7k啦言情小说

7k啦言情小说>傲慢与偏见 > 第109章(第1页)

第109章(第1页)

ThewholepartywereinhopesofaletterfromMr。Bennetthenextmorning,butthepostcameinwithoutbringingasinglelinefromhim。Hisfamilyknewhimtobe,onallcommonoccasions,amostnegligentanddilatorycorrespondent;butatsuchatimetheyhadhopedforexertion。Theywereforcedtoconcludethathehadnopleasingintelligencetosend;butevenofthattheywouldhavebeengladtobecertain。Mr。Gardinerhadwaitedonlyforthelettersbeforehesetoff。

Whenhewasgone,theywerecertainatleastofreceivingconstantinformationofwhatwasgoingon,andtheirunclepromised,atparting,toprevailonMr。BennettoreturntoLongbourn,assoonashecould,tothegreatconsolationofhissister,whoconsidereditastheonlysecurityforherhusbandsnotbeingkilledinaduel。

Mrs。GardinerandthechildrenweretoremaininHertfordshireafewdayslonger,astheformerthoughtherpresencemightbeserviceabletohernieces。ShesharedintheirattendanceonMrs。Bennet,andwasagreatcomforttothemintheirhoursoffreedom。Theirotherauntalsovisitedthemfrequently,andalways,asshesaid,withthedesignofcheeringandhearteningthemup—though,asshenevercamewithoutreportingsomefreshinstanceofWickhamsextravaganceorirregularity,sheseldomwentawaywithoutleavingthemmoredispiritedthanshefoundthem。

AllMerytonseemedstrivingtoblackenthemanwho,butthreemonthsbefore,hadbeenalmostanangeloflight。Hewasdeclaredtobeindebttoeverytradesmanintheplace,andhisintrigues,allhonouredwiththetitleofseduction,hadbeenextendedintoeverytradesmansfamily。Everybodydeclaredthathewasthewickedestyoungmanintheworld;andeverybodybegantofindoutthattheyhadalwaysdistrustedtheappearanceofhisgoodness。Elizabeth,thoughshedidnotcreditabovehalfofwhatwassaid,believedenoughtomakeherformerassuranceofhersistersruinmorecertain;andevenJane,whobelievedstilllessofit,becamealmosthopeless,moreespeciallyasthetimewasnowcomewhen,iftheyhadgonetoScotland,whichshehadneverbeforeentirelydespairedof,theymustinallprobabilityhavegainedsomenewsofthem。

Mr。GardinerleftLongbournonSunday;onTuesdayhiswifereceivedaletterfromhim;ittoldthemthat,onhisarrival,hehadimmediatelyfoundouthisbrother,andpersuadedhimtocometoGracechurchStreet;thatMr。BennethadbeentoEpsomandClapham,beforehisarrival,butwithoutgaininganysatisfactoryinformation;andthathewasnowdeterminedtoinquireatalltheprincipalhotelsintown,asMr。Bennetthoughtitpossibletheymighthavegonetooneofthem,ontheirfirstcomingtoLondon,beforetheyprocuredlodgings。Mr。Gardinerhimselfdidnotexpectanysuccessfromthismeasure,butashisbrotherwaseagerinit,hemeanttoassisthiminpursuingit。HeaddedthatMr。BennetseemedwhollydisinclinedatpresenttoleaveLondonandpromisedtowriteagainverysoon。Therewasalsoaposttothiseffect:

“IhavewrittentoColonelForstertodesirehimtofindout,ifpossible,fromsomeoftheyoungmansintimatesintheregiment,whetherWickhamhasanyrelationsorconnectionswhowouldbelikelytoknowinwhatpartoftownhehasnowconcealedhimself。Iftherewereanyonethatonecouldapplytowithaprobabilityofgainingsuchaclueasthat,itmightbeofessentialconsequence。Atpresentwehavenothingtoguideus。ColonelForsterwill,Idaresay,doeverythinginhispowertosatisfyusonthishead。But,onsecondthoughts,perhaps,Lizzycouldtelluswhatrelationshehasnowliving,betterthananyotherperson。”

Elizabethwasatnolosstounderstandfromwhencethisdeferencetoherauthorityproceeded;butitwasnotinherpowertogiveanyinformationofsosatisfactoryanatureasthecomplimentdeserved。

Shehadneverheardofhishavinghadanyrelations,exceptafatherandmother,bothofwhomhadbeendeadmanyyears。Itwaspossible,however,thatsomeofhiscompanionsinthe—shiremightbeabletogivemoreinformation;andthoughshewasnotverysanguineinexpectingit,theapplicationwasasomethingtolookforwardto。

EverydayatLongbournwasnowadayofanxiety;butthemostanxiouspartofeachwaswhenthepostwasexpected。Thearrivalofletterswasthefirstgrandobjectofeverymorningsimpatience。Throughletters,whateverofgoodorbadwastobetoldwouldbecommunicated,andeverysucceedingdaywasexpectedtobringsomenewsofimportance。

ButbeforetheyheardagainfromMr。Gardiner,aletterarrivedfortheirfather,fromadifferentquarter,fromMr。Collins;which,asJanehadreceiveddirectionstoopenallthatcameforhiminhisabsence,sheaccordinglyread;andElizabeth,whoknewwhatcuriositieshislettersalwayswere,lookedoverher,andreaditlikewise。Itwasasfollows:

“MYDEARSIR,

已完结热门小说推荐

最新标签