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第96章（第1页）

ElizabethhadsettleditthatMr。DarcywouldbringhissistertovisithertheverydayafterherreachingPemberley;andwasconsequentlyresolvednottobeoutofsightoftheinnthewholeofthatmorning。Butherconclusionwasfalse;forontheverymorningaftertheirownarrivalatLambton，thesevisitorscame。Theyhadbeenwalkingabouttheplacewithsomeoftheirnewfriends，andwerejustreturningtotheinntodressthemselvesfordiningwiththesamefamily，whenthesoundofacarriagedrewthemtoawindow，andtheysawagentlemanandaladyinacurricledrivingupthestreet。Elizabethimmediatelyrecognizingthelivery，guessedwhatitmeant，andimpartednosmalldegreeofhersurprisetoherrelationsbyacquaintingthemwiththehonourwhichsheexpected。Heruncleandauntwereallamazement;andtheembarrassmentofhermannerasshespoke，joinedtothecircumstanceitself，andmanyofthecircumstancesoftheprecedingday，openedtothemanewideaonthebusiness。Nothinghadeversuggesteditbefore，buttheynowfeltthattherewasnootherwayofaccountingforsuchattentionsfromsuchaquarterthanbysupposingapartialityfortheirniece。Whilethesenewly-bornnotionswerepassingintheirheads，theperturbationofElizabethsfeelingswasateverymomentincreasing。Shewasquiteamazedatherowndiscomposure;butamongstothercausesofdisquiet，shedreadedlestthepartialityofthebrothershouldhavesaidtoomuchinherfavour;and，morethancommonlyanxioustoplease，shenaturallysuspectedthateverypowerofpleasingwouldfailher。

Sheretreatedfromthewindow，fearfulofbeingseen;andasshewalkedupanddowntheroom，endeavouringtocomposeherself，sawsuchlooksofinquiringsurpriseinheruncleandauntasmadeeverythingworse。

MissDarcyandherbrotherappeared，andthisformidableintroductiontookplace。WithastonishmentdidElizabethseethathernewacquaintancewasatleastasmuchembarrassedasherself。SinceherbeingatLambton，shehadheardthatMissDarcywasexceedinglyproud;buttheobservationofaveryfewminutesconvincedherthatshewasonlyexceedinglyshy。Shefounditdifficulttoobtainevenawordfromherbeyondamonosyllable。

MissDarcywastall，andonalargerscalethanElizabeth;and，thoughlittlemorethansixteen，herfigurewasformed，andherappearancewomanlyandgraceful。Shewaslesshandsomethanherbrother;buttherewassenseandgoodhumourinherface，andhermannerswereperfectlyunassumingandgentle。Elizabeth，whohadexpectedtofindinherasacuteandunembarrassedanobserveraseverMr。Darcyhadbeen，wasmuchrelievedbydiscerningsuchdifferentfeelings。

TheyhadnotbeenlongtogetherbeforeMr。DarcytoldherthatBingleywasalsocomingtowaitonher;andshehadbarelytimetoexpresshersatisfaction，andprepareforsuchavisitor，whenBingleysquickstepwasheardonthestairs，andinamomentheenteredtheroom。AllElizabethsangeragainsthimhadbeenlongdoneaway;buthadshestillfeltany，itcouldhardlyhavestooditsgroundagainsttheunaffectedcordialitywithwhichheexpressedhimselfonseeingheragain。Heinquiredinafriendly，thoughgeneralway，afterherfamily，andlookedandspokewiththesamegood-humouredeasethathehadeverdone。

ToMr。andMrs。Gardinerhewasscarcelyalessinterestingpersonagethantoherself。Theyhadlongwishedtoseehim。Thewholepartybeforethem，indeed，excitedalivelyattention。ThesuspicionswhichhadjustarisenofMr。Darcyandtheirniecedirectedtheirobservationtowardseachwithanearnestthoughguardedinquiry;andtheysoondrewfromthoseinquiriesthefullconvictionthatoneofthematleastknewwhatitwastolove。Oftheladyssensationstheyremainedalittleindoubt;butthatthegentlemanwasoverflowingwithadmirationwasevidentenough。

Elizabeth，onherside，hadmuchtodo。Shewantedtoascertainthefeelingsofeachofhervisitors;shewantedtocomposeherown，andtomakeherselfagreeabletoall;andinthelatterobject，whereshefearedmosttofail，shewasmostsureofsuccess，forthosetowhomsheendeavouredtogivepleasurewereprepossessedinherfavour。Bingleywasready，Georgianawaseager，andDarcydetermined，tobepleased。

InseeingBingley，herthoughtsnaturallyflewtohersister;and，oh!howardentlydidshelongtoknowwhetheranyofhisweredirectedinalikemanner。Sometimesshecouldfancythathetalkedlessthanonformeroccasions，andonceortwicepleasedherselfwiththenotionthat，ashelookedather，hewastryingtotracearesemblance。But，thoughthismightbeimaginary，shecouldnotbedeceivedastohisbehaviourtoMissDarcy，whohadbeensetupasarivaltoJane。Nolookappearedoneithersidethatspokeparticularregard。Nothingoccurredbetweenthemthatcouldjustifythehopesofhissister。Onthispointshewassoonsatisfied;andtwoorthreelittlecircumstancesoccurrederetheyparted，which，inheranxiousinterpretation，denotedarecollectionofJanenotuntincturedbytenderness，andawishofsayingmorethatmightleadtothementionofher，hadhedared。Heobservedtoher，atamomentwhentheothersweretalkingtogether，andinatonewhichhadsomethingofrealregret，thatit“wasaverylongtimesincehehadhadthepleasureofseeingher;”and，beforeshecouldreply，headded，“Itisaboveeightmonths。Wehavenotmetsincethe26thofNovember，whenwewerealldancingtogetheratNetherfield。”

Elizabethwaspleasedtofindhismemorysoexact;andheafterwardstookoccasiontoaskher，whenunattendedtobyanyoftherest，whetherallhersisterswereatLongbourn。Therewasnotmuchinthequestion，norintheprecedingremark;buttherewasalookandamannerwhichgavethemmeaning。