书书小说网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第86章(第1页)

Thefirstweekoftheirreturnwassoongone。Thesecondbegan。ItwasthelastoftheregimentsstayinMeryton,andalltheyoungladiesintheneighbourhoodweredroopingapace。Thedejectionwasalmostuniversal。TheelderMissBennetsalonewerestillabletoeat,drink,andsleep,andpursuetheusualcourseoftheiremployments。VeryfrequentlyweretheyreproachedforthisinsensibilitybyKittyandLydia,whoseownmiserywasextreme,andwhocouldnotcomprehendsuchhard-heartednessinanyofthefamily。

“GoodHeaven!whatistobecomeofus?Whatarewetodo?”wouldtheyoftenexclaiminthebitternessofwoe。“Howcanyoubesmilingso,Lizzy?”

Theiraffectionatemothersharedalltheirgrief;sherememberedwhatshehadherselfenduredonasimilaroccasion,five-and-twentyyearsago。

“Iamsure,”saidshe,“IcriedfortwodaystogetherwhenColonelMillersregimentwentaway。IthoughtIshouldhavebrokenmyheart。”

“IamsureIshallbreakmine,”saidLydia。

“IfonecouldbutgotoBrighton!”observedMrs。Bennet。

“Oh,yes!—ifonecouldbutgotoBrighton!Butpapaissodisagreeable。”

“Alittlesea-bathingwouldsetmeupforever。”

“AndmyauntPhillipsissureitwoulddomeagreatdealofgood,”addedKitty。

SuchwerethekindoflamentationsresoundingperpetuallythroughLongbournHouse。Elizabethtriedtobedivertedbythem;butallsenseofpleasurewaslostinshame。ShefeltanewthejusticeofMr。Darcysobjections;andneverhadshebeensomuchdisposedtopardonhisinterferenceintheviewsofhisfriend。

ButthegloomofLydiasprospectwasshortlyclearedaway;forshereceivedaninvitationfromMrs。Forster,thewifeofthecoloneloftheregiment,toaccompanyhertoBrighton。Thisinvaluablefriendwasaveryyoungwoman,andverylatelymarried。AresemblanceingoodhumourandgoodspiritshadrecommendedherandLydiatoeachother,andoutoftheirthreemonthsacquaintancetheyhadbeenintimatetwo。

TheraptureofLydiaonthisoccasion,heradorationofMrs。Forster,thedelightofMrs。Bennet,andthemortificationofKitty,arescarcelytobedescribed。Whollyinattentivetohersistersfeelings,Lydiaflewaboutthehouseinrestlessecstasy,callingforeveryonescongratulations,andlaughingandtalkingwithmoreviolencethanever;whilstthelucklessKittycontinuedintheparlourrepinedatherfateintermsasunreasonableasheraccentwaspeevish。

“IcannotseewhyMrs。ForstershouldnotaskmeaswellasLydia,”saidshe,“ThoughIamnotherparticularfriend。Ihavejustasmuchrighttobeaskedasshehas,andmoretoo,forIamtwoyearsolder。”

InvaindidElizabethattempttomakeherreasonable,andJanetomakeherresigned。AsforElizabethherself,thisinvitationwassofarfromexcitinginherthesamefeelingsasinhermotherandLydia,thatsheconsidereditasthedeathwarrantofallpossibilityofcommonsenseforthelatter;anddetestableassuchastepmustmakeherwereitknown,shecouldnothelpsecretlyadvisingherfathernottolethergo。SherepresentedtohimalltheimproprietiesofLydiasgeneralbehaviour,thelittleadvantageshecouldderivefromthefriendshipofsuchawomanasMrs。Forster,andtheprobabilityofherbeingyetmoreimprudentwithsuchacompanionatBrighton,wherethetemptationsmustbegreaterthanathome。Heheardherattentively,andthensaid:

“Lydiawillneverbeeasyuntilshehasexposedherselfinsomepublicplaceorother,andwecanneverexpecthertodoitwithsolittleexpenseorinconveniencetoherfamilyasunderthepresentcircumstances。”

