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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 pre-

vented 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 to Scotland.'

'And what has been done, what has been attempted, to

recover her?'

'My father has gone to London, and Jane has written to

beg my uncle's immediate assistance, and we shall be off, I

hope, in half an hour. But nothing can be done; I know

very well that nothing can be done. How is such a man

to be worked on? How are they even to be discovered? I

have not the smallest hope. It is every way horrible!'

Darcy shook his head in silent acquiescence.

'When _my_ eyes were open to his real character. Oh!

had I known what I ought, what I dared to do! But I knew

not -- I was afraid of doing too much. Wretched, wretched

mistake!'

Darcy made no answer. He seemed scarcely to hear her,

and was walking up and down the room in earnest medita-

tion; his brow contracted, his air gloomy. Elizabeth soon

observed, and instantly understood it. Her power was sink-

ing; everything _must_ sink under such a proof of family

weakness, such an assurance of the deepest disgrace. She

could neither wonder nor condemn, but the belief of his

self-conquest brought nothing consolatory to her bosom,

afforded no palliation of her distress. It was, on the con-

trary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own

wishes; and never had she so honestly felt that she could

have loved him, as now, when all love must be vain.

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