Chapter 6

THE whole party were in hopes of a letter from Mr. Bennet
the next morning, but the post came in without bringing a
single line from him.  His family knew him to be on all common occasions, a most negligent and dilatory correspondent,
but at such a time, they had hoped for exertion.  They were
forced to conclude, that he had no pleasing intelligence to
send, but even of that they would have been glad to be certain.
Mr, Gardiner had waited only for the letters before he set off.
When he was gone, they were certain at least of receiving
constant information of what was going on, and their uncle
promised, at parting, to prevail on Mr. Bennet to return to
Longbourn, as soon as he could, to the great consolation of
his sister, who considered it as the only security for her
husband's not being killed in a duel.
Mrs. Gardiner and the children were to remain in Hertfordshire 
a few days longer, as the former thought her presence
might be serviceable to her nieces.  She shared in their
attendance on Mrs. Bennet, and was a great comfort to them,
in their hours of freedom.  Their other aunt also visited them
frequently, and always, as she said, with the design of cheering 
and heartening them up, though as she never came without
reporting some fresh instance of Wickham's extravagance or
irregularity, she seldom went away without leaving them more
dispirited than she found them.
All Meryton seemed striving to lacken the man, who, but
three months before, had been almost an angel of light.  He
was declared to be in debt to every tradesman in the place,
and his intrigues, all honoured with the title of seduction, had
been extended into every trade man's family.  Every body
declared that he was the wickedest young man in the world;
and every body began to find out, that they had always 
distrusted the appearance of his goodness.  Elizabeth, though she
did not credit above half of what was said, believed enough to
make her former assurance of her sister's ruin still more
certain; and even Jane, who believed still less of it, became
almost hopeless, more especially as the time was now come,
when if they had gone to Scotland, which she had never before
entirely despaired of, they must in all probability have gained
some news of them.
Mr. Gardiner left Longbourn on Sunday; on Tuesday, his
wife received a letter from him; it told them, that on his
arrival, he had immediately found out his brother, and 
persuaded him to come to Gracechurch-street.  Mr. Bennet
had been to Epsom and Clapham, before his arrival, but without gaining any satisfactory information; and that he was now
determined to enquire at all the principal hotels in town, as
Mr. Bennet thought it possible they might have gone to one
of them, on their first coming to London, before they procured lodgings.  Mr. Gardiner himself did not expect any
success from this measure, but as his brother was eager in it,
he meant to assist him in pursuing it.  He added, that Mr. 
Bennet seemed wholly disinclined at present, to leave London,
and promised to write again very soon.  There was also a 
postscript to this effect.
"I have written to Colonel Forster to desire him to find out,
if possible, from some of the young man's intimates in the
regiment, whether Wickham has any relations or connections,
who would be likely to know in what part of the town he has
now concealed himself.  If there were any one, that one could
apply to, with a probability of gaining such a clue as that, it
might be of essential consequence.  At present we have nothing
to guide us.  Colonel Forster will, I dare say, do every thing
in his power to satisfy us on this head.  But, on second thoughts,
perhaps Lizzy could tell us, what relations he has now living,
better than any other person."
Elizabeth was at no loss to understand from whence this
deference for her authority proceeded; but it was not in her
power to give any information of so satisfactory a nature, as
the compliment deserved.
She had never heard of his having had any relations, except
a father and mother, both of whom had been dead many years.
It was possible, however, that some of his companions in
the -- shire, might be able to give more information; and,
though she was not very sanguine in expecting it, the application was a something to look forward to.
Every day at Longbourn was now a day of anxiety; but the
most anxious part of each was when the post was expected.
The arrival of letters was the first grand object of every morning's impatience.  Through letters, whatever of good or bad
was to be told, would be communicated, and every succeeding
day was expected to bring some news of importance.
But before they heard again from Mr. Gardiner, a letter
arrived for their father, from a different quarter, from Mr. 
Collins; which, as Jane had received directions to open all that
came for him in his absence, she accordingly read; and Elizabeth, who knew what curiosities his letters always were,
looked over her, and read it likewise.  It was as follows:
"MY DEAR SIR,
"I feel myself called upon, by our relationship, and my
situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous affliction
you are now suffering under, of which we were yesterday
informed by a letter from Hertfordshire.  Be assured, my dear
Sir, that Mrs. Collins and myself sincerely sympathise with
you, and all your respectable family, in your present distress,
which must be of the bitterest kind, because proceeding from
a cause which no time can remove.  No arguments shall be
wanting on my part, that can alleviate so severe a misfortune;
or that may comfort you, under a circumstance that must be
of all others most afflicting to a parent's mind.  The death of
your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of
this.  And it is the more to be lamented, because there is reason
to suppose, as my dear Charlotte informs me, that this
licentiousness of behaviour in your daughter, has proceeded
from a faulty degree of indulgence, though, at the same time,
for the consolation of yourself and Mrs. Bennet, I am inclined
to think that her own disposition must be naturally bad, or
 she could not be guilty ofsuch an enormity, at so early an age,
Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied, in
which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins, but likewise 
by lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have
related the affair.  They agree with me in apprehending that
this false step in one daughter, will be injurious to the fortunes
of all the others, for who, as lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a 
family.  And this consideration leads me moreover to reflect with
augmented satisfaction on a certain event of last November,
for had it been otherwise, I must have been involved in all
your sorrow and disgrace.  Let me advise you then, my dear
Sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your
unworthy chil;d from your affection for ever, and leave her to
reap the fruits of her own heinous offence.
