Chapter 48

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, &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 briefly 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."
 

第二天早上，大家都指望班纳特先生会寄信来，可是等到邮差来了，却没有带来他的片纸只字。家里人本来知道他一向懒得写信，能够拖延总是拖延；但是在这样的时候，她们都希望他能够勉为其难一些。既是没有信来，她们只得认为他没有什么愉快的消息可以报道，即使如此，她们也希望把事情弄个清楚明白。嘉丁纳先生也希望在动身以前能够看到几封信。

嘉丁纳先生去了以后，大家都认为，今后至少可以经常听到一些事情进行的经过情形。他临走的时候，答应一定去劝告班纳特先生尽可能马上回来。她们的母亲听了这些话，很是安慰，她认为只有这样，才能保证她丈夫不会在决斗中被人打死。

嘉丁纳太太和她的孩子们还要在哈福德郡多待几天，因为她觉得，待在这里可以让外甥女们多一个帮手。她可以帮她们等候班纳特太太，等她们空下来的时候，又大可以安慰安慰她们。姨妈也常常来看她们，而且据她自己说，她来的目的是为了让她们高兴高兴，给她们打打气，不过，她没有哪一次来不谈到韦翰的奢侈淫佚，每次都可以举出新的事例。她每次走了以后，总是叫她们比她没有来以前更加意气消沉。

三个月以前，差不多整个麦里屯的人们都把这个男人捧到天上；三个月以后，整个麦里屯的人都说他的坏话。他们说，他在当地每一个商人那里都欠下了一笔债；又给他加上了诱骗妇女的的头衔，又说每个商人家里都受过他的糟蹋。每个人都说他是天下最坏的青年；每个人都开始发觉自己一向就不信任他那伪善的面貌。伊丽莎白虽然对这些话只是半信半疑，不过她早就认为妹妹会毁在他手里，这一来当然更是深信无疑。吉英本来连半信半疑也谈不上，这一来也几乎感到失望──因为时间已经过了这么久，如果他们两人真到苏格兰去了，现在也应该有消息了，这样一想，纵使她从来没有觉得完全失望，现在当然也难免要感到失望。

嘉丁纳先生是星期日离开浪搏恩的。星期二他太太接到他一封信。信上说，他一到那里就找到了姐夫，把他劝到天恩寺街去。又说，他没有到达伦敦以前，班纳特先生曾到艾普桑和克拉普汗去过，可惜没有打听到一点儿满意的消息；又说他决定到城里各大旅馆去打听一下，因为班纳特先生认为，韦翰和丽迪雅一到伦敦，可能先住旅馆，然后再慢慢寻找房子。嘉丁纳先生本人并没有指望这种办法会获得什么成绩；既是姐夫非要那样做不可，也只有帮助他着手进行。信上还说，班纳特先生暂时根本不想离开伦敦，他答应不久就会再写一封信来。这封信上还有这样的一段附言：

我已经写信给弗斯脱上校，请他尽可能在民兵团里把那个年轻小伙子的要好朋友找几个来打听一下，韦翰有没有什么亲友知道他躲藏在这个城里的哪一个区域。要是我们有这样的人可以请教，得到一些线索，那是大有用处的。目前我们还是无从捉摸。也许弗斯上校会尽量把这件事做得使我们满意。但倡我又想了一下，觉得丽萃也许比任何人都了解情况。会知道他现在还有些什么亲戚。

伊丽莎白究竟为什么会受到这样的推崇，她自己完全知道，只可惜她提供不出什么令人满意的材料，所以也就受不起这样的恭维。

她除了听到韦翰谈起过他自己的父母以外，从来不曾听到他有什么亲友，况且他父母也都去世多年。某某郡民兵团里他的一些朋友们，可能提供得出一些材料，她虽说并不能对此存着过分的奢望，但究竟不妨试一试。

浪搏恩一家人每天都过得非常心焦，最焦急的时间莫过于等待邮差送信来。不管信上报道的是好消息还是坏消息，总是要讲给大家听，还盼望着第二天会有重要的消息传来。

嘉丁纳先生虽然还没有给她们寄来第二封信，可是她们却收到了别的地方寄来的一封信，原来是柯林斯先生寄来了一封信给她们的父亲。吉英事前曾受到父亲的嘱托，代他拆阅一切信件，于是她便来拜读这一封信。伊丽莎白也知道柯林斯先生的信总是写得奇奇怪怪，便也挨在吉英身旁一同拜读。信是这样写的：长者先生赐鉴：

昨接哈福德郡来信，借悉先生目前正什心烦虑乱，不胜苦悲。不佞与拙荆闻之，无论对先生个人或尊府老幼，均深表同情。以不佞之名份职位而言，自当聊申悼惜之意，何况与尊府为葭莩，益觉责无旁贷。夫癸诸情理，此次不幸事件自难免令人痛心疾首，盖家声一经败坏，便永无清洗之日，伤天下父母之心，孰有甚于此者？早知如此，但冀其早日夭亡为幸耳。不佞只有曲尽言辞，备加慰问，庶几可以聊宽尊怀。据内人夏绿蒂言，令媛此次淫奔，实系由于平日过分溺爱所致，此尤其可悲者也。唯不佞以为令媛年方及笄，竟而铸成大错，亦足见其本身天性之恶劣；先生固不必过于引咎自责也。日前遇咖苔琳夫人及其千金小姐，曾以此事奉告，夫人等亦与不佞夫妇不所同感。多蒙夫人与愚见不谋而合，认为令媛此次失足，辱没家声，遂使后之攀亲者望而却步，殃及其姐氏终生幸福，堪虑堪虑。瓴念言及此，不禁忆及去年十一月间一事，则又深为庆幸，否则木已成舟，势必自取其辱，受累不浅。敬祈先生善自宽慰，任其妄自菲薄，自食其果，不足怜惜也。（下略）

