Page 607 of 817

Then perceiving in Elizabeth no inclination of replying, she

added, "Unhappy as the event must be for Lydia, we may draw from

it this useful lesson:--that loss of virtue in a female is

irretrievable, that one false step involves her in endless ruin,

that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful, and

that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the

undeserving of the other sex."

Elizabeth lifted up her eyes in amazement, but was too much

oppressed to make any reply. Mary, however, continued to console

herself with such kind of moral extractions from the evil before

them.