She had not been many hours at home before she found that the Brighton scheme,of which Lydia had given them a hint at the inn,was under frequent discussion between her parents.Elizabeth saw directly that her father had not the smallest intention of yielding; but his answers were at the same time so vague and equivocal,that her mother,though often disheartened,had never yet despaired of succeeding at last.
“I am glad you are come back,Lizzy.”
But of this answer Lydia heard not a word.She seldom listened to anybody for more than half a minute, and never attended to Mary at all.
“How nicely we are all crammed in,”cried Lydia.“I am glad I bought my bonnet, if it is only for the fun of having another bandbox!Well, now let us be quite comfortable and snug, and talk and laugh all the way home.And in the first place,let us hear what has happened to you all since you went away.Have you seen any pleasant men?Have you had any flirting?I was in great hopes that one of you would have got a husband before you came back. Jane will be quite an old maid soon,I declare.She is almost three-and-twenty!Lord,how ashamed I should be of not being married before three-and-twenty! My aunt Phillips wants you so to get husbands,you can't think.She says Lizzy had better have taken Mr.Collins;but I do not think there would have been any fun in it.Lord!how I should like to be married before any of you;and then I would chaperon you about to all the balls.Dear me!we had such a good piece of fun the other day at Colonel Forster's.Kitty and me were to spend the day there,and Mrs.Forster promised to have a little dance in the evening; (by the bye, Mrs. Forster and me are such friends!)and so she asked the two Harringtons to come, but Harriet was ill, and so Pen was forced to come by herself; and then, what do you think we did?We dressed up Chamberlayne in woman's clothes on purpose to pass for a lady, only think what fun!Not a soul knew of it,but Colonel and Mrs. Forster,and Kitty and me,except my aunt,for we were forced to borrow one of her gowns; and you cannot imagine how well he looked!When Denny,and Wickham,and Pratt,and two or three more of the men came in, they did not know him in the least. Lord!how I laughed!and so did Mrs.Forster.I thought I should have died.And that made the men suspect something,and then they soon found out what was the matter.”