On his quitting the room she sat down, unable to support herself, and looking so miserably ill, that it was impossible for Darcy to leave her, or to refrain from saying, in a tone of gentleness and commiseration,“Let me call your maid.Is there nothing you could take to give you present relief?A glass of wine;shall I get you one?You are very ill.”
“No,I thank you,”she replied,endeavouring to recover herself.“There is nothing the matter with me.I am quite well;I am only distressed by some dreadful news which I have just received from Longbourn.”
“By this time,my dearest sister,you have received my hurried letter; I wish this may be more intelligible, but though not confined for time,my head is so bewildered that I cannot answer for being coherent. Dearest Lizzy, I hardly know what I would write, but I have bad news for you, and it cannot be delayed. Imprudent as the marriage between Mr. Wickham and our poor Lydia would be, we are now anxious to be assured it has taken place, for there is but too much reason to fear they are not gone to Scotland. Colonel Forster came yesterday, having left Brighton the day before, not many hours after the express. Though Lydia's short letter to Mrs.F.gave them to understand that they were going to Gretna Green, so