{{prxprp247.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 247 ||

against the villanous conduct of Wickham, and complaints of

her own sufferings and ill usage. Blaming every body but the

person to whose ill'judging indulgence the errors of her daughter

must be principally owing.

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

Brighton with all my family, this would not have happened; 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

Gracechurclvstreet, and then we may consult together as to what

is to be done.'

'Oh! my dear brother,' replied Mrs. Bennet, 'that is exactly

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 chuses to buy them, after they are married. And,

above all things, keep Mr. Bennet from fighting. Tell him what

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