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第88章（第1页）

OntheverylastdayoftheregimentsremainingatMeryton，hedined，withotheroftheofficers，atLongbourn;andsolittlewasElizabethdisposedtopartfromhimingoodhumour，thatonhismakingsomeinquiryastothemannerinwhichhertimehadpassedatHunsford，shementionedColonelFitzwilliamsandMr.DarcyshavingbothspentthreeweeksatRosings，andaskedhim，ifhewasacquaintedwiththeformer.

Helookedsurprised，displeased，alarmed;butwithamomentsrecollectionandareturningsmile，replied，thathehadformerlyseenhimoften;and，afterobservingthathewasaverygentlemanlikeman，askedherhowshehadlikedhim.Heranswerwaswarmlyinhisfavour.Withanairofindifference，hesoonafterwardsadded:

“HowlongdidyousayhewasatRosings?”

“Nearlythreeweeks.”

“Andyousawhimfrequently?”

“Yes，almosteveryday.”

“Hismannersareverydifferentfromhiscousins.”

“Yes，verydifferent.ButIthinkMr.Darcyimprovesuponacquaintance.”

“Indeed!”

criedMr.Wickhamwithalookwhichdidnotescapeher.“Andpray，mayIask?—”

Butcheckinghimself，headded，inagayertone，“Isitinaddressthatheimproves?Hashedeignedtoaddaughtofcivilitytohisordinarystyle?—forIdarenothope，”

hecontinuedinalowerandmoreserioustone，“thatheisimprovedinessentials.”

“Oh，no!”

saidElizabeth.“Inessentials，Ibelieve，heisverymuchwhatheeverwas.”

Whileshespoke，Wickhamlookedasifscarcelyknowingwhethertorejoiceoverherwords，ortodistrusttheirmeaning.Therewasasomethinginhercountenancewhichmadehimlistenwithanapprehensiveandanxiousattention，whilesheadded:

“WhenIsaidthatheimprovedonacquaintance，Ididnotmeanthathismindorhismannerswereinastateofimprovement，butthat，fromknowinghimbetter，hisdispositionwasbetterunderstood.”

Wickhamsalarmnowappearedinaheightenedcomplexionandagitatedlook;forafewminuteshewassilent，till，shakingoffhisembarrassment，heturnedtoheragain，andsaidinthegentlestofaccents:

“You，whosowellknowmyfeelingtowardsMr.Darcy，willreadilycomprehendhowsincerelyImustrejoicethatheiswiseenoughtoassumeeventheappearanceofwhatisright.Hispride，inthatdirection，maybeofservice，ifnottohimself，tomanyothers，foritmustonlydeterhimfromsuchfoulmisconductasIhavesufferedby.Ionlyfearthatthesortofcautiousnesstowhichyou，Iimagine，havebeenalluding，ismerelyadoptedonhisvisitstohisaunt，ofwhosegoodopinionandjudgementhestandsmuchinawe.Hisfearofherhasalwaysoperated，Iknow，whentheyweretogether;andagooddealistobeimputedtohiswishofforwardingthematchwithMissdeBourgh，whichIamcertainhehasverymuchatheart.”

Elizabethcouldnotrepressasmileatthis，butsheansweredonlybyaslightinclinationofthehead.Shesawthathewantedtoengageherontheoldsubjectofhisgrievances，andshewasinnohumourtoindulgehim.Therestoftheeveningpassedwiththeappearance，onhisside，ofusualcheerfulness，butwithnofurtherattempttodistinguishElizabeth;andtheypartedatlastwithmutualcivility，andpossiblyamutualdesireofnevermeetingagain.

Whenthepartybrokeup，LydiareturnedwithMrs.ForstertoMeryton，fromwhencetheyweretosetoutearlythenextmorning.Theseparationbetweenherandherfamilywasrathernoisythanpathetic.Kittywastheonlyonewhoshedtears;butshedidweepfromvexationandenvy.Mrs.Bennetwasdiffuseinhergoodwishesforthefelicityofherdaughter，andimpressiveinherinjunctionsthatsheshouldnotmisstheopportunityofenjoyingherselfasmuchaspossible—advicewhichtherewaseveryreasontobelievewouldbeattendedto;andintheclamoroushappinessofLydiaherselfinbiddingfarewell，themoregentleadieusofhersisterswereutteredwithoutbeingheard.