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第84章（第1页）

ElizabethsimpatiencetoacquaintJanewithwhathadhappenedcouldnolongerbeovercome;andatlength，resolvingtosuppresseveryparticularinwhichhersisterwasconcerned，andpreparinghertobesurprised，sherelatedtoherthenextmorningthechiefofthescenebetweenMr。Darcyandherself。

MissBennetsastonishmentwassoonlessenedbythestrongsisterlypartialitywhichmadeanyadmirationofElizabethappearperfectlynatural;andallsurprisewasshortlylostinotherfeelings。ShewassorrythatMr。Darcyshouldhavedeliveredhissentimentsinamannersolittlesuitedtorecommendthem;butstillmorewasshegrievedfortheunhappinesswhichhersistersrefusalmusthavegivenhim。

“Hisbeingsosureofsucceedingwaswrong，”saidshe，“andcertainlyoughtnottohaveappeared;butconsiderhowmuchitmustincreasehisdisappointment!”

“Indeed，”repliedElizabeth，“Iamheartilysorryforhim;buthehasotherfeelings，whichwillprobablysoondriveawayhisregardforme。Youdonotblameme，however，forrefusinghim?”

“Blameyou!Oh，no。”

“ButyoublamemeforhavingspokensowarmlyofWickham?”“No—Idonotknowthatyouwerewronginsayingwhatyoudid。”

“Butyouwillknowit，whenIhavetoldyouwhathappenedtheverynextday。”

Shethenspokeoftheletter，repeatingthewholeofitscontentsasfarastheyconcernedGeorgeWickham。WhatastrokewasthisforpoorJane，whowouldwillinglyhavegonethroughtheworldwithoutbelievingthatsomuchwickednessexistedinthewholeraceofmankind，aswasherecollectedinoneindividual。NorwasDarcysvindication，thoughgratefultoherfeelings，capableofconsolingherforsuchdiscovery。Mostearnestlydidshelabourtoprovetheprobabilityoferror，andseektocleartheonewithoutinvolvingtheother。

“Thiswillnotdo，”saidElizabeth;“youneverwillbeabletomakebothofthemgoodforanything。Takeyourchoice，butyoumustbesatisfiedwithonlyone。Thereisbutsuchaquantityofmeritbetweenthem;justenoughtomakeonegoodsortofman;andoflateithasbeenshiftingaboutprettymuch。Formypart，IaminclinedtobelieveitallMr。Darcys;butyoushalldoasyouchoose。”

Itwassometime，however，beforeasmilecouldbeextortedfromJane。

“IdonotknowwhenIhavebeenmoreshocked，”saidshe。“Wickhamsoverybad!Itisalmostpastbelief。AndpoorMr。Darcy!DearLizzy，onlyconsiderwhathemusthavesuffered。Suchadisappointment!andwiththeknowledgeofyourillopinion，too!andhavingtorelatesuchathingofhissister!Itisreallytoodistressing。Iamsureyoumustfeelitso。”

“Oh!no，myregretandcompassionarealldoneawaybyseeingyousofullofboth。Iknowyouwilldohimsuchamplejustice，thatIamgrowingeverymomentmoreunconcernedandindifferent。Yourprofusionmakesmesaving;andifyoulamentoverhimmuchlonger，myheartwillbeaslightasafeather。”

“PoorWickham!thereissuchanexpressionofgoodnessinhiscountenance!suchanopennessandgentlenessinhismanner!”

“Therecertainlywassomegreatmismanagementintheeducationofthosetwoyoungmen。Onehasgotallthegoodness，andtheotheralltheappearanceofit。”

“IneverthoughtMr。Darcysodeficientintheappearanceofitasyouusedtodo。”

“AndyetImeanttobeuncommonlycleverintakingsodecidedadisliketohim，withoutanyreason。Itissuchaspurtoonesgenius，suchanopeningforwit，tohaveadislikeofthatkind。Onemaybecontinuallyabusivewithoutsayinganythingjust;butonecannotalwaysbelaughingatamanwithoutnowandthenstumblingonsomethingwitty。”

“Lizzy，whenyoufirstreadthatletter，Iamsureyoucouldnottreatthematterasyoudonow。”

“Indeed，Icouldnot。Iwasuncomfortableenough，Iwasveryuncomfortable，Imaysayunhappy。AndwithnoonetospeaktoaboutwhatIfelt，noJanetocomfortmeandsaythatIhadnotbeensoveryweakandvainandnonsensicalasIknewIhad!Oh!howIwantedyou!”

“HowunfortunatethatyoushouldhaveusedsuchverystrongexpressionsinspeakingofWickhamtoMr。Darcy，fornowtheydoappearwhollyundeserved。”

“Certainly。ButthemisfortuneofspeakingwithbitternessisamostnaturalconsequenceoftheprejudicesIhadbeenencouraging。ThereisonepointonwhichIwantyouradvice。IwanttobetoldwhetherIought，oroughtnot，tomakeouracquaintancesingeneralunderstandWickhamscharacter。”