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Chapter　IV　of　Volume　III　（Chap。　46）
　ELIZABETH　had　been　a　good　deal　disappointed　in　not　finding　a　letter　from　Jane　on　their　first　arrival　at　Lambton；　and　this　disappointment　had　been　renewed　on　each　of　the　mornings　that　had　now　been　spent　there；　but　on　the　third；　her　repining　was　over；　and　her　sister　justified；　by　the　receipt　of　two　letters　from　her　at　once；　on　one　of　which　was　marked　that　it　had　been　missent　elsewhere。　Elizabeth　was　not　surprised　at　it；　as　Jane　had　written　the　direction　remarkably　ill。
They　had　just　been　preparing　to　walk　as　the　letters　came　in；　and　her　uncle　and　aunt；　leaving　her　to　enjoy　them　in　quiet；　set　off　by　themselves。　The　one　missent　must　be　first　attended　to；　it　had　been　written　five　days　ago。　The　beginning　contained　an　account　of　all　their　little　parties　and　engagements；　with　such　news　as　the　country　afforded；　but　the　latter　half；　which　was　dated　a　day　later；　and　written　in　evident　agitation；　gave　more　important　intelligence。　It　was　to　this　effect：
‘‘Since　writing　the　above；　dearest　Lizzy；　something　has　occurred　of　a　most　unexpected　and　serious　nature；　but　I　am　afraid　of　alarming　you　　be　assured　that　we　are　all　well。　What　I　have　to　say　relates　to　poor　Lydia。　An　express　came　at　twelve　last　night；　just　as　we　were　all　gone　to　bed；　from　Colonel　Forster；　to　inform　us　that　she　was　gone　off　to　Scotland　with　one　of　his　officers；　to　own　the　truth；　with　Wickham！　　Imagine　our　surprise。　To　Kitty；　however；　it　does　not　seem　so　wholly　unexpected。　I　am　very；　very　sorry。　So　imprudent　a　match　on　both　sides！　　But　I　am　willing　to　hope　the　best；　and　that　his　character　has　been　misunderstood。　Thoughtless　and　indiscreet　I　can　easily　believe　him；　but　this　step　（and　let　us　rejoice　over　it）　marks　nothing　bad　at　heart。　His　choice　is　disinterested　at　least；　for　he　must　know　my　father　can　give　her　nothing。　Our　poor　mother　is　sadly　grieved。　My　father　bears　it　better。　How　thankful　am　I；　that　we　never　let　them　know　what　has　been　said　against　him；　we　must　forget　it　ourselves。　They　were　off　Saturday　night　about　twelve；　as　is　conjectured；　but　were　not　missed　till　yesterday　morning　at　eight。　The　express　was　sent　off　directly。　My　dear　Lizzy；　they　must　have　passed　within　ten　miles　of　us。　Colonel　Forster　gives　us　reason　to　expect　him　here　soon。　Lydia　left　a　few　lines　for　his　wife；　informing　her　of　their　intention。　I　must　conclude；　for　I　cannot　be　long　from　my　poor　mother。　I　am　afraid　you　will　not　be　able　to　make　it　out；　but　I　hardly　know　what　I　have　written。''　Without　allowing　herself　time　for　consideration；　and　scarcely　knowing　what　she　felt；　Elizabeth；　on　finishing　this　letter；　instantly　seized　the　other；　and　opening　it　with　the　utmost　impatience；　read　as　follows　　it　had　been　written　a　day　later　than　the　conclusion　of　the　first：
