Page 536 of 817

Elizabeth here felt herself called on to say something in

vindication of his behaviour to Wickham; and, therefore, gave

them to understand, in as guarded a manner as she could, that by

what she had heard from his relations in Kent, his actions were

capable of a very different construction; and that his character

was by no means so faulty, nor Wickham's so amiable, as they had

been considered in Hertfordshire. In confirmation of this, she

related the particulars of all the pecuniary transactions in

which they had been connected, without actually naming her

authority, but stating it to be such as might be relied on.