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第107章（第1页）

“Donotgivewaytouselessalarm，”addedhe;“thoughitisrighttobepreparedfortheworst，thereisnooccasiontolookonitascertain。ItisnotquiteaweeksincetheyleftBrighton。Inafewdaysmore，wemaygainsomenewsofthem;andtillweknowthattheyarenotmarried，andhavenodesignofmarrying，donotletusgivethematteroveraslost。AssoonasIgettotownIshallgotomybrother，andmakehimcomehomewithmetoGracechurchStreet;andthenwemayconsulttogetherastowhatistobedone。”

“Oh!mydearbrother，”repliedMrs。Bennet，“thatisexactlywhatIcouldmostwishfor。Andnowdo，whenyougettotown，findthemout，wherevertheymaybe;andiftheyarenotmarriedalready，makethemmarry。Andasforweddingclothes，donotletthemwaitforthat，buttellLydiasheshallhaveasmuchmoneyasshechoosestobuythem，aftertheyaremarried。And，aboveallthings，keepMr。Bennetfromfighting。TellhimwhatadreadfulstateIamin，thatIamfrightedoutofmywits—andhavesuchtremblings，suchflutterings，alloverme—suchspasmsinmysideandpainsinmyhead，andsuchbeatingsatheart，thatIcangetnorestbynightnorbyday。AndtellmydearLydianottogiveanydirectionsaboutherclothestillshehasseenme，forshedoesnotknowwhicharethebestwarehouses。Oh，brother，howkindyouare!Iknowyouwillcontriveitall。”

ButMr。Gardiner，thoughheassuredheragainofhisearnestendeavoursinthecause，couldnotavoidrecommendingmoderationtoher，aswellinherhopesasherfear;andaftertalkingwithherinthismannertilldinnerwasonthetable，theyalllefthertoventallherfeelingsonthehousekeeper，whoattendedintheabsenceofherdaughters。

Thoughherbrotherandsisterwerepersuadedthattherewasnorealoccasionforsuchaseclusionfromthefamily，theydidnotattempttoopposeit，fortheyknewthatshehadnotprudenceenoughtoholdhertonguebeforetheservants，whiletheywaitedattable，andjudgeditbetterthatoneonlyofthehousehold，andtheonewhomtheycouldmosttrustshouldcomprehendallherfearsandsolicitudeonthesubject。

Inthedining-roomtheyweresoonjoinedbyMaryandKitty，whohadbeentoobusilyengagedintheirseparateapartmentstomaketheirappearancebefore。Onecamefromherbooks，andtheotherfromhertoilette。Thefacesofboth，however，weretolerablycalm;andnochangewasvisibleineither，exceptthatthelossofherfavouritesister，ortheangerwhichshehadherselfincurredinthisbusiness，hadgivenmoreoffretfulnessthanusualtotheaccentsofKitty。AsforMary，shewasmistressenoughofherselftowhispertoElizabeth，withacountenanceofgravereflection，soonaftertheywereseatedattable:

“Thisisamostunfortunateaffair，andwillprobablybemuchtalkedof。Butwemuststemthetideofmalice，andpourintothewoundedbosomsofeachotherthebalmofsisterlyconsolation。”

Then，perceivinginElizabethnoinclinationofreplying，sheadded，“UnhappyastheeventmustbeforLydia，wemaydrawfromitthisusefullesson:thatlossofvirtueinafemaleisirretrievable;thatonefalsestepinvolvesherinendlessruin;thatherreputationisnolessbrittlethanitisbeautiful;andthatshecannotbetoomuchguardedinherbehaviourtowardstheundeservingoftheothersex。”

Elizabethlifteduphereyesinamazement，butwastoomuchoppressedtomakeanyreply。Mary，however，continuedtoconsoleherselfwithsuchkindofmoralextractionsfromtheevilbeforethem。

Intheafternoon，thetwoelderMissBennetswereabletobeforhalf-an-hourbythemselves;andElizabethinstantlyavailedherselfoftheopportunityofmakinganyinquiries，whichJanewasequallyeagertosatisfy。Afterjoiningingenerallamentationsoverthedreadfulsequelofthisevent，whichElizabethconsideredasallbutcertain，andMissBennetcouldnotasserttobewhollyimpossible，theformercontinuedthesubject，bysaying，“ButtellmeallandeverythingaboutitwhichIhavenotalreadyheard。Givemefurtherparticulars。WhatdidColonelForstersay?Hadtheynoapprehensionofanythingbeforetheelopementtookplace?Theymusthaveseenthemtogetherforever。”

“ColonelForsterdidownthathehadoftensuspectedsomepartiality，especiallyonLydiasside，butnothingtogivehimanyalarm。Iamsogrievedforhim!Hisbehaviourwasattentiveandkindtotheutmost。Hewascomingtous，inordertoassureusofhisconcern，beforehehadanyideaoftheirnotbeinggonetoScotland:whenthatapprehensionfirstgotabroad，ithastenedhisjourney。”

“AndwasDennyconvincedthatWickhamwouldnotmarry?Didheknowoftheirintendingtogooff?HadColonelForsterseenDennyhimself?”

“Yes;but，whenquestionedbyhim，Dennydeniedknowinganythingoftheirplans，andwouldnotgivehisrealopinionaboutit。Hedidnotrepeathispersuasionoftheirnotmarrying—andfromthat，Iaminclinedtohope，hemighthavebeenmisunderstoodbefore。”

“AndtillColonelForstercamehimself，notoneofyouentertainedadoubt，Isuppose，oftheirbeingreallymarried?”