Chapter XLVI — Pride and Prejudice

Bad news can arrive at the one hour when private hope has just become possible, and the person who walks in is the one whose regard you most fear to lose. On the third morning at Lambton, two letters from Jane arrive at once. The Gardiners go out and leave Elizabeth to read. The first still hopes Wickham will marry Lydia in Scotland. The second reports that Denny believes he never meant Gretna Green; Colonel Forster traced them to Clapham, then the London road, and lost them. Mrs. Bennet keeps her room. Mr. Bennet leaves for London with the colonel, who must return to Brighton, and Jane begs Mr. Gardiner to come at once.

Elizabeth runs to find her uncle and meets Mr. Darcy at the door. She cannot stand; she sends the servant after the Gardiners, then tells Darcy that Lydia has thrown herself into Wickham's power and that they are certainly not gone to Scotland. She blames herself for not exposing his character when she knew it. Darcy walks the room in gloomy meditation. She reads that silence as proof that family disgrace ends any hope between them, and never has she so honestly felt she could have loved him as now, when all love must be vain.

He offers what comfort he can, asks her to apologize to Georgiana for missing Pemberley, and leaves with secrecy promised. The Gardiners hurry back thinking she is ill. She reads both letters aloud; Mr. Gardiner promises every assistance. Mrs. Gardiner asks what is settled about Pemberley and whether they are on terms for Elizabeth to tell him the real truth. They write false excuses to Lambton friends, settle the inn, and within an hour Elizabeth is in the carriage for Longbourn, already seeing Lydia's infamy cost her the regard she had barely begun to hope for.