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第99章（第1页）

ConvincedasElizabethnowwasthatMissBingleysdislikeofherhadoriginatedinjealousy，shecouldnothelpfeelinghowunwelcomeherappearanceatPemberleymustbetoher，andwascurioustoknowwithhowmuchcivilityonthatladyssidetheacquaintancewouldnowberenewed.

Onreachingthehouse，theywereshownthroughthehallintothesaloon，whosenorthernaspectrendereditdelightfulforsummer.Itswindowsopeningtotheground，admittedamostrefreshingviewofthehighwoodyhillsbehindthehouse，andofthebeautifuloaksandSpanishchestnutswhichwerescatteredovertheintermediatelawn.InthishousetheywerereceivedbyMissDarcy，whowassittingtherewithMrs.HurstandMissBingley，andtheladywithwhomshelivedinLondon.Georgianasreceptionofthemwasverycivil，butattendedwithalltheembarrassmentwhich，thoughproceedingfromshynessandthefearofdoingwrong，wouldeasilygivetothosewhofeltthemselvesinferiorthebeliefofherbeingproudandreserved.Mrs.Gardinerandherniece，however，didherjustice，andpitiedher.

ByMrs.HurstandMissBingleytheywerenoticedonlybyacurtsey;and，ontheirbeingseated，apause，awkwardassuchpausesmustalwaysbe，succeededforafewmoments.ItwasfirstbrokenbyMrs.Annesley，agenteel，agreeable-lookingwoman，whoseendeavourtointroducesomekindofdiscourseprovedhertobemoretrulywell-bredthaneitheroftheothers;andbetweenherandMrs.Gardiner，withoccasionalhelpfromElizabeth，theconversationwascarriedon.MissDarcylookedasifshewishedforcourageenoughtojoininit;andsometimesdidventureashortsentencewhentherewasleastdangerofitsbeingheard.

ElizabethsoonsawthatshewasherselfcloselywatchedbyMissBingley，andthatshecouldnotspeakaword，especiallytoMissDarcy，withoutcallingherattention.Thisobservationwouldnothavepreventedherfromtryingtotalktothelatter，hadtheynotbeenseatedataninconvenientdistance;butshewasnotsorrytobesparedthenecessityofsayingmuch.Herownthoughtswereemployingher.Sheexpectedeverymomentthatsomeofthegentlemenwouldentertheroom.Shewished，shefearedthatthemasterofthehousemightbeamongstthem;andwhethershewishedorfeareditmost，shecouldscarcelydetermine.AftersittinginthismanneraquarterofanhourwithouthearingMissBingleysvoice，Elizabethwasrousedbyreceivingfromheracoldinquiryafterthehealthofherfamily.Sheansweredwithequalindifferenceandbrevity，andtheotherssaidnomore.

Thenextvariationwhichtheirvisitaffordedwasproducedbytheentranceofservantswithcoldmeat，cake，andavarietyofallthefinestfruitsinseason;butthisdidnottakeplacetillaftermanyasignificantlookandsmilefromMrs.AnnesleytoMissDarcyhadbeengiven，toremindherofherpost.Therewasnowemploymentforthewholeparty—forthoughtheycouldnotalltalk，theycouldalleat;andthebeautifulpyramidsofgrapes，nectarines，andpeachessooncollectedthemroundthetable.

Whilethusengaged，ElizabethhadafairopportunityofdecidingwhethershemostfearedorwishedfortheappearanceofMr.Darcy，bythefeelingswhichprevailedonhisenteringtheroom;andthen，thoughbutamomentbeforeshehadbelievedherwishestopredominate，shebegantoregretthathecame.

HehadbeensometimewithMr.Gardiner，who，withtwoorthreeothergentlemenfromthehouse，wasengagedbytheriver，andhadlefthimonlyonlearningthattheladiesofthefamilyintendedavisittoGeorgianathatmorning.NosoonerdidheappearthanElizabethwiselyresolvedtobeperfectlyeasyandunembarrassed;aresolutionthemorenecessarytobemade，butperhapsnotthemoreeasilykept，becauseshesawthatthesuspicionsofthewholepartywereawakenedagainstthem，andthattherewasscarcelyaneyewhichdidnotwatchhisbehaviourwhenhefirstcameintotheroom.InnocountenancewasattentivecuriositysostronglymarkedasinMissBingleys，inspiteofthesmileswhichoverspreadherfacewhenevershespoketooneofitsobjects;forjealousyhadnotyetmadeherdesperate，andherattentionstoMr.Darcywerebynomeansover.MissDarcy，onherbrothersentrance，exertedherselfmuchmoretotalk，andElizabethsawthathewasanxiousforhissisterandherselftogetacquainted，andforwardedasmuchaspossible，everyattemptatconversationoneitherside.MissBingleysawallthislikewise;and，intheimprudenceofanger，tookthefirstopportunityofsaying，withsneeringcivility:

“Pray，MissEliza，arenotthe—shireMilitiaremovedfromMeryton?Theymustbeagreatlosstoyourfamily.”