Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 52 The Family Story (2)
Everyone cried out when they heard her terrible words.Mr. Gardiner told her that he would look after her personally and her family, and then told her that he was going to London to-morrow, and would do what he could to help Mr. Bennet find Lydia.

He added: "Don't be too anxious. Although you should think about the worst, it doesn't necessarily end up in the worst end. They haven't left Brighton for a week. In a few days, we may be back." Get some news about them. When we get things straightened out, if they really aren't married, and don't intend to, then we'll be disappointed. I'll go to my brother-in-law as soon as I'm in town, and ask him to come Let’s live at home in Tian’en Temple Street, then we can discuss a solution together.”

Mrs. Bennet replied: "Oh, dear brother, that really speaks to my heart. When you're in town, be sure to find them, wherever they may be. If they're not married, They must be married. As for their wedding dresses, let them not wait, but tell Lydia that when they are married I will give her as much as she wants for dresses. Above all, do not Let Mr. Bennet fight with him. Tell him, too, that I am suffering. I am so frightened that I am almost out of my mind. I am trembling, I am staggering, my waist is convulsing, my headache is beating, and I am not at peace for a moment, day or night. Please. You tell my darling Lydia, tell her not to make her own clothes till she sees me, because she doesn't know which shop is the best. Oh, brother, you're kind! I know you Will figure out a way to make everything work out."

Although Mr. Gardner reassured her again, saying that he would do his best to serve him seriously, he also told her not to be overly optimistic or overly worried.They talked with her about lunch before leaving, and she could go and complain to the housekeeper when the girls were not with her.

Although her younger brother and sister-in-law thought it was unnecessary for her to eat separately from the family, they had no intention of opposing her doing so, because they considered that she was not careful in speaking, and if several servants waited together during the meal, It would not be good, then, for her to say all that was in her heart in the presence of servants, and it would be better to have only one servant—the most reliable one—waiting for her to relate how much she feared and how much she felt about the matter. care.

Not long after they entered the dining room, Mary and Katie also came. It turned out that the two sisters were busy with their own affairs in their own rooms, one was reading and the other was doing makeup, so they could not come out earlier.The faces of the two were quite calm, and there was no change. It was just that Katie's tone of voice was more irritable than usual. This was either because she was sad about losing a beloved sister, or because it also made her feel sad. She felt angry.

As for Mary, she had her own opinion. After everyone was seated, she put on a serious face and whispered to Elizabeth: "It's a misfortune for the family. This tragedy will probably cause a lot of discussion from the outside world. People are vicious. We must take precautions in time to prevent it from getting out of hand. We must use sisterhood to comfort each other's wounded hearts."

Seeing that Elizabeth didn't want to answer, she went on to say: "This matter is indeed unfortunate for Lydia, but it can also serve as a lesson for us. Once a woman loses her virginity, it is irreparable. It can be said that a mistake will cause eternal hatred." It is true that beauty is difficult to preserve forever, but reputation is also not easy to preserve. There are many frivolous men in the world, how can you not be careful?"

Elizabeth raised her head with a surprised expression.She was so depressed that she couldn't answer a word.But Mary went on to say that she would console herself by drawing out the moral essence of this unfortunate case.

In the afternoon the two oldest ladies had half an hour to talk together.Elizabeth didn't want to miss the opportunity, and asked Jane all kinds of questions, and Jane answered them one by one, so as to reassure her sister.The two sisters first sighed together at the unfortunate consequences of the incident.Elizabeth thought that an unfortunate consequence was bound to happen, and Jane thought it inevitable.

So Elizabeth continued: "Please tell me all the plots that I don't know. Please talk in more detail. What did Colonel Forster say? Before they eloped, didn't they look suspicious?" Is it a place? Logically, we should often see the two of them together."

"Colonel Forster said that he had suspected feelings between the two of them, especially Lydia, but he didn't see any signs, so he didn't pay attention in time, and I felt sorry for him. He was extremely kind and kind, He intended to come to us to see us, long before he thought that they had not gone to Scotland, and he came hastily when the panic broke out."

"Does Danny think Wickham won't marry her? Does he know they're running away? Has Colonel Forster ever seen Danny himself?"

"I saw it, but when he saw Danny, Danny denied it, saying that he didn't know about their elopement plan at all, and he refused to say what he thought about it. Danny later No more mention of them not getting married. So I hope I misheard him last time, as it turns out."

"I don't think any of you suspected that they weren't going to be officially married before Colonel Forster came here?"

