7k啦言情小说>傲慢与偏见电子书 > 第112章（第1页）
第112章（第1页）
TwodaysafterMr。Bennetsreturn，asJaneandElizabethwerewalkingtogetherintheshrubberybehindthehouse，theysawthehousekeepercomingtowardsthem，and，concludingthatshecametocallthemtotheirmother，wentforwardtomeether;but，insteadoftheexpectedsummons，whentheyapproachedher，shesaidtoMissBennet，“Ibegyourpardon，madam，forinterruptingyou，butIwasinhopesyoumighthavegotsomegoodnewsfromtown，soItookthelibertyofcomingtoask。”
“Whatdoyoumean，Hill?Wehaveheardnothingfromtown。”
“Dearmadam，”criedMrs。Hill，ingreatastonishment，“dontyouknowthereisanexpresscomeformasterfromMr。Gardiner?Hehasbeenherethishalf-hour，andmasterhashadaletter。”
Awayranthegirls，tooeagertogetintohavetimeforspeech。Theyranthroughthevestibuleintothebreakfast-room;fromthencetothelibrary;theirfatherwasinneither;andtheywereonthepointofseekinghimupstairswiththeirmother，whentheyweremetbythebutler，whosaid:
“Ifyouarelookingformymaster，maam，heiswalkingtowardsthelittlecopse。”
Uponthisinformation，theyinstantlypassedthroughthehalloncemore，andranacrossthelawnaftertheirfather，whowasdeliberatelypursuinghiswaytowardsasmallwoodononesideofthepaddock。
Jane，whowasnotsolightnorsomuchinthehabitofrunningasElizabeth，soonlaggedbehind，whilehersister，pantingforbreath，cameupwithhim，andeagerlycriedout:
“Oh，papa，whatnews—whatnews?Haveyouheardfrommyuncle?”
“YesIhavehadaletterfromhimbyexpress。”
“Well，andwhatnewsdoesitbring—goodorbad?”
“Whatisthereofgoodtobeexpected?”saidhe，takingtheletterfromhispocket。“Butperhapsyouwouldliketoreadit。”
Elizabethimpatientlycaughtitfromhishand。Janenowcameup。“Readitaloud，”saidtheirfather，“forIhardlyknowmyselfwhatitisabout。”
GracechurchStreet，Monday，August2。
“MydearBrother，
“AtlastIamabletosendyousometidingsofmyniece，andsuchas，uponthewhole，Ihopeitwillgiveyousatisfaction。SoonafteryouleftmeonSaturday，IwasfortunateenoughtofindoutinwhatpartofLondontheywere。TheparticularsIreservetillwemeet;itisenoughtoknowtheyarediscovered。Ihaveseenthemboth—”
“ThenitisasIalwayshoped，”criedJane;“theyaremarried!”
Elizabethreadon:
“Ihaveseenthemboth。Theyarenotmarried，norcanIfindtherewasanyintentionofbeingso;butifyouarewillingtoperformtheengagementswhichIhaveventuredtomakeonyourside，Ihopeitwillnotbelongbeforetheyare。Allthatisrequiredofyouis，toassuretoyourdaughter，bysettlement，herequalshareofthefivethousandpoundssecuredamongyourchildrenafterthedeceaseofyourselfandmysister;and，moreover，toenterintoanengagementofallowingher，duringyourlife，onehundredpoundsperannum。Theseareconditionswhich，consideringeverything，Ihadnohesitationincomplyingwith，asfarasIthoughtmyselfprivileged，foryou。Ishallsendthisbyexpress，thatnotimemaybelostinbringingmeyouranswer。Youwilleasilycomprehend，fromtheseparticulars，thatMr。Wickhamscircumstancesarenotsohopelessastheyaregenerallybelievedtobe。Theworldhasbeendeceivedinthatrespect;andIamhappytosaytherewillbesomelittlemoney，evenwhenallhisdebtsaredischarged，tosettleonmyniece，inadditiontoherownfortune。If，asIconcludewillbethecase，yousendmefullpowerstoactinyournamethroughoutthewholeofthisbusiness，IwillimmediatelygivedirectionstoHaggerstonforpreparingapropersettlement。Therewillnotbethesmallestoccasionforyourcomingtotownagain;thereforestayquietatLongbourn，anddependonmydiligenceandcare。Sendbackyouranswerasfastasyoucan，andbecarefultowriteexplicitly。Wehavejudgeditbestthatmynieceshouldbemarriedfromthishouse，ofwhichIhopeyouwillapprove。Shecomestousto-day。Ishallwriteagainassoonasanythingmoreisdeterminedon。Yours，etc。，
“EDW。GARDINER。”
“Isitpossible?”criedElizabeth，whenshehadfinished。“Canitbepossiblethathewillmarryher?”
“Wickhamisnotsoundeserving，then，aswethoughthim，”saidhersister。“Mydearfather，Icongratulateyou。”
“Andhaveyouansweredtheletter?”criedElizabeth。
“No;butitmustbedonesoon。”
Mostearnestlydidshethenentreatyhimtolosenomoretimebeforehewrote。
“Oh!mydearfather，”shecried，“comebackandwriteimmediately。Considerhowimportanteverymomentisinsuchacase。”
“Letmewriteforyou，”saidJane，“ifyoudislikethetroubleyourself。”
“Idislikeitverymuch，”hereplied;“butitmustbedone。”
Andsosaying，heturnedbackwiththem，andwalkedtowardsthehouse。
“AndmayIask—”saidElizabeth;“buttheterms，Isuppose，mustbecompliedwith。”
“Compliedwith!Iamonlyashamedofhisaskingsolittle。”
“Andtheymustmarry!Yetheissuchaman!”
“Yes，yes，theymustmarry。Thereisnothingelsetobedone。ButtherearetwothingsthatIwantverymuchtoknow;oneis，howmuchmoneyyourunclehaslaiddowntobringitabout;andtheother，howamIevertopayhim。”
“Money!Myuncle!”criedJane，“whatdoyoumean，sir?”
“Imean，thatnomaninhispropersenseswouldmarryLydiaonsoslightatemptationasonehundredayearduringmylife，andfiftyafterIamgone。”
“Thatisverytrue，”saidElizabeth;“thoughithadnotoccurredtomebefore。Hisdebtstobedischarged，andsomethingstilltoremain!Oh!itmustbemyunclesdoings!Generous，goodman，Iamafraidhehasdistressedhimself。Asmallsumcouldnotdoallthis。”
“No，”saidherfather;“Wickhamsafoolifhetakesherwithafarthinglessthantenthousandpounds。Ishouldbesorrytothinksoillofhim，intheverybeginningofourrelationship。”
“Tenthousandpounds!Heavenforbid!Howishalfsuchasumtoberepaid?”
