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第86章（第1页）

Thefirstweekoftheirreturnwassoongone。Thesecondbegan。ItwasthelastoftheregimentsstayinMeryton，andalltheyoungladiesintheneighbourhoodweredroopingapace。Thedejectionwasalmostuniversal。TheelderMissBennetsalonewerestillabletoeat，drink，andsleep，andpursuetheusualcourseoftheiremployments。VeryfrequentlyweretheyreproachedforthisinsensibilitybyKittyandLydia，whoseownmiserywasextreme，andwhocouldnotcomprehendsuchhard-heartednessinanyofthefamily。

“GoodHeaven!whatistobecomeofus?Whatarewetodo?”wouldtheyoftenexclaiminthebitternessofwoe。“Howcanyoubesmilingso，Lizzy?”

Theiraffectionatemothersharedalltheirgrief;sherememberedwhatshehadherselfenduredonasimilaroccasion，five-and-twentyyearsago。

“Iamsure，”saidshe，“IcriedfortwodaystogetherwhenColonelMillersregimentwentaway。IthoughtIshouldhavebrokenmyheart。”

“IamsureIshallbreakmine，”saidLydia。

“IfonecouldbutgotoBrighton!”observedMrs。Bennet。

“Oh，yes!—ifonecouldbutgotoBrighton!Butpapaissodisagreeable。”

“Alittlesea-bathingwouldsetmeupforever。”

“AndmyauntPhillipsissureitwoulddomeagreatdealofgood，”addedKitty。

SuchwerethekindoflamentationsresoundingperpetuallythroughLongbournHouse。Elizabethtriedtobedivertedbythem;butallsenseofpleasurewaslostinshame。ShefeltanewthejusticeofMr。Darcysobjections;andneverhadshebeensomuchdisposedtopardonhisinterferenceintheviewsofhisfriend。

ButthegloomofLydiasprospectwasshortlyclearedaway;forshereceivedaninvitationfromMrs。Forster，thewifeofthecoloneloftheregiment，toaccompanyhertoBrighton。Thisinvaluablefriendwasaveryyoungwoman，andverylatelymarried。AresemblanceingoodhumourandgoodspiritshadrecommendedherandLydiatoeachother，andoutoftheirthreemonthsacquaintancetheyhadbeenintimatetwo。

TheraptureofLydiaonthisoccasion，heradorationofMrs。Forster，thedelightofMrs。Bennet，andthemortificationofKitty，arescarcelytobedescribed。Whollyinattentivetohersistersfeelings，Lydiaflewaboutthehouseinrestlessecstasy，callingforeveryonescongratulations，andlaughingandtalkingwithmoreviolencethanever;whilstthelucklessKittycontinuedintheparlourrepinedatherfateintermsasunreasonableasheraccentwaspeevish。

“IcannotseewhyMrs。ForstershouldnotaskmeaswellasLydia，”saidshe，“ThoughIamnotherparticularfriend。Ihavejustasmuchrighttobeaskedasshehas，andmoretoo，forIamtwoyearsolder。”

InvaindidElizabethattempttomakeherreasonable，andJanetomakeherresigned。AsforElizabethherself，thisinvitationwassofarfromexcitinginherthesamefeelingsasinhermotherandLydia，thatsheconsidereditasthedeathwarrantofallpossibilityofcommonsenseforthelatter;anddetestableassuchastepmustmakeherwereitknown，shecouldnothelpsecretlyadvisingherfathernottolethergo。SherepresentedtohimalltheimproprietiesofLydiasgeneralbehaviour，thelittleadvantageshecouldderivefromthefriendshipofsuchawomanasMrs。Forster，andtheprobabilityofherbeingyetmoreimprudentwithsuchacompanionatBrighton，wherethetemptationsmustbegreaterthanathome。Heheardherattentively，andthensaid:

“Lydiawillneverbeeasyuntilshehasexposedherselfinsomepublicplaceorother，andwecanneverexpecthertodoitwithsolittleexpenseorinconveniencetoherfamilyasunderthepresentcircumstances。”

“Ifyouwereaware，”saidElizabeth，“oftheverygreatdisadvantagetousallwhichmustarisefromthepublicnoticeofLydiasunguardedandimprudentmanner—nay，whichhasalreadyarisenfromit，Iamsureyouwouldjudgedifferentlyintheaffair。”

“Alreadyarisen?”repeatedMr。Bennet。“What，hasshefrightenedawaysomeofyourlovers?PoorlittleLizzy!Butdonotbecastdown。Suchsqueamishyouthsascannotbeartobeconnectedwithalittleabsurdityarenotwortharegret。Come，letmeseethelistofpitifulfellowswhohavebeenkeptaloofbyLydiasfolly。”

“Indeedyouaremistaken。Ihavenosuchinjuriestoresent。Itisnotofparticular，butofgeneralevils，whichIamnowcomplaining。Ourimportance，ourrespectabilityintheworldmustbeaffectedbythewildvolatility，theassuranceanddisdainofallrestraintwhichmarkLydiascharacter。Excuseme，forImustspeakplainly。Ifyou，mydearfather，willnottakethetroubleofcheckingherexuberantspirits，andofteachingherthatherpresentpursuitsarenottobethebusinessofherlife，shewillsoonbebeyondthereachofamendment。Hercharacterwillbefixed，andshewill，atsixteen，bethemostdeterminedflirtthatevermadeherselforherfamilyridiculous;aflirt，too，intheworstandmeanestdegreeofflirtation;withoutanyattractionbeyondyouthandatolerableperson;and，fromtheignoranceandemptinessofhermind，whollyunabletowardoffanyportionofthatuniversalcontemptwhichherrageforadmirationwillexcite。InthisdangerKittyalsoiscomprehended。ShewillfollowwhereverLydialeads。Vain，ignorant，idle，andabsolutelyuncontrolled!Oh!mydearfather，canyousupposeitpossiblethattheywillnotbecensuredanddespisedwherevertheyareknown，andthattheirsisterswillnotbeofteninvolvedinthedisgrace?”

Mr。Bennetsawthatherwholeheartwasinthesubject，andaffectionatelytakingherhandsaidinreply: