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第84章（第1页）

ElizabethsimpatiencetoacquaintJanewithwhathadhappenedcouldnolongerbeovercome;andatlength，resolvingtosuppresseveryparticularinwhichhersisterwasconcerned，andpreparinghertobesurprised，sherelatedtoherthenextmorningthechiefofthescenebetweenMr.Darcyandherself.

MissBennetsastonishmentwassoonlessenedbythestrongsisterlypartialitywhichmadeanyadmirationofElizabethappearperfectlynatural;andallsurprisewasshortlylostinotherfeelings.ShewassorrythatMr.Darcyshouldhavedeliveredhissentimentsinamannersolittlesuitedtorecommendthem;butstillmorewasshegrievedfortheunhappinesswhichhersistersrefusalmusthavegivenhim.

“Hisbeingsosureofsucceedingwaswrong，”

saidshe，“andcertainlyoughtnottohaveappeared;butconsiderhowmuchitmustincreasehisdisappointment!”

“Indeed，”

repliedElizabeth，“Iamheartilysorryforhim;buthehasotherfeelings，whichwillprobablysoondriveawayhisregardforme.Youdonotblameme，however，forrefusinghim?”

“Blameyou!Oh，no.”

“ButyoublamemeforhavingspokensowarmlyofWickham?”

“No—Idonotknowthatyouwerewronginsayingwhatyoudid.”

“Butyouwillknowit，whenIhavetoldyouwhathappenedtheverynextday.”

Shethenspokeoftheletter，repeatingthewholeofitscontentsasfarastheyconcernedGeorgeWickham.WhatastrokewasthisforpoorJane，whowouldwillinglyhavegonethroughtheworldwithoutbelievingthatsomuchwickednessexistedinthewholeraceofmankind，aswasherecollectedinoneindividual.NorwasDarcysvindication，thoughgratefultoherfeelings，capableofconsolingherforsuchdiscovery.Mostearnestlydidshelabourtoprovetheprobabilityoferror，andseektocleartheonewithoutinvolvingtheother.

“Thiswillnotdo，”

saidElizabeth;“youneverwillbeabletomakebothofthemgoodforanything.Takeyourchoice，butyoumustbesatisfiedwithonlyone.Thereisbutsuchaquantityofmeritbetweenthem;justenoughtomakeonegoodsortofman;andoflateithasbeenshiftingaboutprettymuch.Formypart，IaminclinedtobelieveitallMr.Darcys;butyoushalldoasyouchoose.”

Itwassometime，however，beforeasmilecouldbeextortedfromJane.

“IdonotknowwhenIhavebeenmoreshocked，”

saidshe.“Wickhamsoverybad!Itisalmostpastbelief.AndpoorMr.Darcy!DearLizzy，onlyconsiderwhathemusthavesuffered.Suchadisappointment!andwiththeknowledgeofyourillopinion，too!andhavingtorelatesuchathingofhissister!Itisreallytoodistressing.Iamsureyoumustfeelitso.”

“Oh!no，myregretandcompassionarealldoneawaybyseeingyousofullofboth.Iknowyouwilldohimsuchamplejustice，thatIamgrowingeverymomentmoreunconcernedandindifferent.Yourprofusionmakesmesaving;andifyoulamentoverhimmuchlonger，myheartwillbeaslightasafeather.”

“PoorWickham!thereissuchanexpressionofgoodnessinhiscountenance!suchanopennessandgentlenessinhismanner!”

“Therecertainlywassomegreatmismanagementintheeducationofthosetwoyoungmen.Onehasgotallthegoodness，andtheotheralltheappearanceofit.”

“IneverthoughtMr.Darcysodeficientintheappearanceofitasyouusedtodo.”

“AndyetImeanttobeuncommonlycleverintakingsodecidedadisliketohim，withoutanyreason.Itissuchaspurtoonesgenius，suchanopeningforwit，tohaveadislikeofthatkind.Onemaybecontinuallyabusivewithoutsayinganythingjust;butonecannotalwaysbelaughingatamanwithoutnowandthenstumblingonsomethingwitty.”

“Lizzy，whenyoufirstreadthatletter，Iamsureyoucouldnottreatthematterasyoudonow.”

“Indeed，Icouldnot.Iwasuncomfortableenough，Iwasveryuncomfortable，Imaysayunhappy.AndwithnoonetospeaktoaboutwhatIfelt，noJanetocomfortmeandsaythatIhadnotbeensoveryweakandvainandnonsensicalasIknewIhad!Oh!howIwantedyou!”

“HowunfortunatethatyoushouldhaveusedsuchverystrongexpressionsinspeakingofWickhamtoMr.Darcy，fornowtheydoappearwhollyundeserved.”

“Certainly.ButthemisfortuneofspeakingwithbitternessisamostnaturalconsequenceoftheprejudicesIhadbeenencouraging.ThereisonepointonwhichIwantyouradvice.IwanttobetoldwhetherIought，oroughtnot，tomakeouracquaintancesingeneralunderstandWickhamscharacter.”