Chapter 51 298
man . She blushed , and Jane blushed ; but the cheeks of the two who caused their confusion suffered no variation of colour .
There was no want of discourse . The bride and her mother could neither of them talk fast enough ; and Wickham , who happened to sit near Elizabeth , began inquiring after his acquaintance in that neighbourhood , with a good humoured ease which she felt very unable to equal in her replies . They seemed each of them to have the happiest memories in the world . Nothing of the past was recollected with pain ; and Lydia led voluntarily to subjects which her sisters would not have alluded to for the world .
" Only think of its being three months ," she cried , " since I went away ; it seems but a fortnight I declare ; and yet there have been things enough happened in the time . Good gracious ! when I went away , I am sure I had no more idea of being married till I came back again ! though I thought it would be very good fun if I was ."
Her father lifted up his eyes . Jane was distressed . Elizabeth looked expressively at Lydia ; but she , who never heard nor saw anything of which she chose to be insensible , gaily continued , " Oh ! mamma , do the people hereabouts know I am married to-day ? I was afraid they might not ; and we overtook William Goulding in his curricle , so I was determined he should know it , and so I let down the side-glass next to him , and took off my glove , and let my hand just rest upon the window frame , so that he might see the ring , and then I bowed and smiled like anything ."
Elizabeth could bear it no longer . She got up , and ran out of the room ; and returned no more , till she heard them passing through the hall to the dining parlour . She then joined them soon enough to see Lydia , with anxious parade , walk up to her mother ' s right hand , and hear her say to her eldest sister , " Ah ! Jane , I take your place now , and you must go lower , because I am a married woman ."
It was not to be supposed that time would give Lydia that embarrassment from which she had been so wholly free at first . Her ease and good spirits increased . She longed to see Mrs . Phillips , the Lucases , and all their other