Thewholepartywereinhopesof a letterfromMr. Bennetthenextmorning, butthepostcameinwithoutbringing a singlelinefromhim. Hisfamilyknewhimtobe, onallcommonoccasions, a mostnegligentanddilatorycorrespondent; butatsuch a timetheyhadhopedforexertion. Theywereforcedtoconcludethathehadnopleasingintelligencetosend; butevenofthattheywouldhavebeengladtobecertain. Mr. Gardinerhadwaitedonlyforthelettersbeforehesetoff.
Mr. GardinerleftLongbournonSunday; onTuesdayhiswifereceived a letterfromhim; ittoldthemthat, onhisarrival, hehadimmediatelyfoundouthisbrother, andpersuadedhimtocometoGracechurchStreet; thatMr. BennethadbeentoEpsomandClapham, beforehisarrival, butwithoutgaininganysatisfactoryinformation; andthathewasnowdeterminedtoinquireatalltheprincipalhotelsintown, asMr. Bennetthoughtitpossibletheymighthavegonetooneofthem, ontheirfirstcomingtoLondon, beforetheyprocuredlodgings. Mr. Gardinerhimselfdidnotexpectanysuccessfromthismeasure, butashisbrotherwaseagerinit, hemeanttoassisthiminpursuingit. HeaddedthatMr. BennetseemedwhollydisinclinedatpresenttoleaveLondonandpromisedtowriteagainverysoon. Therewasalso a postscripttothiseffect:
5
"I havewrittentoColonelForstertodesirehimtofindout, ifpossible, fromsomeoftheyoungman's intimatesintheregiment, whetherWickhamhasanyrelationsorconnectionswhowouldbelikelytoknowinwhatpartoftownhehasnowconcealedhimself. Iftherewereanyonethatonecouldapplytowith a probabilityofgainingsuch a clueasthat, itmightbeofessentialconsequence. Atpresentwehavenothingtoguideus. ColonelForsterwill, I daresay, doeverythinginhispowertosatisfyusonthishead. But, onsecondthoughts, perhaps, Lizzycouldtelluswhatrelationshehasnowliving, betterthananyotherperson."
6
Elizabethwasatnolosstounderstandfromwhencethisdeferencetoherauthorityproceeded; butitwasnotinherpowertogiveanyinformationofsosatisfactory a natureasthecomplimentdeserved. Shehadneverheardofhishavinghadanyrelations, except a fatherandmother, bothofwhomhadbeendeadmanyyears. Itwaspossible, however, thatsomeofhiscompanionsinthe ——shiremightbeabletogivemoreinformation; andthoughshewasnotverysanguineinexpectingit, theapplicationwas a somethingtolookforwardto.
7
EverydayatLongbournwasnow a dayofanxiety; butthemostanxiouspartofeachwaswhenthepostwasexpected. Thearrivalofletterswasthegrandobjectofeverymorning's impatience. Throughletters, whateverofgoodorbadwastobetoldwouldbecommunicated, andeverysucceedingdaywasexpectedtobringsomenewsofimportance.