‘‘By　this　time；　my　dearest　sister；　you　have　received　my　hurried　letter；　I　wish　this　may　be　more　intelligible；　but　though　not　confined　for　time；　my　head　is　so　bewildered　that　I　cannot　answer　for　being　coherent。　Dearest　Lizzy；　I　hardly　know　what　I　would　write；　but　I　have　bad　news　for　you；　and　it　cannot　be　delayed。　Imprudent　as　a　marriage　between　Mr。　Wickham　and　our　poor　Lydia　would　be；　we　are　now　anxious　to　be　assured　it　has　taken　place；　for　there　is　but　too　much　reason　to　fear　they　are　not　gone　to　Scotland。　Colonel　Forster　came　yesterday；　having　left　Brighton　the　day　before；　not　many　hours　after　the　express。　Though　Lydia's　short　letter　to　Mrs。　F。　gave　them　to　understand　that　they　were　going　to　Gretna　Green；　something　was　dropped　by　Denny　expressing　his　belief　that　W。　never　intended　to　go　there；　or　to　marry　Lydia　at　all；　which　was　repeated　to　Colonel　F。；　who；　instantly　taking　the　alarm；　set　off　from　B。　intending　to　trace　their　route。　He　did　trace　them　easily　to　Clapham；　but　no　farther；　for　on　entering　that　place　they　removed　into　a　hackney…coach　and　dismissed　the　chaise　that　brought　them　from　Epsom。　All　that　is　known　after　this　is　that　they　were　seen　to　continue　the　London　road。　I　know　not　what　to　think。　After　making　every　possible　enquiry　on　that　side　London；　Colonel　F。　came　on　into　Hertfordshire；　anxiously　renewing　them　at　all　the　turnpikes；　and　at　the　inns　in　Barnet　and　Hatfield；　but　without　any　success；　no　such　people　had　been　seen　to　pass　through。　With　the　kindest　concern　he　came　on　to　Longbourn；　and　broke　his　apprehensions　to　us　in　a　manner　most　creditable　to　his　heart。　I　am　sincerely　grieved　for　him　and　Mrs。　F。；　but　no　one　can　throw　any　blame　on　them。　Our　distress；　my　dear　Lizzy；　is　very　great。　My　father　and　mother　believe　the　worst；　but　I　cannot　think　so　ill　of　him。　Many　circumstances　might　make　it　more　eligible　for　them　to　be　married　privately　in　town　than　to　pursue　their　first　plan；　and　even　if　he　could　form　such　a　design　against　a　young　woman　of　Lydia's　connections；　which　is　not　likely；　can　I　suppose　her　so　lost　to　every　thing？　　Impossible。　I　grieve　to　find；　however；　that　Colonel　F。　is　not　disposed　to　depend　upon　their　marriage；　he　shook　his　head　when　I　expressed　my　hopes；　and　said　he　feared　W。　was　not　a　man　to　be　trusted。　My　poor　mother　is　really　ill　and　keeps　her　room。　Could　she　exert　herself　it　would　be　better；　but　this　is　not　to　be　expected；　and　as　to　my　father；　I　never　in　my　life　saw　him　so　affected。　Poor　Kitty　has　anger　for　having　concealed　their　attachment；　but　as　it　was　a　matter　of　confidence；　one　cannot　wonder。　I　am　truly　glad；　dearest　Lizzy；　that　you　have　been　spared　something　of　these　distressing　scenes；　but　now；　as　the　first　shock　is　over；　shall　I　own　that　I　long　for　your　return？　I　am　not　so　selfish；　however；　as　to　press　for　it；　if　inconvenient。　Adieu。　I　take　up　my　pen　again　to　do　what　I　have　just　told　you　I　would　not；　but　circumstances　are　such；　that　I　cannot　help　earnestly　begging　you　all　to　come　here　as　soon　as　possible。　I　know　my　dear　uncle　and　aunt　so　well　that　I　am　not　afraid　of　requesting　it；　though　I　have　still　something　more　to　ask　of　the　former。　My　father　is　going　to　London　with　Colonel　Forster　instantly；　to　try　to　discover　her。　What　he　means　to　do；　I　am　sure　I　know　not；　but　his　excessive　distress　will　not　allow　him　to　pursue　any　measure　in　the　best　and　safest　way；　and　Colonel　Forster　is　obliged　to　be　at　Brighton　again　to…morrow　evening。　