“Just im‑possible nonsense, Ma,” returned Lavvy, “and George Sampson knows it is, as well as I do.”

Mrs. Wilfer suddenly becoming petrified, fixed her indignant eyes upon the wretched George: who, divided between the support due from him to his love, and the support due from him to his love’s mamma, supported nobody, not even himself.

“The true point is,” pursued Lavinia, “that Bella has behaved in a most unsisterly way to me, and might have severely compromised me with George and with George’s family, by making off and getting married in this very low and disreputable manner⁠—with some pew-opener or other, I suppose, for a bridesmaid⁠—when she ought to have confided in me, and ought to have said, ‘If, Lavvy, you consider it due to your engagement with George, that you should countenance the occasion by being present, then Lavvy, I beg you to be present, keeping my secret from Ma and Pa.’ As of course I should have done.”