8
ButbeforetheyheardagainfromMr. Gardiner, a letterarrivedfortheirfather, from a differentquarter, fromMr. Collins; which, asJanehadreceiveddirectionstoopenallthatcameforhiminhisabsence, sheaccordinglyread; andElizabeth, whoknewwhatcuriositieshislettersalwayswere, lookedoverher, andreaditlikewise. Itwasasfollows:
9
"MYDEARSIR,
10
"I feelmyselfcalledupon, byourrelationship, andmysituationinlife, tocondolewithyouonthegrievousafflictionyouarenowsufferingunder, ofwhichwewereyesterdayinformedby a letterfromHertfordshire. Beassured, mydearsir, thatMrs. Collinsandmyselfsincerelysympathisewithyouandallyourrespectablefamily, inyourpresentdistress, whichmustbeofthebitterestkind, becauseproceedingfrom a causewhichnotimecanremove. Noargumentsshallbewantingonmypartthatcanalleviatesosevere a misfortune—orthatmaycomfortyou, under a circumstancethatmustbeofallothersthemostafflictingto a parent's mind. Thedeathofyourdaughterwouldhavebeen a blessingincomparisonofthis. Anditisthemoretobelamented, becausethereisreasontosupposeasmydearCharlotteinformsme, thatthislicentiousnessofbehaviourinyourdaughterhasproceededfrom a faultydegreeofindulgence; though, atthesametime, fortheconsolationofyourselfandMrs. Bennet, I aminclinedtothinkthatherowndispositionmustbenaturallybad, orshecouldnotbeguiltyofsuchanenormity, atsoearlyanage. Howsoeverthatmaybe, youaregrievouslytobepitied; inwhichopinion I amnotonlyjoinedbyMrs. Collins, butlikewisebyLadyCatherineandherdaughter, towhom I haverelatedtheaffair. Theyagreewithmeinapprehendingthatthisfalsestepinonedaughterwillbeinjurioustothefortunesofalltheothers; forwho, asLadyCatherineherselfcondescendinglysays, willconnectthemselveswithsuch a family? Andthisconsiderationleadsmemoreovertoreflect, withaugmentedsatisfaction, on a certaineventoflastNovember; forhaditbeenotherwise, I musthavebeeninvolvedinallyoursorrowanddisgrace. Letmethenadviseyou, dearsir, toconsoleyourselfasmuchaspossible, tothrowoffyourunworthychildfromyouraffectionforever, andleavehertoreapthefruitsofherownheinousoffense.
11
"I am, dearsir, etc., etc."
12
Mr. GardinerdidnotwriteagaintillhehadreceivedananswerfromColonelForster; andthenhehadnothingof a pleasantnaturetosend. ItwasnotknownthatWickhamhad a singlerelationshipwithwhomhekeptupanyconnection, anditwascertainthathehadnonearoneliving. Hisformeracquaintanceshadbeennumerous; butsincehehadbeeninthemilitia, itdidnotappearthathewasontermsofparticularfriendshipwithanyofthem. Therewasnoone, therefore, whocouldbepointedoutaslikelytogiveanynewsofhim. Andinthewretchedstateofhisownfinances, therewas a verypowerfulmotiveforsecrecy, inadditiontohisfearofdiscoverybyLydia's relations, forithadjusttranspiredthathehadleftgamingdebtsbehindhimto a veryconsiderableamount. ColonelForsterbelievedthatmorethan a thousandpoundswouldbenecessarytoclearhisexpensesatBrighton. Heowed a gooddealintown, buthisdebtsofhonourwerestillmoreformidable. Mr. GardinerdidnotattempttoconcealtheseparticularsfromtheLongbournfamily. Janeheardthemwithhorror. "A gamester!" shecried. "Thisiswhollyunexpected. I hadnotanideaofit."
"Youmaywellwarnmeagainstsuchanevil. Humannatureissopronetofallintoit! No, Lizzy, letmeonceinmylifefeelhowmuch I havebeentoblame. I amnotafraidofbeingoverpoweredbytheimpression. Itwillpassawaysoonenough."
"Thisis a parade," hecried, "whichdoesonegood; itgivessuchanelegancetomisfortune! Anotherday I willdothesame; I willsitinmylibrary, inmynightcapandpowderinggown, andgiveasmuchtroubleas I can; or, perhaps, I maydeferittillKittyrunsaway."
30
"I amnotgoingtorunaway, papa," saidKittyfretfully. "If I shouldevergotoBrighton, I wouldbehavebetterthanLydia."
31
"YougotoBrighton. I wouldnottrustyousonearitasEastbourneforfiftypounds! No, Kitty, I haveatlastlearnttobecautious, andyouwillfeeltheeffectsofit. Noofficerisevertoenterintomyhouseagain, noreventopassthroughthevillage. Ballswillbeabsolutelyprohibited, unlessyoustandupwithoneofyoursisters. Andyouarenevertostiroutofdoorstillyoucanprovethatyouhavespenttenminutesofeverydayin a rationalmanner."
32
Kitty, whotookallthesethreatsin a seriouslight, begantocry.