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Mr. Gardiner did not write again till he had received an answer from Colonel Forster; and then he had nothing of a pleasant nature to send. It was not known that Wickham had a single relation with whom he kept up any connection, and it was certain that he had no near one living. His former acquaintance had been numerous; but since he had been in the militia, it did not appear that he was on terms of particular friendship with any of them. There was no one therefore who could be pointed out as likely to give any news of him. And in the wretched state of his own finances there was a very powerful motive for secrecy, in addition to his fear of discovery by Lydia's relations, for it had just transpired that he had left gaming debts behind him, to a very considerable amount. Colonel Forster believed that more than a thousand pounds would be necessary to clear his expences at Brighton. He owed a good deal in the town, but his debts of honour were still more formidable. Mr. Gardiner did not attempt to conceal these particulars from the Longbourn family; Jane heard them with horror. "A gamester!" she cried. "This is wholly unexpected. I had not an idea of it."
嘉丁納先生一直挨到接得弗斯脫上校的回信以后，才寫第二封信到浪搏恩來。信上并沒有報道一點喜訊。大家都不知道韋翰是否還有什么親戚跟他來往，不過倒知道他確確實實已經(jīng)沒有一個至親在世。他以前交游頗廣，只是自從進了民兵團以后，看來跟他們都已疏遠，因此找不出一個人來可以報道一些有關(guān)他的消息。他這次所以要保守秘密，據(jù)說是因為他臨走時拖欠了一大筆賭債，而他目前手頭又非常拮據(jù)，無法償還，再則是因為怕讓麗迪雅的親友發(fā)覺。弗斯脫上校認為，要清償他在白利屯的債務，需要有一千多英鎊才夠。他在本鎮(zhèn)固然欠債很多，但賭債則更可觀。嘉丁納先生并打算把這些事情瞞住浪搏恩這家人家。吉英聽得心驚肉跳，不禁叫道：“好一個賭棍！這真是完全出人意料；我想也不曾想到。”
