 Thursday with me. She was of great
use and comfort to us all, and lady Lucas has been very kind; she walked here on
Wednesday morning to condole with us, and offered her services, or any of her
daughters, if they could be of use to us.«
    »She had better have stayed at home,« cried Elizabeth; »perhaps she meant
well, but, under such a misfortune as this, one cannot see too little of one's
neighbours. Assistance is impossible; condolence, insufferable. Let them triumph
over us at a distance, and be satisfied.«
    She then proceeded to enquire into the measures which her father had
intended to pursue, while in town, for the recovery of his daughter.
    »He meant, I believe,« replied Jane, »to go to Epsom, the place where they
last changed horses, see the postilions, and try if any thing could be made out
from them. His principal object must be, to discover the number of the hackney
coach which took them from Clapham. It had come with a fare from London; and as
he thought the circumstance of a gentleman and lady's removing from one carriage
into another, might be remarked, he meant to make enquiries at Clapham. If he
could any how discover at what house the coachman had before set down his fare,
he determined to make enquiries there, and hoped it might not be impossible to
find out the stand and number of the coach. I do not know of any other designs
that he had formed: but he was in such a hurry to be gone, and his spirits so
greatly discomposed, that I had difficulty in finding out even so much as this.«
 

                                   Chapter VI

The whole party were in hopes of a letter from Mr. Bennet the next morning, but
the post came in without bringing a single line from him. His family knew him to
be on all common occasions, a most negligent and dilatory correspondent, but at
such a time, they had hoped for exertion. They were forced to conclude, that he
had no pleasing intelligence to send, but even of that they would have been glad
to be certain. Mr. Gardiner had waited only for the letters before he set off.
    When he was gone, they were certain at least of receiving constant
information of what was going on, and their uncle promised, at parting, to
prevail on Mr. Bennet to return to Longbourn, as soon as he could, to the great
consolation of his sister, who considered it as the only security for her
husband
