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第85章（第1页）

MissBennetpausedalittle，andthenreplied，“Surelytherecanbenooccasionforexposinghimsodreadfully.Whatisyouropinion?”

“Thatitoughtnottobeattempted.Mr.Darcyhasnotauthorisedmetomakehiscommunicationpublic.Onthecontrary，everyparticularrelativetohissisterwasmeanttobekeptasmuchaspossibletomyself;andifIendeavourtoundeceivepeopleastotherestofhisconduct，whowillbelieveme?ThegeneralprejudiceagainstMr.Darcyissoviolent，thatitwouldbethedeathofhalfthegoodpeopleinMerytontoattempttoplacehiminanamiablelight.Iamnotequaltoit.Wickhamwillsoonbegone;andthereforeitwillnotsignifytoanyoneherewhathereallyis.Sometimehenceitwillbeallfoundout，andthenwemaylaughattheirstupidityinnotknowingitbefore.AtpresentIwillsaynothingaboutit.”

“Youarequiteright.Tohavehiserrorsmadepublicmightruinhimforever.Heisnow，perhaps，sorryforwhathehasdone，andanxioustore-establishacharacter.Wemustnotmakehimdesperate.”

ThetumultofElizabethsmindwasallayedbythisconversation.Shehadgotridoftwoofthesecretswhichhadweighedonherforafortnight，andwascertainofawillinglistenerinJane，whenevershemightwishtotalkagainofeither.Buttherewasstillsomethinglurkingbehind，ofwhichprudenceforbadethedisclosure.ShedarednotrelatetheotherhalfofMr.Darcysletter，norexplaintohersisterhowsincerelyshehadbeenvaluedbyherfriend.Herewasknowledgeinwhichnoonecouldpartake;andshewassensiblethatnothinglessthanaperfectunderstandingbetweenthepartiescouldjustifyherinthrowingoffthislastencumbranceofmystery.“Andthen，”

saidshe，“ifthatveryimprobableeventshouldevertakeplace，IshallmerelybeabletotellwhatBingleymaytellinamuchmoreagreeablemannerhimself.Thelibertyofcommunicationcannotbeminetillithaslostallitsvalue!”

Shewasnow，onbeingsettledathome，atleisuretoobservetherealstateofhersistersspirits.Janewasnothappy.ShestillcherishedaverytenderaffectionforBingley.Havingneverevenfanciedherselfinlovebefore，herregardhadallthewarmthoffirstattachment，and，fromherageanddisposition，greatersteadinessthanfirstattachmentsoftenboast;andsoferventlydidshevaluehisremembrance，andpreferhimtoeveryotherman，thatallhergoodsense，andallherattentiontothefeelingsofherfriends，wererequisitetochecktheindulgenceofthoseregretswhichmusthavebeeninjurioustoherownhealthandtheirtranquillity.

“Well，Lizzy，”

saidMrs.Bennetoneday，“whatisyouropinionnowofthissadbusinessofJanes?Formypart，Iamdeterminednevertospeakofitagaintoanybody.ItoldmysisterPhillipssotheotherday.ButIcannotfindoutthatJanesawanythingofhiminLondon.Well，heisaveryundeservingyoungman—andIdonotsupposetherestheleastchanceintheworldofherevergettinghimnow.ThereisnotalkofhiscomingtoNetherfieldagaininthesummer;andIhaveinquiredofeverybody，too，whoislikelytoknow.”

“IdonotbelievehewilleverliveatNetherfieldanymore.”

“Ohwell!itisjustashechooses.Nobodywantshimtocome.ThoughIshallalwayssayheusedmydaughterextremelyill;andifIwasher，Iwouldnothaveputupwithit.Well，mycomfortis，IamsureJanewilldieofabrokenheart;andthenhewillbesorryforwhathehasdone.”

ButasElizabethcouldnotreceivecomfortfromanysuchexpectation，shemadenoanswer.

“Well，Lizzy，”

continuedhermother，soonafterwards，“andsotheCollinsesliveverycomfortable，dothey?Well，well，Ionlyhopeitwilllast.Andwhatsortoftabledotheykeep?Charlotteisanexcellentmanager，Idaresay.Ifsheishalfassharpashermother，sheissavingenough.Thereisnothingextravagantintheirhousekeeping，Idaresay.”

“No，nothingatall.”

“Agreatdealofgoodmanagement，dependuponit.Yes，yes.Theywilltakecarenottooutruntheirincome.Theywillneverbedistressedformoney.Well，muchgoodmayitdothem!Andso，Isuppose，theyoftentalkofhavingLongbournwhenyourfatherisdead.Theylookuponitasquitetheirown，Idaresay，wheneverthathappens.”

“Itwasasubjectwhichtheycouldnotmentionbeforeme.”

“No;itwouldhavebeenstrangeiftheyhad;butImakenodoubttheyoftentalkofitbetweenthemselves.Well，iftheycanbeeasywithanestatethatisnotlawfullytheirown，somuchthebetter.Ishouldbeashamedofhavingonethatwasonlyentailedonme.”