Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 458 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 458

JANE AUSTEN

meaning to marry her. No one but Jane, she thought,

could flatter herself with such an expectation. Surprise

was the least of her feelings on this development. While

the contents of the first letter remained in her mind,

she was all surpriseall astonishment that Wickham

should marry a girl whom it was impossible he could

marry for money; and how Lydia could ever have

attached him had appeared incomprehensible. But now

it was all too natural. For such an attachment as this

she might have sufficient charms; and though she did

not suppose Lydia to be deliberately engaging in an

elopement without the intention of marriage, she had

no difficulty in believing that neither her virtue nor her

understanding would preserve her from falling an easy

prey.

She had never perceived, while the regiment was in

Hertfordshire, that Lydia had any partiality for him;

but she was convinced that Lydia wanted only encour-

agement to attach herself to anybody. Sometimes one

officer, sometimes another, had been her favourite,

as their attentions raised them in her opinion. Her

affections had continually been fluctuating but never

without an object. The mischief of neglect and mistaken

indulgence towards such a girloh! how acutely did

she now feel it!

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