第119章

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    Elizabeth had the satisfaction of receiving an answer to her letter as soon as she possibly could. She was no sooner in possession of it,than hurrying into the little copse,where she was least likely to be interrupted,she sat down on one of the benches and prepared to be happy;for the length of the letter convinced her that it did not contain a denial.

    Gracechurch street,Sept.6.

    “My dear Niece,

    “I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it,as I foresee that a little writing will not comprise what I have to tell you.I must confess myself surprised by your application;I did not expect it from you.Don't think me angry,however,for I only mean to let you know that I had not imagined such inquiries to be necessary on your side.If you do not choose to understand me,forgive my impertinence.Your uncle is as much surprised as I am—and nothing but the belief of your being a party concerned would have allowed him to act as he has done.But if you are really innocent and ignorant,I must be more explicit.

    “On the very day of my coming home from Longbourn, your uncle had a most unexpected visitor. Mr. Darcy called, and was shut up with him several hours.It was all over before I arrived;so my curiosity was not so dreadfully racked as yours seems to have been.He came to tell Mr.Gardiner that he had found out where your sister and Mr.Wickham were, and that he had seen and talked with them both;Wickham repeatedly, Lydia once. From what I can collect,he left Derbyshire only one day after ourselves,and came to town with the resolution of hunting for them.The motive professed was his conviction of its being owing to himself that Wickham's worthlessness had not been so well known as to make it impossible for any young woman of character to love or confide in him.He generously imputed the whole to his mistaken pride,and confessed that he had before thought it beneath him to lay his private actions open to the world.His character was to speak for itself.He called it,therefore,his duty to step forward, and endeavour to remedy an evil which had been brought on by himself. If he had another motive, I am sure it would never disgrace him. He had been some days in town, before he was able to discover them;but he had something to direct his search, which was more than we had;and the consciousness of this was another reason for his resolving to follow us.

    “There is a lady,it seems,a Mrs.Younge,who was some time ago governess to Miss Darcy,and was dismissed from her charge on some cause of disapprobation, though he did not say what. She then took a large house in Edward-street, and has since maintained herself by letting lodgings.This Mrs.Younge was, he knew, intimately acquainted with Wickham; and he went to her for intelligence of him as soon as he got to town.But it was two or three days before he could get from her what he wanted. She would not betray her trust, I suppose, without bribery and corruption, for she really did know where her friend was to be found.Wickham indeed had gone to her on their first arrival in London,and had she been able to receive them into her house, they would have taken up their abode with her. At length, however, our kind friend procured the wished-for direction. They were in—street.He saw Wickham,and afterwards insisted on seeing Lydia.His first object with her,he acknowledged,had been to persuade her to quit her present disgraceful situation, and return to her friends as soon as they could be prevailed on to receive her,offering his assistance,as far as it would go. But he found Lydia absolutely resolved on remaining where she was. She cared for none of her friends; she wanted no help of his; she would not hear of leaving Wickham. She was sure they should be married some time or other, and it did not much signify when.Since such were her feelings,it only remained,he thought,to secure and expedite a marriage,which,in his very first conversation with Wickham,he easily learnt had never been his design. He confessed himself obliged to leave the regiment, on account of some debts of honour,which were very pressing;and scrupled not to lay all the ill-consequences of Lydia's flight on her own folly alone.He meant to resign his commission immediately;and as to his future situation,he could conjecture very little about it. He must go somewhere,but he did not know where,and he knew he should have nothing to live on.

    “Mr. Darcy asked him why he had not married your sister at once.Though Mr.Bennet was not imagined to be very rich,he would have been able to do something for him,and his situation must have been benefited by marriage.But he found,in reply to this question, that Wickham still cherished the hope of more effectually making his fortune by marriage in some other country. Under such circumstances,however,he was not likely to be proof against the temptation of immediate relief.

    “They met several times,for there was much to be discussed. Wickham of course wanted more than he could get;but at length was reduced to be reasonable.

    “Every thing being settled between them,Mr.Darcy's next step was to make your uncle acquainted with it,and he first called in Gracechurch street the evening before I came home. But Mr. Gardiner could not be seen, and Mr. Darcy found, on further inquiry,that your father was still with him,but would quit town the next morning. He did not judge your father to be a person whom he could so properly consult as your uncle,and therefore readily postponed seeing him till after the departure of the former. He did not leave his name, and till the next day it was only known that a gentleman had called on business.

    “On Saturday he came again.Your father was gone,your uncle at home,and,as I said before,they had a great deal of talk together.