7k啦言情小说>傲慢与偏见结局 > 第86章（第1页）
第86章（第1页）
Thefirstweekoftheirreturnwassoongone。Thesecondbegan。ItwasthelastoftheregimentsstayinMeryton，andalltheyoungladiesintheneighbourhoodweredroopingapace。Thedejectionwasalmostuniversal。TheelderMissBennetsalonewerestillabletoeat，drink，andsleep，andpursuetheusualcourseoftheiremployments。VeryfrequentlyweretheyreproachedforthisinsensibilitybyKittyandLydia，whoseownmiserywasextreme，andwhocouldnotcomprehendsuchhard-heartednessinanyofthefamily。
“GoodHeaven!whatistobecomeofus?Whatarewetodo?”wouldtheyoftenexclaiminthebitternessofwoe。“Howcanyoubesmilingso，Lizzy?”
Theiraffectionatemothersharedalltheirgrief;sherememberedwhatshehadherselfenduredonasimilaroccasion，five-and-twentyyearsago。
“Iamsure，”saidshe，“IcriedfortwodaystogetherwhenColonelMillersregimentwentaway。IthoughtIshouldhavebrokenmyheart。”
“IamsureIshallbreakmine，”saidLydia。
“IfonecouldbutgotoBrighton!”observedMrs。Bennet。
“Oh，yes!—ifonecouldbutgotoBrighton!Butpapaissodisagreeable。”
“Alittlesea-bathingwouldsetmeupforever。”
“AndmyauntPhillipsissureitwoulddomeagreatdealofgood，”addedKitty。
SuchwerethekindoflamentationsresoundingperpetuallythroughLongbournHouse。Elizabethtriedtobedivertedbythem;butallsenseofpleasurewaslostinshame。ShefeltanewthejusticeofMr。Darcysobjections;andneverhadshebeensomuchdisposedtopardonhisinterferenceintheviewsofhisfriend。
ButthegloomofLydiasprospectwasshortlyclearedaway;forshereceivedaninvitationfromMrs。Forster，thewifeofthecoloneloftheregiment，toaccompanyhertoBrighton。Thisinvaluablefriendwasaveryyoungwoman，andverylatelymarried。AresemblanceingoodhumourandgoodspiritshadrecommendedherandLydiatoeachother，andoutoftheirthreemonthsacquaintancetheyhadbeenintimatetwo。
TheraptureofLydiaonthisoccasion，heradorationofMrs。Forster，thedelightofMrs。Bennet，andthemortificationofKitty，arescarcelytobedescribed。Whollyinattentivetohersistersfeelings，Lydiaflewaboutthehouseinrestlessecstasy，callingforeveryonescongratulations，andlaughingandtalkingwithmoreviolencethanever;whilstthelucklessKittycontinuedintheparlourrepinedatherfateintermsasunreasonableasheraccentwaspeevish。
“IcannotseewhyMrs。ForstershouldnotaskmeaswellasLydia，”saidshe，“ThoughIamnotherparticularfriend。Ihavejustasmuchrighttobeaskedasshehas，andmoretoo，forIamtwoyearsolder。”
InvaindidElizabethattempttomakeherreasonable，andJanetomakeherresigned。AsforElizabethherself，thisinvitationwassofarfromexcitinginherthesamefeelingsasinhermotherandLydia，thatsheconsidereditasthedeathwarrantofallpossibilityofcommonsenseforthelatter;anddetestableassuchastepmustmakeherwereitknown，shecouldnothelpsecretlyadvisingherfathernottolethergo。SherepresentedtohimalltheimproprietiesofLydiasgeneralbehaviour，thelittleadvantageshecouldderivefromthefriendshipofsuchawomanasMrs。Forster，andtheprobabilityofherbeingyetmoreimprudentwithsuchacompanionatBrighton，wherethetemptationsmustbegreaterthanathome。Heheardherattentively，andthensaid:
“Lydiawillneverbeeasyuntilshehasexposedherselfinsomepublicplaceorother，andwecanneverexpecthertodoitwithsolittleexpenseorinconveniencetoherfamilyasunderthepresentcircumstances。”
“Ifyouwereaware，”saidElizabeth，“oftheverygreatdisadvantagetousallwhichmustarisefromthepublicnoticeofLydiasunguardedandimprudentmanner—nay，whichhasalreadyarisenfromit，Iamsureyouwouldjudgedifferentlyintheaffair。”
“Alreadyarisen?”repeatedMr。Bennet。“What，hasshefrightenedawaysomeofyourlovers?PoorlittleLizzy!Butdonotbecastdown。Suchsqueamishyouthsascannotbeartobeconnectedwithalittleabsurdityarenotwortharegret。Come，letmeseethelistofpitifulfellowswhohavebeenkeptaloofbyLydiasfolly。”
“Indeedyouaremistaken。Ihavenosuchinjuriestoresent。Itisnotofparticular，butofgeneralevils，whichIamnowcomplaining。Ourimportance，ourrespectabilityintheworldmustbeaffectedbythewildvolatility，theassuranceanddisdainofallrestraintwhichmarkLydiascharacter。Excuseme，forImustspeakplainly。Ifyou，mydearfather，willnottakethetroubleofcheckingherexuberantspirits，andofteachingherthatherpresentpursuitsarenottobethebusinessofherlife，shewillsoonbebeyondthereachofamendment。Hercharacterwillbefixed，andshewill，atsixteen，bethemostdeterminedflirtthatevermadeherselforherfamilyridiculous;aflirt，too，intheworstandmeanestdegreeofflirtation;withoutanyattractionbeyondyouthandatolerableperson;and，fromtheignoranceandemptinessofhermind，whollyunabletowardoffanyportionofthatuniversalcontemptwhichherrageforadmirationwillexcite。InthisdangerKittyalsoiscomprehended。ShewillfollowwhereverLydialeads。Vain，ignorant，idle，andabsolutelyuncontrolled!Oh!mydearfather，canyousupposeitpossiblethattheywillnotbecensuredanddespisedwherevertheyareknown，andthattheirsisterswillnotbeofteninvolvedinthedisgrace?”
Mr。Bennetsawthatherwholeheartwasinthesubject，andaffectionatelytakingherhandsaidinreply:
