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> as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your

> attention for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own

> heinous offence. -- I am, dear sir,' etc.

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 be-

lieved that more than a thousand pounds would be necessary

to clear his expenses at Brighton. He owed a good deal

in the town, but his debts of honour were still more for-

midable. 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 un-

expected; 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 entreaty

that he would return to his family and leave it to him to do

whatever occasion might suggest to be advisable for con-

tinuing their pursuit. When Mrs. Bennet was told of this,

she did not express so much satisfaction as her children ex-

pected, 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

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