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'If I had been able,' said she, 'to carry my point in going

to Brighton with all my family, _this_ would not have hap-

pened: but poor dear Lydia had nobody to take care of her.

Why did the Forsters ever let her go out of their sight?

I am sure there was some great neglect or other on their

side, for she is not the kind of girl to do such a thing, if

she had been well looked after. I always thought they were

very unfit to have the charge of her; but I was overruled,

as I always am. Poor, dear child! And now here's Mr.

Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham,

wherever he meets him, and then he will be killed, and

what is to become of us all? The Collinses will turn us

out, before he is cold in his grave; and if you are not kind

to us, brother, I do not know what we shall do.'

They all exclaimed against such terrific ideas; and Mr.

Gardiner, after general assurances of his affection for her

and all her family, told her that he meant to be in London

the very next day, and would assist Mr. Bennet in every

endeavour for recovering Lydia.

'Do not give way to useless alarm,' added he: 'though it

is right to be prepared for the worst, there is no occasion to

look on it as certain. It is not quite a week since they left

Brighton. In a few days more we may gain some news of

them; and till we know that they are not married, and have

no design of marrying, do not let us give the matter over

as lost. As soon as I get to town, I shall go to my brother,

and make him come home with me to Gracechurch Street,

and then we may consult together as to what is to be

done.'

'Oh, my dear brother,' replied Mrs. Bennet, 'that is ex-

actly what I could most wish for. And now do, when you

get to town, find them out, wherever they may be; and if

they are not married already, _make_ them marry. And as

for wedding clothes, do not let them wait for that, but tell

Lydia she shall have as much money as she chooses to buy

them, after they are married. And, above all things, keep

Mr. Bennet from fighting. Tell him what a dreadful state

I am in -- that I am frightened out of my wits; and have

such tremblings, such flutterings, all over me, such spasms

in my side, and pains in my head, and such beatings at heart

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