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第133章（第1页）

ThediscomposureofspiritswhichthisextraordinaryvisitthrewElizabethinto，couldnotbeeasilyovercome;norcouldshe，formanyhours，learntothinkofitlessthanincessantly。LadyCatherine，itappeared，hadactuallytakenthetroubleofthisjourneyfromRosings，forthesolepurposeofbreakingoffhersupposedengagementwithMr。Darcy。Itwasarationalscheme，tobesure!butfromwhatthereportoftheirengagementcouldoriginate，Elizabethwasatalosstoimagine;tillsherecollectedthathisbeingtheintimatefriendofBingley，andherbeingthesisterofJane，wasenough，atatimewhentheexpectationofoneweddingmadeeverybodyeagerforanother，tosupplytheidea。Shehadnotherselfforgottentofeelthatthemarriageofhersistermustbringthemmorefrequentlytogether。AndherneighboursatLucasLodge，therefore（forthroughtheircommunicationwiththeCollinses，thereport，sheconcluded，hadreachedLadyCatherine），hadonlysetthatdownasalmostcertainandimmediate，whichshehadlookedforwardtoaspossibleatsomefuturetime。

InrevolvingLadyCatherinesexpressions，however，shecouldnothelpfeelingsomeuneasinessastothepossibleconsequenceofherpersistinginthisinterference。Fromwhatshehadsaidofherresolutiontopreventtheirmarriage，itoccurredtoElizabeththatshemustmeditateanapplicationtohernephew;andhowhemighttakeasimilarrepresentationoftheevilsattachedtoaconnectionwithher，shedarednotpronounce。Sheknewnottheexactdegreeofhisaffectionforhisaunt，orhisdependenceonherjudgment，butitwasnaturaltosupposethathethoughtmuchhigherofherladyshipthanshecoulddo;anditwascertainthat，inenumeratingthemiseriesofamarriagewithone，whoseimmediateconnectionsweresounequaltohisown，hisauntwouldaddresshimonhisweakestside。Withhisnotionsofdignity，hewouldprobablyfeelthatthearguments，whichtoElizabethhadappearedweakandridiculous，containedmuchgoodsenseandsolidreasoning。

Ifhehadbeenwaveringbeforeastowhatheshoulddo，whichhadoftenseemedlikely，theadviceandentreatyofsoneararelationmightsettleeverydoubt，anddeterminehimatoncetobeashappyasdignityunblemishedcouldmakehim。Inthatcasehewouldreturnnomore。LadyCatherinemightseehiminherwaythroughtown;andhisengagementtoBingleyofcomingagaintoNetherfieldmustgiveway。

“If，therefore，anexcusefornotkeepinghispromiseshouldcometohisfriendwithinafewdays，”sheadded，“Ishallknowhowtounderstandit。Ishallthengiveovereveryexpectation，everywishofhisconstancy。Ifheissatisfiedwithonlyregrettingme，whenhemighthaveobtainedmyaffectionsandhand，Ishallsoonceasetoregrethimatall。”

Thesurpriseoftherestofthefamily，onhearingwhotheirvisitorhadbeen，wasverygreat;buttheyobliginglysatisfiedit，withthesamekindofsuppositionwhichhadappeasedMrs。Bennetscuriosity;andElizabethwassparedfrommuchteasingonthesubject。

Thenextmorning，asshewasgoingdownstairs，shewasmetbyherfather，whocameoutofhislibrarywithaletterinhishand。

“Lizzy，”saidhe，“Iwasgoingtolookforyou;comeintomyroom。”

Shefollowedhimthither;andhercuriositytoknowwhathehadtotellherwasheightenedbythesuppositionofitsbeinginsomemannerconnectedwiththeletterheheld。ItsuddenlystruckherthatitmightbefromLadyCatherine;andsheanticipatedwithdismayalltheconsequentexplanations。

Shefollowedherfathertothefireplace，andtheybothsatdown。Hethensaid，

“Ihavereceivedaletterthismorningthathasastonishedmeexceedingly。Asitprincipallyconcernsyourself，yououghttoknowitscontents。Ididnotknowbefore，thatIhadtwodaughtersonthebrinkofmatrimony。Letmecongratulateyouonaveryimportantconquest。”

ThecolournowrushedintoElizabethscheeksintheinstantaneousconvictionofitsbeingaletterfromthenephew，insteadoftheaunt;andshewasundeterminedwhethermosttobepleasedthatheexplainedhimselfatall，oroffendedthathisletterwasnotratheraddressedtoherself;whenherfathercontinued:

“Youlookconscious。Youngladieshavegreatpenetrationinsuchmattersasthese;butIthinkImaydefyevenyoursagacity，todiscoverthenameofyouradmirer。ThisletterisfromMr。Collins。”

“FromMr。Collins!andwhatcanhehavetosay?”