第103章

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    “When I consider,”she added in a yet more agitated voice,“that I might have prevented it!I,who knew what he was.Had I but explained some part of it only—some part of what I learnt,to my own family!Had his character been known,this could not have happened.But it is all—all too late now.”

    “I am grieved indeed,”cried Darcy;“grieved—shocked.But is it certain—absolutely certain?”

    “Oh, yes!They left Brighton together on Sunday night, and were traced almost to London,but not beyond;they are certainly not gone to Scotland.”

    “And what has been done,what has been attempted,to recover her?”

    “My father has gone to London,and Jane has written to beg my uncle's immediate assistance;and we shall be off,I hope,in half-an-hour.But nothing can be done—I know very well that nothing can be done.How is such a man to be worked on?How are they even to be discovered?I have not the smallest hope.It is every way horrible!”

    Darcy shook his head in silent acquiescence.

    “When my eyes were opened to his real character—Oh!had I known what I ought,what I dared to do!But I knew not—I was afraid of doing too much.Wretched,wretched mistake!”

    Darcy made no answer.He seemed scarcely to hear her,and was walking up and down the room in earnest meditation,his brow contracted,his air gloomy.Elizabeth soon observed,and instantly understood it.Her power was sinking;everything must sink under such a proof of family weakness,such an assurance of the deepest disgrace.She could neither wonder nor condemn,but the belief of his self-conquest brought nothing consolatory to her bosom, afforded no palliation of her distress. It was, on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes; and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him,as now,when all love must be vain.

    But self, though it would intrude, could not engross her. Lydia—the humiliation,the misery she was bringing on them all, soon swallowed up every private care;and covering her face with her handkerchief,Elizabeth was soon lost to everything else;and, after a pause of several minutes,was only recalled to a sense of her situation by the voice of her companion,who,in a manner which, though it spoke compassion,spoke likewise restraint,said,

    “I am afraid you have been long desiring my absence,nor have I anything to plead in excuse of my stay,but real,though unavailing concern.Would to Heaven that anything could be either said or done on my part that might offer consolation to such distress! But I will not torment you with vain wishes, which may seem purposely to ask for your thanks.This unfortunate affair will, I fear, prevent my sister's having the pleasure of seeing you at Pemberley to-day.”

    “Oh,yes.Be so kind as to apologise for us to Miss Darcy.Say that urgent business calls us home immediately. Conceal the unhappy truth as long as it is possible,I know it cannot be long.”

    He readily assured her of his secrecy;again expressed his sorrow for her distress, wished it a happier conclusion than there was at present reason to hope, and leaving his compliments for her relations,with only one serious,parting look,went away.

    As he quitted the room,Elizabeth felt how improbable it was that they should ever see each other again on such terms of cordiality as had marked their several meetings in Derbyshire;and as she threw a retrospective glance over the whole of their acquaintance, so full of contradictions and varieties, sighed at the perverseness of those feelings which would now have promoted its continuance,and would formerly have rejoiced in its termination.