“You may readily comprehend,”she added,“what my curiosity must be to know how a person unconnected with any of us,and (comparatively speaking) a stranger to our family, should have been amongst you at such a time.Pray write instantly,and let me understand it―unless it is, for very cogent reasons, to remain in the secrecy which Lydia seems to think necessary;and then I must endeavour to be satisfied with ignorance.”
“Oh,yes!―he was to come there with Wickham,you know.But gracious me!I quite forgot!I ought not to have said a word about it.I promised them so faithfully!What will Wickham say?It was to be such a secret!”
“Thank you,”said Lydia,“for if you did,I should certainly tell you all,and then Wickham would be angry.”
One morning, soon after their arrival, as she was sitting with her two elder sisters,she said to Elizabeth:
“No really,”replied Elizabeth;“I think there cannot be too little said on the subject.”
But to live in ignorance on such a point was impossible;or at least it was impossible not to try for information.Mr.Darcy had been at her sister's wedding.It was exactly a scene,and exactly among people, where he had apparently least to do, and least temptation to go.Conjectures as to the meaning of it,rapid and wild, hurried into her brain; but she was satisfied with none. Those that best pleased her,as placing his conduct in the noblest light,seemed most improbable.She could not bear such suspense;and hastily seizing a sheet of paper, wrote a short letter to her aunt,to request an explanation of what Lydia had dropped,if it were compatible with the secrecy which had been intended.