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第82章（第1页）

ItwasthesecondweekinMay，inwhichthethreeyoungladiessetouttogetherfromGracechurchStreetforthetownof—，inHertfordshire;and，astheydrewneartheappointedinnwhereMr.Bennetscarriagewastomeetthem，theyquicklyperceived，intokenofthecoachmanspunctuality，bothKittyandLydialookingoutofadining-roomupstairs.Thesetwogirlshadbeenaboveanhourintheplace，happilyemployedinvisitinganoppositemilliner，watchingthesentinelonguard，anddressingasaladandcucumber.

Afterwelcomingtheirsisters，theytriumphantlydisplayedatablesetoutwithsuchcoldmeatasaninnlarderusuallyaffords，exclaiming，“Isnotthisnice?Isnotthisanagreeablesurprise?”

“Andwemeantotreatyouall，”

addedLydia，“butyoumustlendusthemoney，forwehavejustspentoursattheshopoutthere.”

Then，showingherpurchases—“Lookhere，Ihaveboughtthisbonnet.Idonotthinkitisverypretty;butIthoughtImightaswellbuyitasnot.IshallpullittopiecesassoonasIgethome，andseeifIcanmakeitupanybetter.”

Andwhenhersistersabuseditasugly，sheadded，withperfectunconcern，“Oh!butthereweretwoorthreemuchuglierintheshop;andwhenIhaveboughtsomeprettier-colouredsatintotrimitwithfresh，Ithinkitwillbeverytolerable.Besides，itwillnotmuchsignifywhatonewearsthissummer，afterthe—shirehaveleftMeryton，andtheyaregoinginafortnight.”

“Aretheyindeed!”

criedElizabeth，withthegreatestsatisfaction.

“TheyaregoingtobeencampednearBrighton;andIdosowantpapatotakeusallthereforthesummer!Itwouldbesuchadeliciousscheme;andIdaresaywouldhardlycostanythingatall.Mammawouldliketogo，too，ofallthings!Onlythinkwhatamiserablesummerelseweshallhave!”

“Yes，”

thoughtElizabeth，“thatwouldbeadelightfulschemeindeed，andcompletelydoforusatonce.GoodHeaven!Brighton，andawholecampfulofsoldiers，tous，whohavebeenoversetalreadybyonepoorregimentofmilitia，andthemonthlyballsofMeryton!”

“NowIhavegotsomenewsforyou，”

saidLydia，astheysatdownattable.“Whatdoyouthink?Itisexcellentnews—capitalnews—andaboutacertainpersonwealllike!”

JaneandElizabethlookedateachother，andthewaiterwastoldheneednotstay.Lydialaughed，andsaid:

“Aye，thatisjustlikeyourformalityanddiscretion.Youthoughtthewaitermustnothear，asifhecared!IdaresayheoftenhearsworsethingssaidthanIamgoingtosay.Butheisanuglyfellow!Iamgladheisgone.Ineversawsuchalongchininmylife.Well，butnowformynews;itisaboutdearWickham;toogoodforthewaiter，isitnot?ThereisnodangerofWickhamsmarryingMaryKing.Theresforyou!SheisgonedowntoheruncleatLiverpool:gonetostay.Wickhamissafe.”

“AndMaryKingissafe!”

addedElizabeth;“safefromaconnectionimprudentastofortune.”

“Sheisagreatfoolforgoingaway，ifshelikedhim.”

“ButIhopethereisnostrongattachmentoneitherside，”

saidJane.

“Iamsurethereisnotonhis.Iwillanswerforit，henevercaredthreestrawsabouther—whocouldaboutsuchanastylittlefreckledthing?”

Elizabethwasshockedtothinkthat，howeverincapableofsuchcoarsenessofexpressionherself，thecoarsenessofthesentimentwaslittleotherthanherownbreasthadharbouredandfanciedliberal!

Assoonasallhadate，andtheelderonespaid，thecarriagewasordered;andaftersomecontrivance，thewholeparty，withalltheirboxes，work-bags，andparcels，andtheunwelcomeadditionofKittysandLydiaspurchases，wereseatedinit.