Everyone hoped for a letter from Mr. Bennet the next morning, but none arrived. Since he rarely wrote letters even in normal times, his silence made the family fear he had nothing good to report. Mr. Gardiner left to join him in London, promising to convince Mr. Bennet to come home soon.
Mrs. Gardiner stayed behind a few extra days to comfort her nieces. Meanwhile, their other aunt visited often, though her visits usually made things worse, since she always arrived with fresh gossip about Wickham's bad behavior. All of Meryton now seemed eager to criticize Wickham, revealing debts and dishonest actions no one had mentioned before. Elizabeth didn't believe everything people said, but she believed enough to feel even more certain that Lydia's reputation was ruined.
Mr. Gardiner soon wrote that he had found Mr. Bennet in London, though their search had turned up nothing useful so far. He added a short note asking if Elizabeth might know of any relatives Wickham had, hoping they could help track him down. Sadly, Elizabeth knew of none — Wickham's parents had died years earlier, and he had no other family.
Each day at Longbourn grew more anxious, especially the moment the mail arrived. Before Mr. Gardiner wrote again, a letter came from Mr. Collins instead. Jane opened and read it aloud, since she had permission to open her father's mail while he was away.
"My dear sir, I must express my deepest sympathy for the terrible situation you now face. I regret to say that, in my opinion, your daughter's death would almost have been kinder than this scandal. Lady Catherine and I agree that this unfortunate event will likely ruin your other daughters' chances of good marriages. I must also admit, I feel quite fortunate now that certain events last November did not go differently, sparing me from being connected to this disgrace. I advise you to distance yourself from your daughter entirely, and let her face the consequences alone."
Elizabeth and Jane were shocked by how cold and unkind the letter was.
Soon after, Mr. Gardiner wrote again, revealing troubling news: Wickham had left behind serious gambling debts, totaling more than a thousand pounds in Brighton alone, along with more debts elsewhere. Jane was horrified to learn Wickham was a gambler, something she'd never suspected.
Mr. Gardiner also mentioned that Mr. Bennet, discouraged by their lack of progress, had decided to return home, leaving Mr. Gardiner to continue the search alone. Strangely, Mrs. Bennet wasn't relieved by this news — she worried who would now force Wickham to marry Lydia.
When Mr. Bennet finally arrived home, he seemed unusually calm, saying little about his time away. Later, when Elizabeth gently expressed sympathy for what he must have endured, he surprised her by admitting his own responsibility. "This is my fault," he said. "I should have listened to your warning about Lydia going to Brighton."
Elizabeth reassured him gently, but he insisted on accepting the blame fully, at least for now. He joked afterward about future troubles, warning Kitty that she would never again be allowed near officers or dances without strict supervision. Kitty, upset by his serious tone, began to cry, but Mr. Bennet reassured her jokingly that if she behaved well for the next ten years, he would reward her with something special.
Vocabulary List
- silence — the complete absence of sound or communication.
- comfort (verb) — to make someone feel better after they are upset.
- gossip — casual talk about other people's private lives.
- criticize — to express disapproval of someone or something.
- reputation — the general opinion people have about someone's character.
- anxious — feeling worried or nervous.
- sympathy — a feeling of care or sorrow for someone's trouble.
- scandal — a shocking event that damages someone's reputation.
- disgrace — a loss of respect caused by shameful behavior.
- gambler — a person who bets money on games or chance events.
- discouraged — having lost hope or confidence.
- responsibility — the state of being accountable for something.
- blame (verb) — to hold someone responsible for a fault or wrong.
- supervision — the act of watching over or overseeing someone.
- reward (noun) — something given in recognition of good behavior or effort.
True or False
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Mr. Bennet writes home right away with encouraging news.
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Mr. Collins's letter is cold and unkind rather than truly comforting.
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Mr. Gardiner's letter reveals that Wickham left behind large gambling debts.
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When Mr. Bennet returns home, he blames Elizabeth for not stopping Lydia's trip to Brighton.
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Kitty is upset when her father says she'll be closely supervised from now on.
Fill in the Blanks
- Mr. Collins writes that Lydia's death would almost have been than this scandal.
- Wickham's gambling debts total more than a pounds in Brighton alone.
- Jane is horrified to learn that Wickham is a .
- Mr. Bennet admits he should have listened to Elizabeth's warning about Lydia going to .
- Mr. Bennet jokes that if Kitty behaves well for years, he'll reward her.