7k啦言情小说>傲慢与偏见电子书 > 第122章（第1页）
第122章（第1页）
Mr。Wickhamwassoperfectlysatisfiedwiththisconversationthatheneveragaindistressedhimself，orprovokedhisdearsisterElizabeth，byintroducingthesubjectofit;andshewaspleasedtofindthatshehadsaidenoughtokeephimquiet。
ThedayofhisandLydiasdeparturesooncame，andMrs。Bennetwasforcedtosubmittoaseparation，which，asherhusbandbynomeansenteredintoherschemeoftheirallgoingtoNewcastle，waslikelytocontinueatleastatwelvemonth。
“Oh!mydearLydia，”shecried，“whenshallwemeetagain?”
“Oh，lord!Idontknow。Notthesetwoorthreeyears，perhaps。”
“Writetomeveryoften，mydear。”
“AsoftenasIcan。Butyouknowmarriedwomenhavenevermuchtimeforwriting。Mysistersmaywritetome。Theywillhavenothingelsetodo。”
Mr。Wickhamsadieusweremuchmoreaffectionatethanhiswifes。Hesmiled，lookedhandsome，andsaidmanyprettythings。
“Heisasfineafellow，”saidMr。Bennet，assoonastheywereoutofthehouse，“aseverIsaw。Hesimpers，andsmirks，andmakeslovetousall。Iamprodigiouslyproudofhim。IdefyevenSirWilliamLucashimselftoproduceamorevaluableson-in-law。”
ThelossofherdaughtermadeMrs。Bennetverydullforseveraldays。
“Ioftenthink，”saidshe，“thatthereisnothingsobadaspartingwithonesfriends。Oneseemssoforlornwithoutthem。”
“Thisistheconsequence，yousee，Madam，ofmarryingadaughter，”saidElizabeth。“Itmustmakeyoubettersatisfiedthatyourotherfouraresingle。”
“Itisnosuchthing。Lydiadoesnotleavemebecausesheismarried，butonlybecauseherhusbandsregimenthappenstobesofaroff。Ifthathadbeennearer，shewouldnothavegonesosoon。”
Butthespiritlessconditionwhichthiseventthrewherintowasshortlyrelieved，andhermindopenedagaintotheagitationofhope，byanarticleofnewswhichthenbegantobeincirculation。ThehousekeeperatNetherfieldhadreceivedorderstoprepareforthearrivalofhermaster，whowascomingdowninadayortwo，toshootthereforseveralweeks。Mrs。Bennetwasquiteinthefidgets。ShelookedatJane，andsmiledandshookherheadbyturns。
“Well，well，andsoMr。Bingleyiscomingdown，sister，”（forMrs。Phillipsfirstbroughtherthenews）。“Well，somuchthebetter。NotthatIcareaboutit，though。Heisnothingtous，youknow，andIamsureIneverwanttoseehimagain。But，however，heisverywelcometocometoNetherfield，ifhelikesit。Andwhoknowswhatmayhappen?Butthatisnothingtous。Youknow，sister，weagreedlongagonevertomentionawordaboutit。Andso，isitquitecertainheiscoming?”
“Youmaydependonit，”repliedtheother，“forMrs。NichollswasinMerytonlastnight;Isawherpassingby，andwentoutmyselfonpurposetoknowthetruthofit;andshetoldmethatitwascertaintrue。HecomesdownonThursdayatthelatest，verylikelyonWednesday。Shewasgoingtothebutchers，shetoldme，onpurposetoorderinsomemeatonWednesday，andshehasgotthreecoupleofducksjustfittobekilled。”
MissBennethadnotbeenabletohearofhiscomingwithoutchangingcolour。ItwasmanymonthssinceshehadmentionedhisnametoElizabeth;butnow，assoonastheywerealonetogether，shesaid:
“Isawyoulookatmeto-day，Lizzy，whenmyaunttoldusofthepresentreport;andIknowIappeareddistressed。Butdontimagineitwasfromanysillycause。Iwasonlyconfusedforthemoment，becauseIfeltthatIshouldbelookedat。Idoassureyouthatthenewsdoesnotaffectmeeitherwithpleasureorpain。Iamgladofonething，thathecomesalone;becauseweshallseethelessofhim。NotthatIamafraidofmyself，butIdreadotherpeoplesremarks。”
Elizabethdidnotknowwhattomakeofit。HadshenotseenhiminDerbyshire，shemighthavesupposedhimcapableofcomingtherewithnootherviewthanwhatwasacknowledged;butshestillthoughthimpartialtoJane，andshewaveredastothegreaterprobabilityofhiscomingtherewithhisfriendspermission，orbeingboldenoughtocomewithoutit。
“Yetitishard，”shesometimesthought，“thatthispoormancannotcometoahousewhichhehaslegallyhired，withoutraisingallthisspeculation!Iwillleavehimtohimself。”
Inspiteofwhathersisterdeclared，andreallybelievedtobeherfeelingsintheexpectationofhisarrival，Elizabethcouldeasilyperceivethatherspiritswereaffectedbyit。Theyweremoredisturbed，moreunequal，thanshehadoftenseenthem。
Thesubjectwhichhadbeensowarmlycanvassedbetweentheirparents，aboutatwelvemonthago，wasnowbroughtforwardagain。
“AssoonaseverMr。Bingleycomes，mydear，”saidMrs。Bennet，“youwillwaitonhimofcourse。”
“No，no。Youforcedmeintovisitinghimlastyear，andpromised，ifIwenttoseehim，heshouldmarryoneofmydaughters。Butitendedinnothing，andIwillnotbesentonafoolserrandagain。”
Hiswiferepresentedtohimhowabsolutelynecessarysuchanattentionwouldbefromalltheneighbouringgentlemen，onhisreturningtoNetherfield。
“TisanetiquetteIdespise，”saidhe。“Ifhewantsoursociety，lethimseekit。Heknowswherewelive。Iwillnotspendmyhoursinrunningaftermyneighbourseverytimetheygoawayandcomebackagain。”
“Well，allIknowis，thatitwillbeabominablyrudeifyoudonotwaitonhim。But，however，thatshantpreventmyaskinghimtodinehere，Iamdetermined。WemusthaveMrs。LongandtheGouldingssoon。Thatwillmakethirteenwithourselves，sotherewillbejustroomattableforhim。”
Consoledbythisresolution，shewasthebetterabletobearherhusbandsincivility;thoughitwasverymortifyingtoknowthatherneighboursmightallseeMr。Bingley，inconsequenceofit，beforetheydid。Asthedayofhisarrivaldrewnear:
