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第121章（第1页）

ThecontentsofthisletterthrewElizabethintoaflutterofspirits，inwhichitwasdifficulttodeterminewhetherpleasureorpainborethegreatestshare。ThevagueandunsettledsuspicionswhichuncertaintyhadproducedofwhatMr。Darcymighthavebeendoingtoforwardhersistersmatch，whichshehadfearedtoencourageasanexertionofgoodnesstoogreattobeprobable，andatthesametimedreadedtobejust，fromthepainofobligation，wereprovedbeyondtheirgreatestextenttobetrue!Hehadfollowedthempurposelytotown，hehadtakenonhimselfallthetroubleandmortificationattendantonsucharesearch;inwhichsupplicationhadbeennecessarytoawomanwhomhemustabominateanddespise，andwherehewasreducedtomeet，frequentlymeet，reasonwith，persuade，andfinallybribe，themanwhomhealwaysmostwishedtoavoid，andwhoseverynameitwaspunishmenttohimtopronounce。Hehaddoneallthisforagirlwhomhecouldneitherregardnoresteem。Herheartdidwhisperthathehaddoneitforher。Butitwasahopeshortlycheckedbyotherconsiderations，andshesoonfeltthatevenhervanitywasinsufficient，whenrequiredtodependonhisaffectionforher—forawomanwhohadalreadyrefusedhim—asabletoovercomeasentimentsonaturalasabhorrenceagainstrelationshipwithWickham。Brother-in-lawofWickham!Everykindofpridemustrevoltfromtheconnection。Hehad，tobesure，donemuch。Shewasashamedtothinkhowmuch。Buthehadgivenareasonforhisinterference，whichaskednoextraordinarystretchofbelief。Itwasreasonablethatheshouldfeelhehadbeenwrong;hehadliberality，andhehadthemeansofexercisingit;andthoughshewouldnotplaceherselfashisprincipalinducement，shecould，perhaps，believethatremainingpartialityforhermightassisthisendeavoursinacausewhereherpeaceofmindmustbemateriallyconcerned。Itwaspainful，exceedinglypainful，toknowthattheywereunderobligationstoapersonwhocouldneverreceiveareturn。TheyowedtherestorationofLydia，hercharacter，everything，tohim。Oh!howheartilydidshegrieveovereveryungracioussensationshehadeverencouraged，everysaucyspeechshehadeverdirectedtowardshim。Forherselfshewashumbled;butshewasproudofhim。Proudthatinacauseofcompassionandhonour，hehadbeenabletogetthebetterofhimself。Shereadoverherauntscommendationofhimagainandagain。Itwashardlyenough;butitpleasedher。Shewasevensensibleofsomepleasure，thoughmixedwithregret，onfindinghowsteadfastlybothsheandherunclehadbeenpersuadedthataffectionandconfidencesubsistedbetweenMr。Darcyandherself。Shewasrousedfromherseat，andherreflections，bysomeonesapproach;andbeforeshecouldstrikeintoanotherpath，shewasovertakenbyWickham。

“IamafraidIinterruptyoursolitaryramble，mydearsister?”saidhe，ashejoinedher。

“Youcertainlydo，”sherepliedwithasmile;“butitdoesnotfollowthattheinterruptionmustbeunwelcome。”

“Ishouldbesorryindeed，ifitwere。Wewerealwaysgoodfriends;andnowwearebetter。”

“True。Aretheotherscomingout?”

“Idonotknow。Mrs。BennetandLydiaaregoinginthecarriagetoMeryton。Andso，mydearsister，Ifind，fromouruncleandaunt，thatyouhaveactuallyseenPemberley。”

Sherepliedintheaffirmative。

“Ialmostenvyyouthepleasure，andyetIbelieveitwouldbetoomuchforme，orelseIcouldtakeitinmywaytoNewcastle。Andyousawtheoldhousekeeper，Isuppose?PoorReynolds，shewasalwaysveryfondofme。Butofcourseshedidnotmentionmynametoyou。”

“Yes，shedid。”

“Andwhatdidshesay?”

“Thatyouweregoneintothearmy，andshewasafraidhad—notturnedoutwell。Atsuchadistanceasthat，youknow，thingsarestrangelymisrepresented。”

“Certainly，”hereplied，bitinghislips。Elizabethhopedshehadsilencedhim;buthesoonafterwardssaid:

“IwassurprisedtoseeDarcyintownlastmonth。Wepassedeachotherseveraltimes。Iwonderwhathecanbedoingthere。”

“PerhapspreparingforhismarriagewithMissdeBourgh，”saidElizabeth。“Itmustbesomethingparticular，totakehimthereatthistimeofyear。”

“Undoubtedly。DidyouseehimwhileyouwereatLambton?IthoughtIunderstoodfromtheGardinersthatyouhad。”

“Yes;heintroducedustohissister。”

“Anddoyoulikeher?”

“Verymuch。”

“Ihaveheard，indeed，thatsheisuncommonlyimprovedwithinthisyearortwo。WhenIlastsawher，shewasnotverypromising。Iamverygladyoulikedher。Ihopeshewillturnoutwell。”

“Idaresayshewill;shehasgotoverthemosttryingage。”

“DidyougobythevillageofKympton?”

“Idonotrecollectthatwedid。”

“Imentionit，becauseitisthelivingwhichIoughttohavehad。Amostdelightfulplace!—ExcellentParsonageHouse!Itwouldhavesuitedmeineveryrespect。”

“Howshouldyouhavelikedmakingsermons?”

“Exceedinglywell。Ishouldhaveconsidereditaspartofmyduty，andtheexertionwouldsoonhavebeennothing。Oneoughtnottorepine;—but，tobesure，itwouldhavebeensuchathingforme!Thequiet，theretirementofsuchalifewouldhaveansweredallmyideasofhappiness!Butitwasnottobe。DidyoueverhearDarcymentionthecircumstance，whenyouwereinKent?”

“Ihaveheardfromauthority，whichIthoughtasgood，thatitwasleftyouconditionallyonly，andatthewillofthepresentpatron。”

“Youhave。Yes，therewassomethinginthat;Itoldyousofromthefirst，youmayremember。”

“Ididhear，too，thattherewasatime，whensermon-makingwasnotsopalatabletoyouasitseemstobeatpresent;thatyouactuallydeclaredyourresolutionofnevertakingorders，andthatthebusinesshadbeencompromisedaccordingly。”

“Youdid!anditwasnotwhollywithoutfoundation。YoumayrememberwhatItoldyouonthatpoint，whenfirstwetalkedofit。”

Theywerenowalmostatthedoorofthehouse，forshehadwalkedfasttogetridofhim;andunwilling，forhersisterssake，toprovokehim，sheonlysaidinreply，withagood-humouredsmile:

“Come，Mr。Wickham，wearebrotherandsister，youknow。Donotletusquarrelaboutthepast。Infuture，Ihopeweshallbealwaysofonemind。”

Sheheldoutherhand;hekisseditwithaffectionategallantry，thoughhehardlyknewhowtolook，andtheyenteredthehouse。