第76章[第2頁/共7頁]

to believe herself in love, and to consent to an elopement.She was then but fifteen,which must be her excuse;and after stating her imprudence,I am happy to add, that I owed the knowledge of it to herself. I joined them unexpectedly a day or two before the intended elopement, and then Georgiana, unable to support the idea of grieving and offending a brother whom she almost looked up to as a father, acknowledged the whole to me.You may imagine what I felt and how I acted.Regard for my sister's credit and feelings prevented any public exposure;but I wrote to Mr.Wickham,who left the place immediately,and Mrs.Younge was of course removed from her charge. Mr.Wickham's chief object was unquestionably my sister's fortune, which is thirty thousand pounds; but I cannot help supposing that the hope of revenging himself on me was a strong inducement. His revenge would have been complete indeed.