Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other,and the waiter was told he need not stay.Lydia laughed,and said:
“Yes,”thought Elizabeth,“that would be a delightful scheme indeed,and completely do for us at once.Good Heaven!Brighton, and a whole campful of soldiers, to us, who have been overset already by one poor regiment of militia,and the monthly balls of Meryton!”
“And we mean to treat you all,”added Lydia,“but you must lend us the money,for we have just spent ours at the shop out there.”Then, showing her purchases―“Look here, I have bought this bonnet.I do not think it is very pretty;but I thought I might as well buy it as not.I shall pull it to pieces as soon as I get home, and see if I can make it up any better.”
After welcoming their sisters, they triumphantly displayed a table set out with such cold meat as an inn larder usually affords, exclaiming,“Is not this nice?Is not this an agreeable surprise?”