“Oh! where, where is my uncle?”cried Elizabeth,darting from her seat as she finished the letter,in eagerness to follow him,without losing a moment of the time so precious; but as she reached the door it was opened by a servant, and Mr. Darcy appeared.Her pale face and impetuous manner made him start,and before he could recover himself to speak, she, in whose mind every idea was superseded by Lydia's situation, hastily exclaimed,“I beg your pardon,but I must leave you.I must find Mr.Gardiner this moment, on business that cannot be delayed;I have not an instant to lose.”
She burst into tears as she alluded to it,and for a few minutes could not speak another word. Darcy, in wretched suspense, could only say something indistinctly of his concern,and observe her in compassionate silence.At length she spoke again.“I have just had a letter from Jane, with such dreadful news. It cannot be concealed from anyone. My younger sister has left all her friends―has eloped;has thrown herself into the power of―of Mr. Wickham.They are gone off together from Brighton.You know him too well to doubt the rest.She has no money,no connections, nothing that can tempt him to―she is lost for ever.”
“By this