嘉丁纳先生一直挨到接得弗斯脱上校的回信以后，才写第二封信到浪搏恩来。信上并没有报道一点喜讯。大家都不知道韦翰是否还有什么亲戚跟他来往，不过倒知道他确确实实已经没有一个至亲在世。他以前交游颇广，只是自从进了民兵团以后，看来跟他们都已疏远，因此找不出一个人来可以报道一些有关他的消息。他这次所以要保守秘密，据说是因为他临走时拖欠了一大笔赌债，而他目前手头又非常拮据，无法偿还，再则是因为怕让丽迪雅的亲友发觉。弗斯脱上校认为，要清偿他在白利屯的债务，需要有一千多英镑才够。他在本镇固然欠债很多，但赌债则更可观。嘉丁纳先生并打算把这些事情瞒住浪搏恩这家人家。吉英听得心惊肉跳，不禁叫道：“好一个赌棍！这真是完全出人意料；我想也不曾想到。”

嘉丁纳先生的信上又说，她们的父亲明天（星期六）就可以回家来了。原来他们两人再三努力，毫无成绩，情绪十分低落，因此班纳特先生答应了他舅爷的要求，立刻回家，一切事情都留给嘉丁纳相机而行。女儿们本以为母亲既是那样担心父亲会被人打死，听到这个消息，一定会非常得意，谁知并不尽然。

班纳特太太嚷道：“什么！他没有找到可怜的丽迪雅，就这样一个人回来吗？他既然没有找到他们俩，当然不应该离开伦敦。他一走，还有谁去跟韦翰决斗，逼着他跟丽迪雅结婚？”

嘉丁纳太太也开始想要回家了，决定在班纳特先生动身回浪搏恩的那一天，她就带着孩子们回伦敦去。动身的那天可以由这里打发一部马车把她送到第一站，然后趁便接主人回来。

嘉丁纳太太走了以后，对伊丽莎白和德比郡她那位朋友的事，还是糊里糊涂，从当初在德比郡的时候起，就一直弄不明白。外甥女儿从来没有主动在舅父母面前提起过他的名字。她本以为回来以后，那位先生就会有信来，可是结果并没有。伊丽莎白一直没收到过从彭伯里寄来的信。

她看到外甥女儿情绪消沉；可是，家里既然出了这种不幸的事情，自然难免如此，不必把这种现象牵扯到别的原因上面去。因此她还是摸不着一点边际。只有伊丽莎白自己明白自己的心思，她想，要是不认识达西，那么丽迪雅这件丢脸的事也许会叫她多少好受些，也许可以使她减少几个失眠之夜。

班纳特先生回到家里，仍然是那一副乐天安命的样子。他还是象平常一样不多说话，根本不提起他这次外出是为了什么事情，女儿们也过了好久才敢提起。

一直到下午，他跟她们一块儿喝茶的时候，伊丽莎白才大胆地谈到这件事。她先简单地说到他这次一定吃了不少的苦，这使她很难过，他却回答道：“别说这种话吧。除了我自己之外，还有谁该受罪呢？我自己做的事应该自己承担。”

伊丽莎白劝慰他说：“你千万不要过分埋怨自己。”

“你劝我也是白劝。人的本性就是会自怨自艾！不丽萃，我一辈子也不曾自怨自艾过，这次也让我尝尝这种滋味吧。我不怕忧郁成病。这种事一下子就会过去的。”

“你以为他们会在伦敦吗？”

“是的，还有什么别的地方能让他们藏得这样好呢？”

吉蒂又在一旁补说了一句：“而且丽迪雅老是想要到伦敦去。”

父亲冷冷地说：“那么，她可得意啦，她也许要在那儿住一阵子呢。”

沉默了片刻以后，他又接下去说：“丽萃，五月间你劝我的那些话的确没有劝错，我决不怪你，从目前这件事看来，你的确有见识。”

班纳特小姐送茶进来给她母亲，打断了他们的谈话。

班纳特先生大声叫道：“这真所谓享福，舒服极了；居然倒霉也不忘风雅！哪一天我也要来学你的样子，坐在书房里，头戴睡帽，身穿寝衣，尽量找人麻烦；要不就等到吉蒂私奔了以后再说。”

吉蒂气恼地说：“我不会私奔的，爸爸，要是我上白利屯去，我一定比丽迪雅规矩。”

“你上白利屯去！你即使要到东浪搏恩那么近的地方去，叫我跟人家打五十镑的赌，我也不敢！不吉蒂，我至少已经学会了小心，我一定要让你看看我的厉害。今后随便哪个军官都不许上我的门，甚至不许从我们村里经过。绝对不许你们去参加跳舞会，除非你们姐妹之间自己跳跳；也不许你走出家门一步，除非你在家里每天至少有十分钟规规矩矩，象个人样。”

吉蒂把这些威吓的话看得很认真，不由得哭了起来。

班纳特先生连忙说道：“得啦，得啦，别伤心吧。假使你从今天起，能做上十年好姑娘，那么等到十年满期的时候，我一定带你去看阅兵典礼。”