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Chapter 10
Elizabeth had the satisfaction of receiving an answer to her letter, as soon as she possibly could. She was
no sooner in possession of it, than hurrying into the little copse, where she was least likely to be
interrupted, she sat down on one of the benches, and prepared to be happy; for the length of the letter
convinced her that it did not contain a denial.
Gracechurch-street, Sept. 6.
"My dear niece,
"I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it, as I foresee that a
little writing will not comprise what I have to tell you. I must confess myself surprised by your
application; I did not expect it from you . Don't think me angry, however, for I only mean to let you
know, that I had not imagined such enquiries to be necessary on your side. If you do not choose to
understand me, forgive my impertinence. Your uncle is as much surprised as I am and nothing but the
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belief of your being a party concerned, would have allowed him to act as he has done. But if you are
really innocent and ignorant, I must be more explicit. On the very day of my coming home from
Longbourn, your uncle had a most unexpected visitor. Mr. Darcy called, and was shut up with him
several hours. It was all over before I arrived; so my curiosity was not so dreadfully racked as your's
seems to have been. He came to tell Mr. Gardiner that he had found out where your sister and Mr.
Wickham were, and that he had seen and talked with them both, Wickham repeatedly, Lydia once.
From what I can collect, he left Derbyshire only one day after ourselves, and came to town with the
resolution of hunting for them. The motive professed, was his conviction of its being owing to himself that
Wickham's worthlessness had not been so well known, as to make it impossible for any young woman of
character, to love or confide in him. He generously imputed the whole to his mistaken pride, and
confessed that he had before thought it beneath him, to lay his private actions open to the world. His
character was to speak for itself. He called it, therefore, his duty to step forward, and endeavour to
remedy an evil, which had been brought on by himself. If he had another motive, I am sure it would
never disgrace him. He had been some days in town, before he was able to discover them; but he had
something to direct his search, which was more than we had; and the consciousness of this, was another
reason for his resolving to follow us. There is a lady, it seems, a Mrs. Younge, 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. Wickham 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 him why he had not married your sister
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