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第134章（第1页）

“Somethingverymuchtothepurposeofcourse。Hebeginswithcongratulationsontheapproachingnuptialsofmyeldestdaughter，ofwhich，itseems，hehasbeentoldbysomeofthegood-natured，gossipingLucases。Ishallnotsportwithyourimpatience，byreadingwhathesaysonthatpoint。Whatrelatestoyourself，isasfollows:HavingthusofferedyouthesincerecongratulationsofMrs。Collinsandmyselfonthishappyevent，letmenowaddashorthintonthesubjectofanother;ofwhichwehavebeenadvertisedbythesameauthority。YourdaughterElizabeth，itispresumed，willnotlongbearthenameofBennet，afterhereldersisterhasresignedit，andthechosenpartnerofherfatemaybereasonablylookeduptoasoneofthemostillustriouspersonagesinthisland。

“Canyoupossiblyguess，Lizzy，whoismeantbythis?”Thisyounggentlemanisblessed，inapeculiarway，witheverythingtheheartofmortalcanmostdesire，—splendidproperty，noblekindred，andextensivepatronage。Yetinspiteofallthesetemptations，letmewarnmycousinElizabeth，andyourself，ofwhatevilsyoumayincurbyaprecipitateclosurewiththisgentlemansproposals，which，ofcourse，youwillbeinclinedtotakeimmediateadvantageof。

“Haveyouanyidea，Lizzy，whothisgentlemanis?Butnowitcomesout:

“Mymotiveforcautioningyouisasfollows。Wehavereasontoimaginethathisaunt，LadyCatherinedeBourgh，doesnotlookonthematchwithafriendlyeye。

“Mr。Darcy，yousee，istheman!Now，Lizzy，IthinkIhavesurprisedyou。Couldhe，ortheLucases，havepitchedonanymanwithinthecircleofouracquaintance，whosenamewouldhavegiventheliemoreeffectuallytowhattheyrelated?Mr。Darcy，whoneverlooksatanywomanbuttoseeablemish，andwhoprobablyneverlookedatyouinhislife!Itisadmirable!”

Elizabethtriedtojoininherfatherspleasantry，butcouldonlyforceonemostreluctantsmile。Neverhadhiswitbeendirectedinamannersolittleagreeabletoher。

“Areyounotdiverted?”

“Oh!yes。Prayreadon。”

“Aftermentioningthelikelihoodofthismarriagetoherladyshiplastnight，sheimmediately，withherusualcondescension，expressedwhatshefeltontheoccasion;whenitbecameapparent，thatonthescoreofsomefamilyobjectionsonthepartofmycousin，shewouldnevergiveherconsenttowhatshetermedsodisgracefulamatch。Ithoughtitmydutytogivethespeediestintelligenceofthistomycousin，thatsheandhernobleadmirermaybeawareofwhattheyareabout，andnotrunhastilyintoamarriagewhichhasnotbeenproperlysanctioned。Mr。Collinsmoreoveradds，IamtrulyrejoicedthatmycousinLydiassadbusinesshasbeensowellhushedup，andamonlyconcernedthattheirlivingtogetherbeforethemarriagetookplaceshouldbesogenerallyknown。Imustnot，however，neglectthedutiesofmystation，orrefrainfromdeclaringmyamazementathearingthatyoureceivedtheyoungcoupleintoyourhouseassoonastheyweremarried。Itwasanencouragementofvice;andhadIbeentherectorofLongbourn，Ishouldverystrenuouslyhaveopposedit。Yououghtcertainlytoforgivethem，asaChristian，butnevertoadmittheminyoursight，orallowtheirnamestobementionedinyourhearing。ThatishisnotionofChristianforgiveness!TherestofhisletterisonlyabouthisdearCharlottessituation，andhisexpectationofayoungolive-branch。But，Lizzy，youlookasifyoudidnotenjoyit。Youarenotgoingtobemissish，Ihope，andpretendtobeaffrontedatanidlereport。Forwhatdowelive，buttomakesportforourneighbours，andlaughattheminourturn?”

“Oh!”criedElizabeth，“Iamexcessivelydiverted。Butitissostrange!”

“Yes—thatiswhatmakesitamusing。Hadtheyfixedonanyothermanitwouldhavebeennothing;buthisperfectindifference，andyourpointeddislike，makeitsodelightfullyabsurd!MuchasIabominatewriting，IwouldnotgiveupMr。Collinsscorrespondenceforanyconsideration。Nay，whenIreadaletterofhis，IcannothelpgivinghimthepreferenceevenoverWickham，muchasIvaluetheimpudenceandhypocrisyofmyson-in-law。Andpray，Lizzy，whatsaidLadyCatherineaboutthisreport?Didshecalltorefuseherconsent?”Tothisquestionhisdaughterrepliedonlywithalaugh;andasithadbeenaskedwithouttheleastsuspicion，shewasnotdistressedbyhisrepeatingit。Elizabethhadneverbeenmoreatalosstomakeherfeelingsappearwhattheywerenot。Itwasnecessarytolaugh，whenshewouldratherhavecried。Herfatherhadmostcruellymortifiedher，bywhathesaidofMr。Darcysindifference，andshecoulddonothingbutwonderatsuchawantofpenetration，orfearthatperhaps，insteadofhisseeingtoolittle，shemighthavefanciedtoomuch。