Chapter 52

           Elizabethhadthesatisfactionofreceivingananswertoherletterassoonasshepossiblycould. Shewasnosoonerinpossessionofitthan,hurryingintothelittlecopse,whereshewasleastlikelytobeinterrupted,shesatdownononeofthebenchesandpreparedtobehappy; forthelengthoftheletterconvincedherthatitdidnotcontainadenial. 

           "GracechurchStreet,Sept.6. 

           "MyDearNiece, 

           "Ihavejustreceivedyourletter,andshalldevotethiswholemorningtoansweringit,asIforeseethatalittlewritingwillnotcomprisewhatIhavetotellyou. Imustconfessmyselfsurprisedbyyourapplication; Ididnotexpectitfromyou. Don’tthinkmeangry,however,forIonlymeantoletyouknowthatIhadnotimaginedsuchinquiriestobenecessaryonyourside. Ifyoudonotchoosetounderstandme,forgivemyimpertinence. YouruncleisasmuchsurprisedasIam—andnothingbutthebeliefofyourbeingapartyconcernedwouldhaveallowedhimtoactashehasdone. Butifyouarereallyinnocentandignorant,Imustbemoreexplicit. 

           "OntheverydayofmycominghomefromLongbourn,yourunclehadamostunexpectedvisitor. Mr.Darcycalled,andwasshutupwithhimseveralhours. ItwasalloverbeforeIarrived;somycuriositywasnotsodreadfullyrackedasyour’sseemstohavebeen. HecametotellMr.GardinerthathehadfoundoutwhereyoursisterandMr.Wickhamwere,andthathehadseenandtalkedwiththemboth;Wickhamrepeatedly,Lydiaonce. FromwhatIcancollect,heleftDerbyshireonlyonedayafterourselves,andcametotownwiththeresolutionofhuntingforthem.