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Elizabeth was now most heartily sorry that she had, from the

distress of the moment, been led to make Mr. Darcy acquainted

with their fears for her sister; for since her marriage would so

shortly give the proper termination to the elopement, they might

hope to conceal its unfavourable beginning from all those who

were not immediately on the spot.

She had no fear of its spreading farther, through his means.

There were few people on whose secrecy she would have more

confidently depended; but at the same time there was no one whose

knowledge of a sister's frailty would have mortified her so much.

Not, however, from any fear of disadvantage from it individually

to herself; for at any rate there seemed a gulf impassable

between them. Had Lydia's marriage been concluded on the most

honourable terms, it was not to be supposed that Mr. Darcy would

connect himself with a family, where to every other objection

would now be added an alliance and relationship of the nearest

kind with the man whom he so justly scorned.