luckily, he came back again in ten minutes' time, and then we all set out. However, I recollected
afterwards that if he had been prevented going, the wedding need not be put off, for Mr. Darcy
might have done as well."
"Mr. Darcy!" repeated Elizabeth, in utter amazement.
"Oh, yes!—he was to come there with Wickham, you know. But gracious me! I quite forgot! I
ought not to have said a word about it. I promised them so faithfully! What will Wickham say? It
was to be such a secret!"
225
"If it was to be secret," said Jane, "say not another word on the subject. You may depend upon
my seeking no further."
"Oh! certainly," said Elizabeth, though burning with curiosity; "we will ask you no questions."
"Thank you," said Lydia, "for if you did, I should certainly tell you all, and then Wickham would
be angry."
On such encouragement to ask, Elizabeth was forced to put it out of her power, by running away.
But to live in ignorance on such a point was impossible; or at least it was impossible not to try
for information. Mr. Darcy had been at her sister's wedding. It was exactly a scene, and exactly
among people, where he had apparently least to do, and least temptation to go. Conjectures as to
the meaning of it, rapid and wild, hurried into her brain; but she was satisfied with none. Those
that best pleased her, as placing his conduct in the noblest light, seemed most improbable. She
could not bear such suspense; and hastily seizing a sheet of paper, wrote a short letter to her aunt,
to request an explanation of what Lydia had dropt, if it were compatible with the secrecy which
had been intended.
"You may readily comprehend," she added, "what my curiosity must be to know how a person
unconnected with any of us, and (comparatively speaking) a stranger to our family, should have
been amongst you at such a time. Pray write instantly, and let me understand it—unless it is, for
very cogent reasons, to remain in the secrecy which Lydia seems to think necessary; and then I
must endeavour to be satisfied with ignorance."
"Not that I SHALL, though," she added to herself, as she finished the letter; "and my dear aunt,
if you do not tell me in an honourable manner, I shall certainly be reduced to tricks and
stratagems to find it out."
Jane's delicate sense of honour would not allow her to speak to Elizabeth privately of what Lydia
had let fall; Elizabeth was glad of it;—till it appeared whether her inquiries would receive any
satisfaction, she had rather be without a confidante.
Chapter 52
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
226
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 YOUR'S 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
227
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