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“I feel myself called upon,by our relationship,and my situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous affliction you are now suffering under, of which we were yesterday informed by a letter from Hertfordshire. Be assured, my dear sir, that Mrs. Collins and myself sincerely sympathise with you and all your respectable family,in your present distress,which must be of the bitterest kind, because proceeding from a cause which no time can remove.No arguments shall be wanting on my part that can alleviate so severe a misfortune—or that may comfort you,under a circumstance that must be of all others the most afflicting to a parent's mind.The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this.And it is the more to be lamented, because there is reason to suppose as my dear Charlotte informs me, that this licentiousness of behaviour in your daughter has proceeded from a faulty degree of indulgence; though, at the same time, for the consolation of yourself and Mrs. Bennet, I am inclined to think that her own disposition must be naturally bad, or she could not be guilty of such an enormity, at so early an age. Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins,but likewise by Lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have related the affair.They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says,will connect themselves with such a family?And this consideration leads me moreover to reflect, with augmented satisfaction,on a certain event of last November;for had it been otherwise,I must have been involved in all your sorrow and disgrace.Let me then advise you,dear sir,to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever,and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offense.
“I AM,DEAR SIR,ETC.,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 relationship with whom he kept up any connection, and it was certain that he had no near one living.His former acquaintances 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 believed that more than a thousand pounds would be necessary to clear his expenses at Brighton. He owed a good deal in town, but his debts of honour were still more formidable.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 unexpected.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 continuing their pursuit.When Mrs. Bennet was told of this,she did not express so much satisfaction as her children expected,considering what her anxiety for his life had been before.