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第109章（第1页）

ThewholepartywereinhopesofaletterfromMr。Bennetthenextmorning，butthepostcameinwithoutbringingasinglelinefromhim。Hisfamilyknewhimtobe，onallcommonoccasions，amostnegligentanddilatorycorrespondent;butatsuchatimetheyhadhopedforexertion。Theywereforcedtoconcludethathehadnopleasingintelligencetosend;butevenofthattheywouldhavebeengladtobecertain。Mr。Gardinerhadwaitedonlyforthelettersbeforehesetoff。

Whenhewasgone，theywerecertainatleastofreceivingconstantinformationofwhatwasgoingon，andtheirunclepromised，atparting，toprevailonMr。BennettoreturntoLongbourn，assoonashecould，tothegreatconsolationofhissister，whoconsidereditastheonlysecurityforherhusbandsnotbeingkilledinaduel。

Mrs。GardinerandthechildrenweretoremaininHertfordshireafewdayslonger，astheformerthoughtherpresencemightbeserviceabletohernieces。ShesharedintheirattendanceonMrs。Bennet，andwasagreatcomforttothemintheirhoursoffreedom。Theirotherauntalsovisitedthemfrequently，andalways，asshesaid，withthedesignofcheeringandhearteningthemup—though，asshenevercamewithoutreportingsomefreshinstanceofWickhamsextravaganceorirregularity，sheseldomwentawaywithoutleavingthemmoredispiritedthanshefoundthem。

AllMerytonseemedstrivingtoblackenthemanwho，butthreemonthsbefore，hadbeenalmostanangeloflight。Hewasdeclaredtobeindebttoeverytradesmanintheplace，andhisintrigues，allhonouredwiththetitleofseduction，hadbeenextendedintoeverytradesmansfamily。Everybodydeclaredthathewasthewickedestyoungmanintheworld;andeverybodybegantofindoutthattheyhadalwaysdistrustedtheappearanceofhisgoodness。Elizabeth，thoughshedidnotcreditabovehalfofwhatwassaid，believedenoughtomakeherformerassuranceofhersistersruinmorecertain;andevenJane，whobelievedstilllessofit，becamealmosthopeless，moreespeciallyasthetimewasnowcomewhen，iftheyhadgonetoScotland，whichshehadneverbeforeentirelydespairedof，theymustinallprobabilityhavegainedsomenewsofthem。

Mr。GardinerleftLongbournonSunday;onTuesdayhiswifereceivedaletterfromhim;ittoldthemthat，onhisarrival，hehadimmediatelyfoundouthisbrother，andpersuadedhimtocometoGracechurchStreet;thatMr。BennethadbeentoEpsomandClapham，beforehisarrival，butwithoutgaininganysatisfactoryinformation;andthathewasnowdeterminedtoinquireatalltheprincipalhotelsintown，asMr。Bennetthoughtitpossibletheymighthavegonetooneofthem，ontheirfirstcomingtoLondon，beforetheyprocuredlodgings。Mr。Gardinerhimselfdidnotexpectanysuccessfromthismeasure，butashisbrotherwaseagerinit，hemeanttoassisthiminpursuingit。HeaddedthatMr。BennetseemedwhollydisinclinedatpresenttoleaveLondonandpromisedtowriteagainverysoon。Therewasalsoaposttothiseffect:

“IhavewrittentoColonelForstertodesirehimtofindout，ifpossible，fromsomeoftheyoungmansintimatesintheregiment，whetherWickhamhasanyrelationsorconnectionswhowouldbelikelytoknowinwhatpartoftownhehasnowconcealedhimself。Iftherewereanyonethatonecouldapplytowithaprobabilityofgainingsuchaclueasthat，itmightbeofessentialconsequence。Atpresentwehavenothingtoguideus。ColonelForsterwill，Idaresay，doeverythinginhispowertosatisfyusonthishead。But，onsecondthoughts，perhaps，Lizzycouldtelluswhatrelationshehasnowliving，betterthananyotherperson。”

Elizabethwasatnolosstounderstandfromwhencethisdeferencetoherauthorityproceeded;butitwasnotinherpowertogiveanyinformationofsosatisfactoryanatureasthecomplimentdeserved。

Shehadneverheardofhishavinghadanyrelations，exceptafatherandmother，bothofwhomhadbeendeadmanyyears。Itwaspossible，however，thatsomeofhiscompanionsinthe—shiremightbeabletogivemoreinformation;andthoughshewasnotverysanguineinexpectingit，theapplicationwasasomethingtolookforwardto。

EverydayatLongbournwasnowadayofanxiety;butthemostanxiouspartofeachwaswhenthepostwasexpected。Thearrivalofletterswasthefirstgrandobjectofeverymorningsimpatience。Throughletters，whateverofgoodorbadwastobetoldwouldbecommunicated，andeverysucceedingdaywasexpectedtobringsomenewsofimportance。

ButbeforetheyheardagainfromMr。Gardiner，aletterarrivedfortheirfather，fromadifferentquarter，fromMr。Collins;which，asJanehadreceiveddirectionstoopenallthatcameforhiminhisabsence，sheaccordinglyread;andElizabeth，whoknewwhatcuriositieshislettersalwayswere，lookedoverher，andreaditlikewise。Itwasasfollows:

“MYDEARSIR，