“Ifyouwereaware,”saidElizabeth,“oftheverygreatdisadvantagetousallwhichmustarisefromthepublicnoticeofLydiasunguardedandimprudentmanner—nay,whichhasalreadyarisenfromit,Iamsureyouwouldjudgedifferentlyintheaffair。”

“Alreadyarisen?”repeatedMr。Bennet。“What,hasshefrightenedawaysomeofyourlovers?PoorlittleLizzy!Butdonotbecastdown。Suchsqueamishyouthsascannotbeartobeconnectedwithalittleabsurdityarenotwortharegret。Come,letmeseethelistofpitifulfellowswhohavebeenkeptaloofbyLydiasfolly。”

“Indeedyouaremistaken。Ihavenosuchinjuriestoresent。Itisnotofparticular,butofgeneralevils,whichIamnowcomplaining。Ourimportance,ourrespectabilityintheworldmustbeaffectedbythewildvolatility,theassuranceanddisdainofallrestraintwhichmarkLydiascharacter。Excuseme,forImustspeakplainly。Ifyou,mydearfather,willnottakethetroubleofcheckingherexuberantspirits,andofteachingherthatherpresentpursuitsarenottobethebusinessofherlife,shewillsoonbebeyondthereachofamendment。Hercharacterwillbefixed,andshewill,atsixteen,bethemostdeterminedflirtthatevermadeherselforherfamilyridiculous;aflirt,too,intheworstandmeanestdegreeofflirtation;withoutanyattractionbeyondyouthandatolerableperson;and,fromtheignoranceandemptinessofhermind,whollyunabletowardoffanyportionofthatuniversalcontemptwhichherrageforadmirationwillexcite。InthisdangerKittyalsoiscomprehended。ShewillfollowwhereverLydialeads。Vain,ignorant,idle,andabsolutelyuncontrolled!Oh!mydearfather,canyousupposeitpossiblethattheywillnotbecensuredanddespisedwherevertheyareknown,andthattheirsisterswillnotbeofteninvolvedinthedisgrace?”

Mr。Bennetsawthatherwholeheartwasinthesubject,andaffectionatelytakingherhandsaidinreply:

热门小说推荐
霸道帝少请节制

霸道帝少请节制

言安希醉酒后睡了一个男人,留下一百零二块钱,然后逃之夭夭。什么?这个男人,竟然是她未婚夫的大哥?一场豪赌,她被作为赌注,未婚夫将她拱手输给大哥。慕迟曜是这...

妖夏

妖夏

盛夏不老不死了上千年,看尽了想到想不到的各种热闹。没想到,她却也成了别人眼里的热闹,在一群不靠谱参谋的参谋下,屡战屡败,屡败屡战本闲初心不改,这本立志要写回言情了!...

全职法师

全职法师

一觉醒来,世界大变。熟悉的高中传授的是魔法,告诉大家要成为一名出色的魔法师。居住的都市之外游荡着袭击人类的魔物妖兽,虎视眈眈。崇尚科学的世界变成了崇尚魔法,偏偏有着一样以学渣看待自己的老师,一样目光异样的同学,一样社会底层挣扎的爸爸,一样纯美却不能走路的非血缘妹妹不过,莫凡发现绝大多数人都只能够主修一系魔法,自己却是全系全能法师!...

神兵奶爸

神兵奶爸

啥,老子堂堂的漠北兵王,居然要当奶爸?好吧,看在孩子他妈貌若天仙的份儿上,老子勉强答应了...

剑道第一仙

剑道第一仙

我是万古人间一剑修,诸天之上第一仙。...

霍少的闪婚暖妻

霍少的闪婚暖妻

陆家有两个女儿,小女儿是天上的月亮,大女儿是阴沟里的死狗。陆妈你长得不如你妹妹,脑子不如你妹妹,身材不如你妹妹,运气不如你妹妹,你有什么资格过得好,有什么资格幸福?陆微言姐姐,你的钱是我的房子是我的,你男朋友也是我的。你就安心地当又穷又没人要的老处女吧。陆一语凭什么?我也肤白貌美大长腿好么?分分钟能找个男人...