Chapter 48 278 all probability have gained some news of them .
Mr . Gardiner left Longbourn on Sunday ; on Tuesday his wife received a letter from him ; it told them that , on his arrival , he had immediately found out his brother , and persuaded him to come to Gracechurch Street ; that Mr . Bennet had been to Epsom and Clapham , before his arrival , but without gaining any satisfactory information ; and that he was now determined to inquire at all the principal hotels in town , as Mr . Bennet thought it possible they might have gone to one of them , on their first coming to London , before they procured lodgings . Mr . Gardiner himself did not expect any success from this measure , but as his brother was eager in it , he meant to assist him in pursuing it . He added that Mr . Bennet seemed wholly disinclined at present to leave London and promised to write again very soon . There was also a postscript to this effect :
" I have written to Colonel Forster to desire him to find out , if possible , from some of the young man ' s intimates in the regiment , whether Wickham has any relations or connections who would be likely to know in what part of town he has now concealed himself . If there were anyone that one could apply to with a probability of gaining such a clue as that , it might be of essential consequence . At present we have nothing to guide us . Colonel Forster will , I dare say , do everything in his power to satisfy us on this head . But , on second thoughts , perhaps , Lizzy could tell us what relations he has now living , better than any other person ."
Elizabeth was at no loss to understand from whence this deference to her authority proceeded ; but it was not in her power to give any information of so satisfactory a nature as the compliment deserved . She had never heard of his having had any relations , except a father and mother , both of whom had been dead many years . It was possible , however , that some of his companions in the ----shire might be able to give more information ; and though she was not very sanguine in expecting it , the application was a something to look forward to .
Every day at Longbourn was now a day of anxiety ; but the most anxious part of each was when the post was expected . The arrival of letters was the