"I am, dear Sir, &c.  &c."
 Mr. Gardiner did not write again, till he had received an
answer from Colonel Forster; and then he had nothing of
a pleasant nature to send.  It was not known that Wickham
had a single relation, with whom he kept up any connection,
and it was certain that he had no near one living.  His former
acquaintance had been numerous; but since he had been in
the militia, it did not appear that he was on terms of particular friendship with any of them.  There was no one therefore
who could be pointed out, as likely to give any news of him.
And in the wretched state of his own finances, there was a very
powerful motive for secrecy, in addition to his fear of discovery by Lydia's relations, for it had just transpired that he
had left gaming debts behind him, to a very considerable
amount.  Colonel Forster believed that more than a thousand
pounds would be necessary to clear his expences at Brighton.
He owed a good deal in the town, but his debts of honour were
still more formidable.  Mr. Gardiner did not attempt to conceal these particulars from the Longbourn family; Jane heard
them with horror.  "A gamester!"' she cried.  "This is wholly
unexpected.  I had not an idea of it."
Mr. Gardiner added in his letter, that they might expect
to see their father at home on the following day, which was
Saturday.  Rendered spiritless by the ill-success of all their
endeavours, he had yielded to his brother-in-law's intreaty
that he would return to his family, and leave it to him to do,
whatever occasion might suggest to be advisable for continuing their pursuit.  When Mrs. Bennet was told of this, she
did not express so much satisfaction as her children expected,
considering what her anxiety for his life had been before.
"What, is he coming home, and without poor Lydia!" she
cried.  "Sure he will not leave London before he has found
them.  Who is to fight Wickham, and make him marry her, if
he comes away?"
As Mrs. Gardiner began to wish to be at home, it was
settled that she and her children should go to London, at the
same time that Mr. Bennet came from it.  The coach, therefore, 
took them the first stage of their journey, and brought its
master back to Longbourn.
Mrs. Gardiner went away in all the perplexity about Elizabeth 
and her Derbyshire friend, that had attended her from
that part of the world.  His name had never been voluntarily
mentioned before them by her niece; and the kind of half-
expectation which Mrs. Gardiner had formed, of their being
followed by a letter from him, had ended in nothing.  Elizabeth 
had received none since her return, that could come from
Pemberley.
 The present unhappy state of the family, rendered any
other excuse for the lowness of her spirits unnecessary;
nothing therefore, could be fairly conjectured from that,
though Elizabeth, who was by this time tolerably well
acquainted with her own feelings, was perfectly aware, that,
had she known nothing of Darcy, she could have borne the
dread of Lydia's infamy somewhat better.  It would have
spared her, she thought, one sleepless night out of two.
When Mr. Bennet arrived, he had all the appearance of his
usual philosophic composure.  He said as little as he had ever
been in the habit of saying; made no mention of the business
that had taken him away, and it was some time before his
daughters had courage to speak of it.
It was not till the afternoon, when he joined them at tea,
that Elizabeth ventured to introduce the subject; and then,
on her breifly expressing her sorrow for what he must have
endured, he replied, "Say nothing of that.  Who would suffer
but myself?  It has been my own doing, and I ought to feel it."
 "You must not be too severe upon yourself," replied
Elizabeth.
 "You may well warn me against such an evil.  Human nature
is so prone to fall into it!  No, Lizzy, let me once in my life feel
how much I have been to blame.  I am not afraid of being overpowered by the impression.  It will pass away soon enough."
"Do you suppose them to be in London?"
"Yes; where else can they be so well concealed?"
"And Lydia used to want to go to London," added Kitty.
 "She is happy, then," said her father, drily; "and her residence 
 there will probably be of some duration."
 Then, after a short silence, he continued, "Lizzy, I bear
you no ill-will for being justified in your advice to me last
May, which, considering the event, shews some greatness
of mind."
 They were interrupted by Miss Bennet, who came to fetch
her mother's tea,
"This is a parade," cried he, "which does one good; it gives
such an elegance to misfortune!  Another day I will do the
same; I will sit in my library, in my night cap and powdering
gown, and give as much trouble as I can, -- or, perhaps, I may
defer it, till Kitty runs away."
"I am not going to run away, Papa," said kitty, fretfully;
"if I should ever go to Brighton, I would behave better than
Lydia."
"You go to Brighton! -- I would not trust you so near it as
East Bourne, for fifty pounds!  No, Kitty, I have at last learnt
to be cautious, and you will feel the effects of it.  No officer is
ever to enter my house again, nor even to pass through the
village.  Balls will be absolutely prohibited, unless you stand
up with one of your sisters.  And you are never to stir out of
doors, till you can prove, that you have spent ten minutes of
every day in a rational manner."
Kitty, who took all these threats in a serious light, began
to cry.
"Well, well," said he, "do not make yourself unhappy.  If
you are a good girl for the next ten years, I will take you to
a review at the end of them."