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> 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. Wick-

> ham, indeed, had gone to her on their first 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 future situation, he could conjecture very little about

> it. He must go somewhere, but he did not know where, and he

> knew he should have nothing to live on. Mr. Darcy asked why he

> did not marry your sister at once. Though Mr. Bennet was not

> imagined to be very rich, he would have been able to do something

> for him, and his situation must have been benefited by marriage.

> But he found, in reply to this question, that Wickham still cherished

> the hope of more effectually making his fortune by marriage, in some

> other country. Under such circumstances, however, he was not likely

> to be proof against the temptation of immediate relief. They met

> several times, for there was much to be discussed. Wickham, of

> course, wanted more than he could get; but at length was reduced

> to be reasonable. Everything being settled between _them,_ Mr.

> Darcy's next step was to make your uncle acquainted with it, and

> he first called in Gracechurch Street the evening before I came home.

> But Mr. Gardiner could not be seen; and Mr. Darcy found, on

> further inquiry, that your father was still with him, but would quit

> town the next morning. He did not judge your father to be a person

> whom he could so properly consult as your uncle, and therefore

> readily postponed seeing him till after the departure of the former.

> He did not leave his name, and till the next day it was only known

> that a gentleman had called on business. On Saturday he came

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