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"Oh, yes!--that, that is the worst of all. Till I was in Kent,

and saw so much both of Mr. Darcy and his relation Colonel

Fitzwilliam, I was ignorant of the truth myself. And when I

returned home the ----shire was to leave Meryton in a week or

fortnight's time. As that was the case, neither Jane, to whom I

related the whole, nor I, thought it necessary to make our

knowledge public; for of what use could it apparently be to

anyone, that the good opinion, which all the neighbourhood had of

him, should then be overthrown? And even when it was settled that

Lydia should go with Mrs. Forster, the necessity of opening her

eyes to his character never occurred to me. That she could be in

any danger from the deception never entered my head. That such a

consequence as this should ensue, you may easily believe was far

enough from my thoughts."

"When they all removed to Brighton, therefore, you had no reason,

I suppose, to believe them fond of each other?"