“And my mother―how is she?How are you all?”
“But you―how are you?”cried Elizabeth.“You look pale.How much you must have gone through!”
They travelled as expeditiously as possible, and, sleeping one night on the road, reached Longbourn by dinner time the next day.It was a comfort to Elizabeth to consider that Jane could not have been wearied by long expectations.
Elizabeth,as she affectionately embraced her,whilst tears filled the eyes of both,lost not a moment in asking whether anything had been heard of the fugitives.
The little Gardiners, attracted by the sight of a chaise, were standing on the steps of the house as they entered the paddock;and, when the carriage drove up to the door, the joyful surprise that lighted up their faces,and displayed itself over their whole bodies,in a variety of capers and frisks, was the first pleasing earnest of their welcome.
Mrs.Bennet,to whose apartment they all repaired,after a few minutes' conversation together, received them exactly as might be expected; with tears and lamentations of regret, invectives against the villainous conduct of Wickham,and complaints of her own sufferings and ill-usage; blaming everybody but the person to whose ill-judging indulgence the errors of her daughter must principally be owing.