In　such　an　exigence　my　uncle's　advice　and　assistance　would　be　every　thing　in　the　world；　he　will　immediately　comprehend　what　I　must　feel；　and　I　rely　upon　his　goodness。''　‘‘Oh！　where；　where　is　my　uncle？''　cried　Elizabeth；　darting　from　her　seat　as　she　finished　the　letter；　in　eagerness　to　follow　him　without　losing　a　moment　of　the　time　so　precious；　but　as　she　reached　the　door；　it　was　opened　by　a　servant；　and　Mr。　Darcy　appeared。　Her　pale　face　and　impetuous　manner　made　him　start；　and　before　he　could　recover　himself　enough　to　speak；　she；　in　whose　mind　every　idea　was　superseded　by　Lydia's　situation；　hastily　exclaimed；　‘‘I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　must　leave　you。　I　must　find　Mr。　Gardiner　this　moment；　on　business　that　cannot　be　delayed；　I　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。''
‘‘Good　God！　what　is　the　matter？''　cried　he；　with　more　feeling　than　politeness；　then　recollecting　himself；　‘‘I　will　not　detain　you　a　minute；　but　let　me；　or　let　the　servant；　go　after　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Gardiner。　You　are　not　well　enough；　　you　cannot　go　yourself。''
Elizabeth　hesitated；　but　her　knees　trembled　under　her；　and　she　felt　how　little　would　be　gained　by　her　attempting　to　pursue　them。　Calling　back　the　servant；　therefore；　she　commissioned　him；　though　in　so　breathless　an　accent　as　made　her　almost　unintelligible；　to　fetch　his　master　and　mistress　home　instantly。
On　his　quitting　the　room；　she　sat　down；　unable　to　support　herself；　and　looking　so　miserably　ill　that　it　was　impossible　for　Darcy　to　leave　her；　or　to　refrain　from　saying；　in　a　tone　of　gentleness　and　commiseration；　‘‘Let　me　call　your　maid。　Is　there　nothing　you　could　take；　to　give　you　present　relief？　　A　glass　of　wine；　　shall　I　get　you　one？　　You　are　very　ill。''
‘‘No；　I　thank　you；''　she　replied；　endeavouring　to　recover　herself。　‘‘There　is　nothing　the　matter　with　me。　I　am　quite　well。　I　am　only　distressed　by　some　dreadful　news　which　I　have　just　received　from　Longbourn。''
She　burst　into　tears　as　she　alluded　to　it；　and　for　a　few　minutes　could　not　speak　another　word。　Darcy；　in　wretched　suspense；　could　only　say　something　indistinctly　of　his　concern；　and　observe　her　in　compassionate　silence。　At　length；　she　spoke　again。　‘‘I　have　just　had　a　letter　from　Jane；　with　such　dreadful　news。　It　cannot　be　concealed　from　any　one。　My　youngest　sister　has　left　all　her　friends　　has　eloped；　　has　thrown　herself　into　the　power　of　　of　Mr。　Wickham。　They　are　gone　off　together　from　Brighton。　You　know　him　too　well　to　doubt　the　rest。　She　has　no　money；　no　connections；　nothing　that　can　tempt　him　to　　she　is　lost　for　ever。''
Darcy　was　fixed　in　astonishment。　‘‘When　I　consider；''　she　added；　in　a　yet　more　agitated　voice；　‘‘that　I　might　have　prevented　it！　　I　who　knew　what　he　was。　Had　I　but　explained　some　part　of　it　only　　some　part　of　what　I　learnt　　to　my　own　family！　Had　his　character　been　known；　this　could　not　have　happened。　But　it　is　all；　all　too　late　now。''
‘‘I　am　grieved；　indeed；''　cried　Darcy；　‘‘grieved　　shocked。　But　is　it　certain；　absolutely　certain？''
‘‘Oh　yes！　　They　left　Brighton　together　on　Sunday　night；　and　were　traced　almost　to　London；　but　not　beyond；　they　are　certainly　not　gone　t