Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 485 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 485

Pride and Prejudice

But before they heard again from Mr. Gardiner,

a letter arrived for their father, from a different

quarter, from Mr. Collins; which, as Jane had received

directions to open all that came for him in his absence,

she accordingly read; and Elizabeth, who knew what

curiosities his letters always were, looked over her, and

read it likewise. It was as follows:

“My dear sir,

“I feel myself called upon, by our relationship, and

my situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous

affliction you are now suffering under, of which we

were yesterday informed by a letter from Hertfordshire.

Be assured, my dear sir, that Mrs. Collins and myself

sincerely sympathise with you and all your respectable

family, in your present distress, which must be of the

bitterest kind, because proceeding from a cause which

no time can remove. No arguments shall be wanting on

my part that can alleviate so severe a misfortuneor

that may comfort you, under a circumstance that

must be of all others the most afflicting to a parent’s

mind. The death of your daughter would have been a

blessing in comparison of this. And it is the more to

be lamented, because there is reason to suppose, as my

dear Charlotte informs me, that this licentiousness of

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