7k啦言情小说>傲慢与偏见结局 > 第121章（第1页）
第121章（第1页）
ThecontentsofthisletterthrewElizabethintoaflutterofspirits，inwhichitwasdifficulttodeterminewhetherpleasureorpainborethegreatestshare。ThevagueandunsettledsuspicionswhichuncertaintyhadproducedofwhatMr。Darcymighthavebeendoingtoforwardhersistersmatch，whichshehadfearedtoencourageasanexertionofgoodnesstoogreattobeprobable，andatthesametimedreadedtobejust，fromthepainofobligation，wereprovedbeyondtheirgreatestextenttobetrue!Hehadfollowedthempurposelytotown，hehadtakenonhimselfallthetroubleandmortificationattendantonsucharesearch;inwhichsupplicationhadbeennecessarytoawomanwhomhemustabominateanddespise，andwherehewasreducedtomeet，frequentlymeet，reasonwith，persuade，andfinallybribe，themanwhomhealwaysmostwishedtoavoid，andwhoseverynameitwaspunishmenttohimtopronounce。Hehaddoneallthisforagirlwhomhecouldneitherregardnoresteem。Herheartdidwhisperthathehaddoneitforher。Butitwasahopeshortlycheckedbyotherconsiderations，andshesoonfeltthatevenhervanitywasinsufficient，whenrequiredtodependonhisaffectionforher—forawomanwhohadalreadyrefusedhim—asabletoovercomeasentimentsonaturalasabhorrenceagainstrelationshipwithWickham。Brother-in-lawofWickham!Everykindofpridemustrevoltfromtheconnection。Hehad，tobesure，donemuch。Shewasashamedtothinkhowmuch。Buthehadgivenareasonforhisinterference，whichaskednoextraordinarystretchofbelief。Itwasreasonablethatheshouldfeelhehadbeenwrong;hehadliberality，andhehadthemeansofexercisingit;andthoughshewouldnotplaceherselfashisprincipalinducement，shecould，perhaps，believethatremainingpartialityforhermightassisthisendeavoursinacausewhereherpeaceofmindmustbemateriallyconcerned。Itwaspainful，exceedinglypainful，toknowthattheywereunderobligationstoapersonwhocouldneverreceiveareturn。TheyowedtherestorationofLydia，hercharacter，everything，tohim。Oh!howheartilydidshegrieveovereveryungracioussensationshehadeverencouraged，everysaucyspeechshehadeverdirectedtowardshim。Forherselfshewashumbled;butshewasproudofhim。Proudthatinacauseofcompassionandhonour，hehadbeenabletogetthebetterofhimself。Shereadoverherauntscommendationofhimagainandagain。Itwashardlyenough;butitpleasedher。Shewasevensensibleofsomepleasure，thoughmixedwithregret，onfindinghowsteadfastlybothsheandherunclehadbeenpersuadedthataffectionandconfidencesubsistedbetweenMr。Darcyandherself。Shewasrousedfromherseat，andherreflections，bysomeonesapproach;andbeforeshecouldstrikeintoanotherpath，shewasovertakenbyWickham。
“IamafraidIinterruptyoursolitaryramble，mydearsister?”saidhe，ashejoinedher。
“Youcertainlydo，”sherepliedwithasmile;“butitdoesnotfollowthattheinterruptionmustbeunwelcome。”
“Ishouldbesorryindeed，ifitwere。Wewerealwaysgoodfriends;andnowwearebetter。”
“True。Aretheotherscomingout?”
“Idonotknow。Mrs。BennetandLydiaaregoinginthecarriagetoMeryton。Andso，mydearsister，Ifind，fromouruncleandaunt，thatyouhaveactuallyseenPemberley。”
Sherepliedintheaffirmative。
“Ialmostenvyyouthepleasure，andyetIbelieveitwouldbetoomuchforme，orelseIcouldtakeitinmywaytoNewcastle。Andyousawtheoldhousekeeper，Isuppose?PoorReynolds，shewasalwaysveryfondofme。Butofcourseshedidnotmentionmynametoyou。”
“Yes，shedid。”
“Andwhatdidshesay?”
“Thatyouweregoneintothearmy，andshewasafraidhad—notturnedoutwell。Atsuchadistanceasthat，youknow，thingsarestrangelymisrepresented。”
“Certainly，”hereplied，bitinghislips。Elizabethhopedshehadsilencedhim;buthesoonafterwardssaid:
“IwassurprisedtoseeDarcyintownlastmonth。Wepassedeachotherseveraltimes。Iwonderwhathecanbedoingthere。”
“PerhapspreparingforhismarriagewithMissdeBourgh，”saidElizabeth。“Itmustbesomethingparticular，totakehimthereatthistimeofyear。”
“Undoubtedly。DidyouseehimwhileyouwereatLambton?IthoughtIunderstoodfromtheGardinersthatyouhad。”
“Yes;heintroducedustohissister。”
“Anddoyoulikeher?”
“Verymuch。”
“Ihaveheard，indeed，thatsheisuncommonlyimprovedwithinthisyearortwo。WhenIlastsawher，shewasnotverypromising。Iamverygladyoulikedher。Ihopeshewillturnoutwell。”
“Idaresayshewill;shehasgotoverthemosttryingage。”
“DidyougobythevillageofKympton?”
“Idonotrecollectthatwedid。”
“Imentionit，becauseitisthelivingwhichIoughttohavehad。Amostdelightfulplace!—ExcellentParsonageHouse!Itwouldhavesuitedmeineveryrespect。”
“Howshouldyouhavelikedmakingsermons?”
“Exceedinglywell。Ishouldhaveconsidereditaspartofmyduty，andtheexertionwouldsoonhavebeennothing。Oneoughtnottorepine;—but，tobesure，itwouldhavebeensuchathingforme!Thequiet，theretirementofsuchalifewouldhaveansweredallmyideasofhappiness!Butitwasnottobe。DidyoueverhearDarcymentionthecircumstance，whenyouwereinKent?”
“Ihaveheardfromauthority，whichIthoughtasgood，thatitwasleftyouconditionallyonly，andatthewillofthepresentpatron。”
“Youhave。Yes，therewassomethinginthat;Itoldyousofromthefirst，youmayremember。”
“Ididhear，too，thattherewasatime，whensermon-makingwasnotsopalatabletoyouasitseemstobeatpresent;thatyouactuallydeclaredyourresolutionofnevertakingorders，andthatthebusinesshadbeencompromisedaccordingly。”
“Youdid!anditwasnotwhollywithoutfoundation。YoumayrememberwhatItoldyouonthatpoint，whenfirstwetalkedofit。”
Theywerenowalmostatthedoorofthehouse，forshehadwalkedfasttogetridofhim;andunwilling，forhersisterssake，toprovokehim，sheonlysaidinreply，withagood-humouredsmile:
“Come，Mr。Wickham，wearebrotherandsister，youknow。Donotletusquarrelaboutthepast。Infuture，Ihopeweshallbealwaysofonemind。”
Sheheldoutherhand;hekisseditwithaffectionategallantry，thoughhehardlyknewhowtolook，andtheyenteredthehouse。
