt , I suppose , of their being really married ?"
" How was it possible that such an idea should enter our brains ? I felt a little uneasy--a little fearful of my sister ' s happiness with him in marriage , because I knew that his conduct had not been always quite right . My father and mother knew nothing of that ; they only felt how imprudent a match it must be . Kitty then owned , with a very natural triumph on knowing more than the rest of us , that in Lydia ' s last letter she had prepared her for such a step . She had known , it seems , of their being in love with each other , many weeks ."
" But not before they went to Brighton ?" " No , I believe not ."
" And did Colonel Forster appear to think well of Wickham himself ? Does he know his real character ?"
" I must confess that he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did . He believed him to be imprudent and extravagant . And since this sad affair has taken place , it is said that he left Meryton greatly in debt ; but I hope this may be false ."
" Oh , Jane , had we been less secret , had we told what we knew of him , this could not have happened !"