7k啦言情小说>傲慢与偏见结局 > 第106章（第1页）
第106章（第1页）
“Oh，yes!—that，thatistheworstofall。TillIwasinKent，andsawsomuchbothofMr。DarcyandhisrelationColonelFitzwilliam，Iwasignorantofthetruthmyself。AndwhenIreturnedhome，the—shirewastoleaveMerytoninaweekorfortnightstime。Asthatwasthecase，neitherJane，towhomIrelatedthewhole，norI，thoughtitnecessarytomakeourknowledgepublic;forofwhatusecoulditapparentlybetoanyone，thatthegoodopinionwhichalltheneighbourhoodhadofhimshouldthenbeoverthrown?AndevenwhenitwassettledthatLydiashouldgowithMrs。Forster，thenecessityofopeninghereyestohischaracterneveroccurredtome。Thatshecouldbeinanydangerfromthedeceptionneverenteredmyhead。Thatsuchaconsequenceasthiscouldensue，youmayeasilybelieve，wasfarenoughfrommythoughts。”
“WhentheyallremovedtoBrighton，therefore，youhadnoreason，Isuppose，tobelievethemfondofeachother?”
“Nottheslightest。Icanremembernosymptomofaffectiononeitherside;andhadanythingofthekindbeenperceptible，youmustbeawarethatoursisnotafamilyonwhichitcouldbethrownaway。Whenfirstheenteredthecorps，shewasreadyenoughtoadmirehim;butsoweallwere。EverygirlinornearMerytonwasoutofhersensesabouthimforthefirsttwomonths;butheneverdistinguishedherbyanyparticularattention;and，consequently，afteramoderateperiodofextravagantandwildadmiration，herfancyforhimgaveway，andothersoftheregiment，whotreatedherwithmoredistinction，againbecameherfavourites。”
Itmaybeeasilybelieved，thathoweverlittleofnoveltycouldbeaddedtotheirfears，hopes，andconjectures，onthisinterestingsubject，byitsrepeateddiscussion，noothercoulddetainthemfromitlong，duringthewholeofthejourney。FromElizabethsthoughtsitwasneverabsent。Fixedtherebythekeenestofallanguish，self-reproach，shecouldfindnointervalofeaseorforgetfulness。
Theytravelledasexpeditiouslyaspossible，and，sleepingonenightontheroad，reachedLongbournbydinnertimethenextday。ItwasacomforttoElizabethtoconsiderthatJanecouldnothavebeenweariedbylongexpectations。
ThelittleGardiners，attractedbythesightofachaise，werestandingonthestepsofthehouseastheyenteredthepaddock;and，whenthecarriagedroveuptothedoor，thejoyfulsurprisethatlighteduptheirfaces，anddisplayeditselfovertheirwholebodies，inavarietyofcapersandfrisks，wasthefirstpleasingearnestoftheirwelcome。
Elizabethjumpedout;and，aftergivingeachofthemahastykiss，hurriedintothevestibule，whereJane，whocamerunningdownfromhermothersapartment，immediatelymether。
Elizabeth，assheaffectionatelyembracedher，whilsttearsfilledtheeyesofboth，lostnotamomentinaskingwhetheranythinghadbeenheardofthefugitives。
“Notyet，”repliedJane。“Butnowthatmydearuncleiscome，Ihopeeverythingwillbewell。”
“Ismyfatherintown?”
“Yes，hewentonTuesday，asIwroteyouword。”
“Andhaveyouheardfromhimoften?”
“Wehaveheardonlyonce。HewrotemeafewlinesonWednesdaytosaythathehadarrivedinsafety，andtogivemehisdirections，whichIparticularlybeggedhimtodo。Hemerelyaddedthatheshouldnotwriteagaintillhehadsomethingofimportancetomention。”
“Andmymother—howisshe?Howareyouall?”
“Mymotheristolerablywell，Itrust;thoughherspiritsaregreatlyshaken。Sheisupstairsandwillhavegreatsatisfactioninseeingyouall。Shedoesnotyetleaveherdressing-room。MaryandKitty，thankHeaven，arequitewell。”
“Butyou—howareyou?”criedElizabeth。“Youlookpale。Howmuchyoumusthavegonethrough!”
Hersister，however，assuredherofherbeingperfectlywell;andtheirconversation，whichhadbeenpassingwhileMr。andMrs。Gardinerwereengagedwiththeirchildren，wasnowputanendtobytheapproachofthewholeparty。Janerantoheruncleandaunt，andwelcomedandthankedthemboth，withalternatesmilesandtears。
Whentheywereallinthedrawing-room，thequestionswhichElizabethhadalreadyaskedwereofcourserepeatedbytheothers，andtheysoonfoundthatJanehadnointelligencetogive。Thesanguinehopeofgood，however，whichthebenevolenceofherheartsuggestedhadnotyetdesertedher;shestillexpectedthatitwouldallendwell，andthateverymorningwouldbringsomeletter，eitherfromLydiaorherfather，toexplaintheirproceedings，and，perhaps，announcetheirmarriage。
Mrs。Bennet，towhoseapartmenttheyallrepaired，afterafewminutesconversationtogether，receivedthemexactlyasmightbeexpected;withtearsandlamentationsofregret，invectivesagainstthevillainousconductofWickham，andcomplaintsofherownsufferingsandill-usage;blamingeverybodybutthepersontowhoseill-judgingindulgencetheerrorsofherdaughtermustprincipallybeowing。
“IfIhadbeenable，”saidshe，“tocarrymypointingoingtoBrighton，withallmyfamily，thiswouldnothavehappened;butpoordearLydiahadnobodytotakecareofher。WhydidtheForsterseverlethergooutoftheirsight?Iamsuretherewassomegreatneglectorotherontheirside，forsheisnotthekindofgirltodosuchathingifshehadbeenwelllookedafter。Ialwaysthoughttheywereveryunfittohavethechargeofher;butIwasoverruled，asIalwaysam。Poordearchild!AndnowheresMr。Bennetgoneaway，andIknowhewillfightWickham，whereverhemeetshimandthenhewillbekilled，andwhatistobecomeofusall?TheCollinseswillturnusoutbeforeheiscoldinhisgrave，andifyouarenotkindtous，brother，Idonotknowwhatweshalldo。”
Theyallexclaimedagainstsuchterrificideas;andMr。Gardiner，aftergeneralassurancesofhisaffectionforherandallherfamily，toldherthathemeanttobeinLondontheverynextday，andwouldassistMr。BennetineveryendeavourforrecoveringLydia。
