PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 48

Description

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 blacken 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 tradesman'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;
  that 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 of such 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 child from your affection
  for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence.

I am, dear Sir,

$$ Buy "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 48" on Amazon $$

Please check the description for download links if any or do a search to find alternative books.

Can't Download?
Please search mirrors if you can't find download links for "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 48" in "Description" and someone else may update the links. Check the comments when back to find any updates.

Search Mirrors
Maybe some mirror pages will be helpful, search this book at top of this page or click here to find more info.

1. Ebooks list page : 81
2. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 58
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 44
4. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 42
5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 41
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40
7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 39
8. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 38
9. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 11
10. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 12
11. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 45
12. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 46
13. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 49
14. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 57
15. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 56
16. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 55