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.
Elizabeth jumped out; and after giving each of them a hasty kiss,

hurried into the vestibule, where Jane, who came running downstairs from

her mother’s apartment, immediately met her.
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.
“Not yet,” replied Jane. “But now that my dear uncle is come, I hope

everything will be well.”
“Is my father in town?”
“Yes, he went on Tuesday, as I wrote you word.”
“And have you heard from him often?”
“We have heard only once. He wrote me a few lines on Wednesday, to say

that he had arrived in safety, and to give me his directions, which I

particularly begged him to do. He merely added, that he should not write

again, till he had something of importance to mention.”
“And my mother—how is she? How are you all?{351}”
“My mother is tolerably well, I trust; though her spirits are greatly

shaken. She is upstairs, and will have great satisfaction in seeing you

all. She does not yet leave her dressing-room. Mary and Kitty, thank

Heaven! are quite well.”
“But you—how are you?” cried Elizabeth. “You look pale. How much you

must have gone through!”
Her sister, however, assured her of her being perfectly well; and their

conversation, which had been passing while Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were

engaged with their children, was now put an end to by the approach of

the whole party. Jane ran to her uncle and aunt, and welcomed and

thanked them both, with alternate smiles and tears.
When they were all in the drawing-room, the questions which Elizabeth

had already asked were of course repeated by the others, and they soon

found that Jane had no intelligence to give. The sanguine hope of good,