Pride and Prejudice Chapter XLVIII

In which we observe the anxious and uneasy interval as the Bennet family awaits news of a certain young lady's impropriety and the subsequent efforts of relatives and acquaintances to uncover her whereabouts, amidst growing reports that tarnish the reputation of an inconvenient gentleman. The return of the patriarch brings a sombre resolve and sober resolutions for future conduct, tempered by a faint humour and prospective hopes of reformation.