Страница 666 из 817

Her father lifted up his eyes, Jane was distressed, Elizabeth

looked expressively at Lydia; but she, who never heard nor saw

anything of which she chose to be insensible, gaily continued,--

"Oh, mamma, do the people hereabouts know I am married to-day? I

was afraid they might not; and we overtook William Goulding in

his curricle, so I was determined he should know it, and so I let

down the side glass next to him, and took off my glove and let my

hand just rest upon the window frame, so that he might see the

ring, and then I bowed and smiled like anything."

Elizabeth could bear it no longer. She got up and ran out of the

room; and returned no more, till she heard them passing through

the hall to the dining-parlour. She then joined them soon enough

to see Lydia, with anxious parade, walk up to her mother's right

hand, and hear her say to her eldest sister,--

"Ah, Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because

I am a married woman."