"Why do we have such thoughts in our minds! I just feel a little uneasy and worried. I am afraid that my sister will not be happy in marrying him, because I have long known that his moral character is not correct. My father and mother don't know at all. In this case, they only thought the marriage was very presumptuous. Katie said at the time with great vigor that she knew the inside story better than any of us, and Lydia's last letter to her had already hinted at it. , ready to do the trick. Look at the way Katie looks like she knew they were in love a few weeks ago."

"Didn't you see it before they both went to Brighton?"

"Not necessarily, I believe not."

"Is Colonel Forster showing contempt for Wickham? Does he know what Wickham really is?"

"I must confess that he did not think so much of him as he once did. He thought him absurd and extravagant, and after this sad incident it was said that he left Meryton in great debt. .I hope it's a rumour."

"Why, Jane, if we had kept him a little less secret, and told the truth about him, it might never have happened!"

Jane said: "Maybe it will be better, but it is a bit unreasonable to only expose people's past mistakes and not respect their current behavior. We should treat people with good intentions."

"Can Colonel Forster recite verbatim the note Lydia left for his wife?"

"He brought that letter with him to show us."

So Jane took out the letter from her pocket and handed it to Elizabeth.The full text is as follows:
Dear Hailey:
You'll be surprised to find me missing early in the morning, and you'll laugh when you find out where I'm gone.When I thought of this, I couldn't help laughing.I'm going to Glenor Meadows.If you can't guess with whom I'm going, I'll really make you a fool, because there's only one man in the world I love, and he's an angel.I could never be happy without him, so don't think you're going to make any trouble this time.If you don't want to tell my family at Longburn that I'm gone, then you don't have to.I want them to feel more of a surprise when they receive my letter and see my signature as "Lydia Wickham."This joke is so funny!I can hardly write anymore from laughing!

Please apologize to Platt for me, I can't keep my appointment and dance with him tonight.I hope he will forgive me when he knows all this.Tell him, please, that I shall be delighted to dance with him the next time we meet at a ball.I'll send for my clothes when I get to Longbourne, and please tell Sarah there's a big tear in my long muslin dress, and let her mend it while she's packing my bag.goodbye.

My regards to Colonel Foster.

May you toast to our voyage!
your friend lydia bennett
After reading the letter, Elizabeth exclaimed: "What a brainless Lydia! To write such a letter on such an important matter! But at least it shows that she really regards this journey as a business. Serious business. Whatever he may lead her to, she has no intention of dishonoring her. Poor papa! How much he will feel about it!"

"I've never seen him so terrified at the time. He couldn't say a word for 10 minutes. My mother fell ill all of a sudden, and the whole family was disturbed!"

"Oh, Jane," cried Elizabeth, "doesn't all the servants know the whole story that day?"

"I don't know, I hope they don't all know. But at times like this, even if you want to be careful, it's hard to do. Mom's hysterical episodes are happening again, although I try my best to comfort She, I'm afraid she is still not thoughtful enough. I'm afraid something will happen, so I'm so scared that I don't know what to do. "

"It's really tiring for you to serve her like this. I don't think you look very good. You have to worry about everything alone. It would be nice if I were with you!"

"Mary and Katie are very kind and willing to share my fatigue, but I am ashamed to make them suffer, because Katie is very delicate and Mary works too hard to disturb their rest time. Fortunately, on Tuesday, my father Aunt Phillips came to Longbourne as soon as we were gone, and she was so kind as to accompany me till Thursday. She helped us a lot, and comforted us. Mrs. Lucas was very kind to us, She came to see us on Wednesday morning, and she said if we needed their help, she and her daughters would be happy to help."

Elizabeth said loudly: "Let her stay at her own home. She may really have good intentions, but in such an unfortunate situation, who would be willing to see their neighbors? If they can't help us, condolences We will make us miserable instead. Let them enjoy themselves behind our backs."

Then she asked her father what method he intended to use to find Lydia when he was in town.

Jane said: "I think he plans to go to Epsom, because they are changing carriages there, and he will go there to find the coachmen and see if he can get any news from them. His main The object was to find out the number of the cab they were traveling in at Clapham. The cab had been carrying passengers from London. According to his idea, a man and a woman changed from one cab to another. A carriage will certainly attract attention, so he intends to go to Krapphan to inquire. He may be able to find out the number of the carriage by finding out at which door the coachman's previous guest got off. And the parking place. As for what other plans he has, I don’t know. He is in a hurry to leave, and his mind is very disturbed. It is not easy for me to ask such words from him.”

(End of this chapter)